Topic: Assembly Line Flow Chart

[Pete Bush]

There's two more assembly line photos in the bottom left-hand corner of this collection of pictures.

As near as I can tell, the pictures that Bryan posted are of Dearborn 1966 production.

[bryancobb]

Thanks Pete,

Now that we have a chronology for the pics, lets try this:
If everyone would take picture AA, and write everything they can observe or have knowledge of, about what we are seing in the picture.
What's going on?  What do you know about the equipment and tooling?  What tiny details do you see in the picture that most would not notice?

[J_Speegle]

If everyone would take picture AA, and write everything they can observe or have knowledge of, about what we are seing in the picture..........

"AA"?? I see numbers for each negative - like 18, 19, ....

[Pete Bush]

Attached are two illustrations of the first processes on the Body & Paint (BP) line.
I believe that the the early pictures in Group #1 of the firewall begin with a sub-assembly area that is feeding parts to the main line. Perhaps workers are preparing holes.

Group #1 pictures: DD-18, EE-19, and FF-20 are early assembly line photos of the front structure assembly; around the time of the merry-go round or perhaps shortly after.

Time was about 3:17 pm.

[Pete Bush]

Wait...

It's difficult to tell, but is the guy in picture AA-15 the same one as in FF-20? If so, all the pictures in Group #1 might be of the merry-go-round taken from different angles.

[bryancobb]

Pete,
What pub' did those those 2 pictures come out of?  I have never seen them.

[Pete Bush]

Those particular photos came from Bob Fria's book Mustang Genesis, although they had footnotes that they were provided by Ford Motor Co.

[bryancobb]

Have you got any pics or ideas how the "merry-go-round" was laid out?

[Pete Bush]

All I have are verbal descriptions. Here are two:

“The front structure assembly was built first. It was created by assembling, in the fixture nicknamed the “Merry-Go-Round”, the dash panel (also sometimes referred to as cowl or firewall), the left and right inner engine compartment apron panel assemblies, the radiator support, and the outer side frame members. These pieces were spot welded into one single assembly.”
Mustang Genesis – Bob Fria (pg. 150)

“The Mustang’s engine box, known simply as the “front end assembly” at Ford in those days, was assembled in a huge jig that was part of the “Merry-Go-Round” where several front end assemblies were assembled and welded together by automatic and human welders. The Merry-Go-Round concept originated when 1962 Fairlane production began at Dearborn in 1961.”
Mustang Production Guide Vol. 1 – Jim Smart & Jim Haskell (pg. 7)

[Pete Bush]

Bryan,

Here's a link that may help you. Although it talks primarily about the 1997 Mustang Assembly Line, it might help you with the definition of some areas - and the scale of operations.

http://www.atomicfrog.com/mirrors/www.blueovalnews.com/mustangline.htm

[Pete Bush]

Here are some links to 1994-95 assembly line footage:

1994-95 Mustang Assembly Video





I realize that techniques and sequence may change, but it might provide some insights on how ford did things in the mid-60's - by comparing to the few pictures and videos we have surviving from that era.

[66candy]

Here is some more interesting stuff: http://home.planet.nl/~nugte075/dearborn/index.htm !