Interesting story about production lines in Paigewood

[jennie285]

Okay so Rodney took our Ute over to the sandblaster on Saturday and a new guy was there who we knew from panel beating, and doing up our F700 truck in 2003, is now working at the sandblaster…

He did his apprenticeship at Paigewood in 1975-76 and worked on the assembly line, his father worked on the Ute and van line and got him the job there, I think he worked more in the panel beating a spray painting area. He said there were a lot of cars which were dented during manufacturer and had to be repaired before they left the factory. In a short conversation one of the most interesting things he asked Rodney did he know what a panel van was made out of? He didn’t know what he meant so he said no “not sure”, He went on to say that “on the assembly line because the presses were a little worn, and if the doors didn’t shut properly on a ute, or the back of the ute was out of shape in some way, or other, had any defect in that roof, or door area, some bloke had the job along the assembly line to inspect these, and if he found these defects he would blow a whistle, and as soon as they hear this whistle four of five guys would come and move the ute off the ute line, and onto the panel van line, because you had more opportunity to panel beat, fill adjust etc” Rodney said he we would like to have a long chat to him one day…he lives in Forbes. The build sheets appeared to be changed as they went down the assembly line. We will update when we next talk to him

[cafiem]

I knew it. panel vans made out of ute rejects.ha!

[jennie285]

I knew it. panel vans made out of ute rejects.ha!

Not all of them, so don't get clever it was just so they wouldn't get wasted....

[Blocker]

Only at Pagewood! Elizabeth plant (Adelaide) vans were the best!

[HK1837]

I don't think that is possible Jennie at least for HJ-HZ as Pagewood never built van bodies. They built their own HQ van bodies, but the HJ-HZ bodies came complete from Elizabeth, painted and hard-trimmed and never went into the Pagewood BAP, they went straight to the VAP. Pagewood did build their own ute bodies for all of HQ-HZ though.
What he might mean is dented utes were finished off on the van line, but this would only be in the VAP.

[GNW1974]

I can tell you nothing has changed, around 2003 I did a heap of access training in Holdens Elizabeth plant one day and when I had to do the pract test on the Boomlift, we had to go to another area in the plant. Here were parked brand new Monaro's with heat lamps as they had repairs done to panels from dents etc. I cant see why this wouldn't still be occurring.

[mckackie]

Well there ya go. I think repairs to vans at pagewood would have been done on the ute line, as I can clearly remember my childhood living in Adelaide, seeing freight trains (some times two or three a day) loaded with holden bodies of every type, and I can particularly recall the sandman utes and vans. the bodies were always without front ends, and the trains would comprise a few closed wagons or box cars, which were often filled with front panels, axle assemblies and engines etc. Quite often as they passed through Adelaide, trains were hit by kids throwing rocks at the car bodies, hoping to smash a window or score a good ding. in about 1977 I noticed they started covering the open cars with mesh to reduce the likelyhood of damage. I can vivdly remember the HX-HZ stripes on the vans and utes on the trains too.

[playwme]

I can vivdly remember the HX-HZ stripes on the vans and utes on the trains too.

That's interesting. I thought the stripes were sent with the cars and fitted at the dealership.

[HK1837]

Only for HQ and HJ.

[jennie285]

I don't think that is possible Jennie at least for HJ-HZ as Pagewood never built van bodies. They built their own HQ van bodies, but the HJ-HZ bodies came complete from Elizabeth, painted and hard-trimmed and never went into the Pagewood BAP, they went straight to the VAP. Pagewood did build their own ute bodies for all of HQ-HZ though.
What he might mean is dented utes were finished off on the van line, but this would only be in the VAP.

I am thinking we have the wrong years for this guy I know his age, and think his story is correct, but he would have been there earlier doing his apprenticeship, more likely 72-76, as I remember him painting that windowless yellow van, (I have put pics up here a few times in various threads of three vans together in the 80's),for a friend and he had his own spray painting business....