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Factory Tour


mrothwell

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Took the factory tour in Merced on Tuesday. It was very enlightening. Jorge was very friendly and took time to answer all our questions, and with 4 little girls there are a lot of questions.

The tour was nothing like I expected. I expected to go around on cat walks, looking down on the factory floor and getting an explanation of what we were seeing. But, we were on the floor, touching and feeling.

The BIG CNC machines are cool to watch do their work. Seeing all the vinyl getting sewn together and fitted to seat cushions and dashes was interesting.

Then, seeing the Gel coats applied and the taping that is all done by hand is impressive, to say the least. Looked into the spray booths and saw the whole process. Didn't get to see them pop a hull out of the mold, but did see them pop some stringers out.

Watched for a while as they laid fiberglass into a hull mold. Then watched the rigging and engine installation.

The most impressive thing to me was the detail process. They take a special light, didn't see what kind, to look for hair line scratches in the gel, then polish them out and make them look incredible.

Got to see a 25 footer - that thing is huge, and a few 247s, also big, but not nearly as big looking as the 25.

Took around 60 pix, and put a few up on the web. Malibu Tour

Let me know if you have a specific picture you want, I may have one that I can pass on.

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When I took the tour in Tennessee there were several new ones on trailers and I had this vision of nonchalantly hooking one up and sneaking away....

OJ style low speed chase down I-75......

Maybe an idea for a Malibu commercial....

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So, no more multi-function gauge on the dash?

Any idea on what is displayed on what looks like two smaller gauges?

Looks like they're going back to the old MSCAN K-M gauge or whatever that was called a few years back.

Guess I shouldn't be too surprised since it's probably needed for TBW anyway.

Mike

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AAAAAAAARGH!

I'm at home, dial up. There's no way I'll get to see those pics before tomorrow! Too big. :( BWAAAAHAAAAAAa... ... ...

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AAAAAAAARGH! 

I'm at home, dial up.  There's no way I'll get to see those pics before tomorrow!  Too big.  :(    BWAAAAHAAAAAAa... ...  ...

Sorry Andy, I didn't reduce them much, so they are big.

I'll re-size some pix and put some more up when I get a chance.

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mrothwell,

That is some factory floor all right Shocking.gif thanks for taking the time to put those up...Its really good to see the PW, and the big dogs Parking space :) and to see a proud Dad..Love your work

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mrothwell,

Great pics!... Thanks for sharing them with us!... What are you going to do to keep the boys away when those girls get older?!... ROFL.gif

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That dash picture shows a rectangular control that looks just like an Accuski

control ? Is the new Malibu speed control a BorgWarner/Accuski based unit ??

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Wow, I answered my question instantly ! I looked at the "just received" thread & there was my answer - Accuski lives. (I'm one of the two admitting to using an

Accuski on the speed control thread - were just a little outnumbered. Several

of my buddies have PP & they are great also. One funny footnote about the

Accuski is that with my new polarized sunglasses on the Accuski screen looks

like a rainbow/oilslick.

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Thanks mrothwell,

We are so far behind the US so its nice to see what is coming next year and it gives us time to get used to the changes.

The 247 is realy starting to grow on me. I really like the like of the 05 but Im starting to get used to the new graphics. Still not a fan of the 06 VLX graphics. Too bad we cant get the 247 here in AUS. I think it would have been my next update if it was available.

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