The Ford Barn

mshmodela · 08-07-2015, 01:10 PM

Back in the day 15,000 workers made some very fine engines here... The plant was torn down and sold for scrap.. No Pride....

BILL WILLIAMSON · 08-07-2015, 02:04 PM

Saw a video of Model A blocks, being poured while moving along on a conveyor, FRIGGIN' AMAZING! ! !
Bill W.

Jon · 08-07-2015, 02:16 PM

Didn't realize they tore it down, I worked there for two years, project engineer. My responsibilities were in the pouring area but a lot of mornings I'd arrive early and walk the core room. It was amazing to see all of the cores in V-8 and how they are held in place prior to the top of the mold being put on. The pouring floor was scary the first couple weeks I was there. Hot metal pouring out of cupolas and then being transferred to cars that ran on overhead rails, then pouring into the individual ladles. You had hot iron being poured on either side of you as you walked down the aisle. Lasting memories.

mshmodela · 08-07-2015, 02:33 PM

Back in the day if the 4 stacks were a smokin, you knew the economy was hitting on all cylinders... Now just empty... I guess the end of cast iron blocks was the end of the plant. Oh and the Cleveland Casting plant opened in 1955 so Cleveland V8 blocks were cast there.

Y-Blockhead · 08-07-2015, 02:55 PM

Ford's first OHV Y-8 239 cu" Y-Blocks were from Cleveland and later grew to the 312" Y-8 in Fords "Little Birds" ('55-57 TiBirds)

Tod · 08-07-2015, 03:11 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I got to tour the place back around 2003/4. My current iron foundry's owner knew the plant manager and we got to look around. They were cranking out V-8s one every 39 seconds. It was nice to see that they cast theirs the same way I do my V-8s.

Tod

Tom Wesenberg · 08-07-2015, 04:18 PM

It's really sad to see what's happened to all the factories in this country. The Twin Cities Ford Plant was torn down just a year ago. I'd toured it three times over the years, and on the last tour I had a feeling the end was near because you could see the paint inside the building wasn't being maintained. Makes me wonder what would happen if we suddenly needed production for a war like WWII.

mshmodela · 08-07-2015, 04:20 PM

My 2 cents... I toured the plant in the last 1990s. You could not pay me enough to work in those conditions.. Those who worked there truly busted butt just breathing the 110F + air and the amazing LOUD noise level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXtuJRHo1U8

Ray64 · 08-08-2015, 08:08 AM

Im proud to say I worked in that plant for 43 years and loved it. Yes it was hot dirty and nasty. That's what a foundry is supposed to be like.Anyway I made a great living there and thankful that FORD built it there. Sad its gone though.

08-07-2015, 01:10 PM	#1
mshmodela Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,763	Cleveland Casting Plant Back in the day 15,000 workers made some very fine engines here... The plant was torn down and sold for scrap.. No Pride.... __________________ -Mike Late 31' Ford Model A Tudor, Miss Daisy I don't work on cars --I'm learning about my Model A. Cleveland, Ohio Last edited by mshmodela; 08-07-2015 at 01:15 PM.

08-07-2015, 02:04 PM	#2
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Saw a video of Model A blocks, being poured while moving along on a conveyor, FRIGGIN' AMAZING! ! ! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

08-07-2015, 02:16 PM	#3
Jon Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Kalamazoo, MI USA Posts: 166	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Didn't realize they tore it down, I worked there for two years, project engineer. My responsibilities were in the pouring area but a lot of mornings I'd arrive early and walk the core room. It was amazing to see all of the cores in V-8 and how they are held in place prior to the top of the mold being put on. The pouring floor was scary the first couple weeks I was there. Hot metal pouring out of cupolas and then being transferred to cars that ran on overhead rails, then pouring into the individual ladles. You had hot iron being poured on either side of you as you walked down the aisle. Lasting memories. __________________ John - Kalamazoo, MI

08-07-2015, 02:33 PM	#4
mshmodela Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,763	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Back in the day if the 4 stacks were a smokin, you knew the economy was hitting on all cylinders... Now just empty... I guess the end of cast iron blocks was the end of the plant. Oh and the Cleveland Casting plant opened in 1955 so Cleveland V8 blocks were cast there. __________________ -Mike Late 31' Ford Model A Tudor, Miss Daisy I don't work on cars --I'm learning about my Model A. Cleveland, Ohio

08-07-2015, 02:55 PM	#5
Y-Blockhead Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 5,849	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Ford's first OHV Y-8 239 cu" Y-Blocks were from Cleveland and later grew to the 312" Y-8 in Fords "Little Birds" ('55-57 TiBirds) Last edited by Y-Blockhead; 08-07-2015 at 03:17 PM.

08-07-2015, 03:11 PM	#6
Tod Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Salem, Ohio Posts: 1,058	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I got to tour the place back around 2003/4. My current iron foundry's owner knew the plant manager and we got to look around. They were cranking out V-8s one every 39 seconds. It was nice to see that they cast theirs the same way I do my V-8s. Tod

08-07-2015, 04:18 PM	#7
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant It's really sad to see what's happened to all the factories in this country. The Twin Cities Ford Plant was torn down just a year ago. I'd toured it three times over the years, and on the last tour I had a feeling the end was near because you could see the paint inside the building wasn't being maintained. Makes me wonder what would happen if we suddenly needed production for a war like WWII.

08-07-2015, 04:20 PM	#8
mshmodela Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 2,763	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant My 2 cents... I toured the plant in the last 1990s. You could not pay me enough to work in those conditions.. Those who worked there truly busted butt just breathing the 110F + air and the amazing LOUD noise level. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXtuJRHo1U8 __________________ -Mike Late 31' Ford Model A Tudor, Miss Daisy I don't work on cars --I'm learning about my Model A. Cleveland, Ohio Last edited by mshmodela; 08-07-2015 at 04:33 PM.

08-08-2015, 08:08 AM	#9
Ray64 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Grafton,OHIO Posts: 728	Re: Cleveland Casting Plant Im proud to say I worked in that plant for 43 years and loved it. Yes it was hot dirty and nasty. That's what a foundry is supposed to be like.Anyway I made a great living there and thankful that FORD built it there. Sad its gone though.