Intro from an old Assembly Plant guy

[esbstuff]

Keith, You weren't driving a 14 Stingray the otherday were you?

Yes I am taliking about the one that was crashed in AZ... You know I had to ask just because you are the only real GM employee I know...

News Link: http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoram...011152790.html

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by esbstuff

Keith, You weren't driving a 14 Stingray the otherday were you?

Yes I am taliking about the one that was crashed in AZ... You know I had to ask just because you are the only real GM employee I know...

Nope - still buzzin around in my electric cars.

I saw the headline on Yahoo but didn't realize it was a GM owned vehicle.

Fortunately all of my driving mistakes have been a little more discreet (and a little less publicized).

K

[Keith Seymore]

This week represents the end of an era for me -

For the last 14 years I have been in GM engineering project management assigned to various product programs. We take a vehicle model all the way from the clay in the studio, through the design and development process, help launch it in the assembly plant and stay with it until the build is stable. Anything related to "engineering" fell under my responsibility (kind of like being the "design engineer for the whole car").

Some of the products birthed under my watchful eye while in this capacity were the 2001 GMC Denali, the 2002 Cadillac Escalade, the 2003 Chevy/GMC pickup, the 2007 Chevy/GMC and Cadillac SUVs, the 2008 Hummer H2 (I actually wrote the original engineering plan for what became the H2) and, for the last 4 years, the 2011/2012/2013/2014 Chevy Volt, Opel Ampera and Holden Volt. So - it's been a fun ride and I have particularly enjoyed the cross functional relationships (working with Purchasing, Marketing, Service, Product Recalls - ok, maybe not, Material Logistics, etc) and being the "go to" guy for options, vehicle complexity and understanding how the car goes together.

Starting Monday I will be a design engineer in the Underbody Structures group (floor pan and front of dash), once again with the truck group. It will be nice working with my old truck buds, and I think it will be somewhat liberating to only be responsible for one series of parts (and not the whole car). Initially I will be helping the group get better organized: developing the part number permutations/tracking, assisting in getting new parts released and on contract with the suppliers, and interfacing with the Program Teams (the people in my current job). Once we are through that hurdle they'll have to train this old dog on how to use all those fancy computers to actually design a part and start bending some metal.

I might even have a little more free time and be able to take some vacations during the summer, enjoying my old car and old truck hobby My wife is already making vacation plans to fill up this additional free time she thinks I am going to have...

K

[manimal]

Thats AWESOME!

[J Knight]

Congrats on your achievements and good luck on you future assignments. Its great having a guy with your history on the forum.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Rich84]

Good luck with your new position..Maybe you will have more time for us too...lol

Always enjoy reading your posts..Sort of like an interactive history book.

Thanks.

[Greenlee]

Congratulations on the new job! I saw some pictures on here of your Volt, but didn't realize you were working on it. I'm really interested in those and think it's awesome that Chevrolet came up with something completely different than what all the other manufactuers have done. I have considered buying one, but I just keep hoping the price will fall a little.
Posted via Mobile Device

[tucsonjwt]

So, of course, you will be moving back to Flint. I hear it is lovely there this time of year Anybody can design stuff - getting it into production is the hard part.

[Keith Seymore]

Thanks, guys -

Found this while visiting with Mom at her house today; I don't even remember receiving it:



K

[J Knight]

R/V Engineering.

1985-87 I presume.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Keith Seymore]

I got a new truck today....










Well...not really - but it seems like it.

That should be 200,000. It's been a long time coming. I've been driving company cars over the last several months so the truck has been just sitting.

So - now, the restoration is complete!

K

[Billy81]

LOL, congrats.

[wraprail]

Congrats Keith!

[1985-GMC]

Keith do you know of any old videos of inside the plants? I've always thought it would be cool to see something like that while everyone was working, maybe even of before you worked there or of other plants.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Keith do you know of any old videos of inside the plants? I've always thought it would be cool to see something like that while everyone was working, maybe even of before you worked there or of other plants.
Posted via Mobile Device

Yes - I had some videos linked earlier in this thread but I see the've been moved/deleted.

I'll try to find them again and post a link, perhaps in a new thread.

K

[1985-GMC]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Yes - I had some videos linked earlier in this thread but I see the've been moved/deleted.

I'll try to find them again and post a link, perhaps in a new thread.

K

That would be awesome, thanks Keith!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Telecasterjoey]

Thanks Keith, that's perfect. I'm gonna have to switch my design, glad nothing's welded yet!
Posted via Mobile Device

[manimal]

How well does your truck tow being it's a 1/2t? How does the 833 trans handle it? Thank you.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by manimal

How well does your truck tow being it's a 1/2t? How does the 833 trans handle it? Thank you.

It tows well but most of my stuff is pretty light.

It does a great job with the open trailer with just about anything on it, including my 3600 lbs Chevelle. I wish I had a little more first gear for launchability, but not bad enough to do anything about it.

The enclosed car trailer is too much. I've towed short distances but it was not fun and not recommended. Of course, I had no way of knowing what my needs would be 27 years ago when I ordered this truck

K

[manimal]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

It tows well but most of my stuff is pretty light.

It does a great job with the open trailer with just about anything on it, including my 3600 lbs Chevelle. I wish I had a little more first gear for launchability, but not bad enough to do anything about it.

The enclosed car trailer is too much. I've towed short distances but it was not fun and not recommended. Of course, I had no way of knowing what my needs would be 27 years ago when I ordered this truck

K

Thanks Keith!

[cyclefreak207]

Absolutely beautiful. Not one thing that should have been done differently. perfect. two thumbs way up!

[Jwood70]

WOW. That is all I can say. What a great read. Keith, thank you for all the information you have posted on here as well as the great pictures. You have some beautiful automobles and I hope your new job is working out well!

oh and thanks for the information about the bed mounted spare. That is a part that is going onto my to-do list.
Posted via Mobile Device

[07XCSBZ71]

Double posted for some reason.

[07XCSBZ71]

I've really enjoyed your work! The only complaint I have is the rear drum brakes on my 07 Classic Z71. LOL! That parking brake cable/spring deal is a major PITA(just replaced at 130,809 miles)!Thanks for the great job!

My 99 Z71 has 421k miles on it just for the record!

[Keith Seymore]

Well - it's starting to feel like fall, which means another summer has come and gone in Michigan. I probably owe you guys an update, so I'm trying to recall what all we did this year -

* The "new job" meant I got to take a summer vacation for the first time in many years. We took both weeks of the July shutdown and rented a cabin up north. All the kids traveled back for our first 'family reunion' of sorts.

* also saw the mother-in-law twice this summer: we went to Phoenix for a week and then, about a month later she came here for a week. Probably can't see her often enough now that she is getting up there in years (she's 84 if I'm doing the math right)

* You all know the Woodward Dream Cruise weekend had morphed into a week long event; what you probably didn't know is that now it starts about a week and a half in advance of the official date. We started on Friday evening the week before and then were out every evening thereafter (usually in the Grand Prix, although the pickup saw some action a couple times). I don't usually go out on Saturday but my daughter wanted to go - and it was phenomenal. Traffic was flowing and the air was cool. I don't know if that indicates attendance was down a bit or if it was just because we managed to get out there so early (about 8 am for our first loop).




* Managed to sneak in a race event during the month of August. I've been participating in an "all motor" series sponsored by the Renegade Race Association. They alternate events between Norwalk and Thompson Ohio. I'll tell you what - I don't know why we go anywhere other than Norwalk to race. That has got to be the nicest facility in the known universe. New guy here qualified #2 (out of 18 cars) right off the trailer



and then....we got rained out.



I'm supposed to be racing again in Norwalk this weekend....

....but....

* I'm in Wentzville MO building G Vans. We are building future product engineering vehicles on the regular production line. What a mess! I've been doing this 35 years and I'm still amazed that any of this comes together at all.

So - that's probably it for now, while we transition into fall. Looking forward to the cooler fall weather - and the lower ETs that always accompany it!

K