Factory tour report

[birdshill123]

No not a You Tube tour but a report on my tour this week. Actually it
was more like a visit as I was the only person on the tour. Stepping
into the plant I had a flashback. Not the drug induced "back to the
50's" style. I couldn't help thinking that this must have been
something to see in the mid 80's or earlier. I could imagine the
sounds of shears, punch presses and brakes all making body panels.
Lots of good old boys welding frame members. Maybe 3 or 4 units a
week coming off the line. I wish I could have been there. The new
owners seem to be trying hard but it is an uphill battle. They have
had to go out and buy a lot of equipment as Henley sold it all off. I
did not know that since 2000 BB farmed out a lot of the work. All the
side walls were made at a metal fab plant. All the wiring harnesses
were made elsewhere. Now it will be done in house. Maybe that is why
some of the quality of the 2000 and up coaches was not the same as in
previous years. They are working on the coach that will go the
Minneapolis FMCA show. The frame is complete, side walls and roof are
installed. The holes for the windows and door have to be cut. The
wood shop was building the cabinets. Lots of hand labor. The
cabinets are not laminate but nore like a Beaver with that high gloss
clear coat over wood veneer. I was told that 100 people work in the
plant but that must include the service people and office staff. They
did have the Bus line running and there were 3 units in various
stages of completion. I think that inter city Bus will be a big
success. I wish them well with the BB and hope their hard work pays
off. This is a big undertaking. They had a bunch of the 450's in the
service bays. The axle change and moving the gennie is a big job. It
is my understanding that Coachworks is only doing the work. The
responsibility for the repairs lies with the school bus people. I
would guess that it will cost more than $20,000 to do each BB. Maybe
even $30,000: 8 tires, new axle ( and I assume it will be a complete
axle with brakes, etc.) and then the gennie work . I think they have
65 to do but some will be done in California.

Bruce
1988FC