[TR] How did the factory add on factory options

[Michael Porter]

On 6/4/2020 12:24 PM, Don Hiscock wrote:
>
> Jonmac and I were having an email conversation about some of the 
> regional customization the other day (around lighting regulation 
> differences across the continent in the day) that might be relevant 
> here, too.  John noted that customization could be done in line 
> production, in Sales Conversion, off-line before dispatch by train, or 
> by the selling dealer. Where options were added relate to how deep 
> they're built into the car.  Adjustable steering on a sidescreen car 
> would obviously be done on the line.  Windscreen washers and mirrors, 
> for example, were usually done by the dealer.
>
Even into the `80s, this was still being done, to a degree, by notable 
manufacturers such as Toyota, although it was for purposes of economy of 
shipping.  Before Toyota began investing in plants in the U.S., the cars 
came to the U.S. on Toyota's own fleet of ships which were equipped with 
hydraulically positioned decks. The cars were chained down to pots in 
the deck, the tires inflated to ~ 80 psi, which locked them in place.  
Then the upper deck was brought down to about an inch above the car 
roofs and filled with another layer of identical models.

One might realize that this method obviated the ability to install 
things that stick up and out--radio antennae, roof racks, fancy 
non-standard wheels and tires, etc.  The ship pulled up at the port, the 
drivers boarded the ship on foot with a special half-gallon gas can, 
grabbed the nearest cars. fueled them and drove them down the ramp at 
the front of the ship to a holding area, where they were tagged with 
work order to install all the equipment that didn't fit.  From there, 
they went to long sheds where assemblers fitted them out.  All that was 
done at the port before the cars went onto over-the-road or rail transport.

Pretty neat, because when the ships were empty, they backtracked to the 
Gulf of Mexico ports to which they'd dropped off cars, to pick up fresh 
fruits and vegetables, made possible by the adjustable decks and by 
refrigerating the ships.  The ships were full coming and going.


Cheers.


-- 


Michael Porter
Roswell, NM


Never let anyone drive you crazy when you know it's within walking distance....