I had the opportunity to get a factory tour in Gaydon last Friday. Here are a few memories, while they are still fresh....

The facility reminds me of a bustling small college campus. Employment is around 1,200 people total. The reception area is right inside the small pond that we have all seen the the One Seventy Seven appearing to float on water. It now has a yellow Vantage. I was met by Ms Wendy Way and offered refreshments while my guide was paged. In the lobby area are the four cars currently under production and a "model," showing cutout of the shell, drivetrain and transmission. There was a couple there with big smiles, taking delivery of a Vanquish.

I was introduced to Keith Bissenden and we visited for a bit. He was under the impression that I currently owned two AM's, a Vantage and a DB9. I didn't have the heart to tell him that the Vantage was gone to make room for the DB9. I related the story of how I had bought the Vantage on EBay, without meaning to and that lead to the DB9 and now I am just so pleased to have discovered the AM brand and able to be a member.

I had to sign a paper of non disclosure and was then told that once out of the lobby, there would be no pictures. (OUCH). I had assumed that I was going to be a part of a group tour, but it was just the two of us. There is a hallway of cars starting with the DB2 and ending with the DB9 used in the Bond movie with the machine guns on the hood and a corporate timeline above. There was a poster of the DB10. I was under the impression that it was going into production, but Keith told me that they had only made ten to twelve units and they were all for the current Bond film being done right now in Mexico.

We started with the ladies stitching the seats. Vantage takes 7 and Rapide takes 9. The hides all come from Scotland and have no barbed wire marks. The ladies use a piece of chalk and a template to mark the pattern, then they stitch literally anything the customer wants on the leather.

We stopped and watch a fellow assemble a cockpit overhead interior light unit with leather and the light parts and garage door electronics. He was using scissors to cut and fold the leather and a small plastic spatula to make creases and move the leather. He said he take about 20 minutes to assemble one.

Then it was an area where dashboards where being assembled. They were working on six and I was surprised to see that five of them had the B and O sound speakers installed, with a price of over $8K each.

From there we went to see body shells of all colors all sitting in niches awaiting mating with the underbody. There are no spec cars. Each one has been specifically ordered. Next was the car shell itself. They are assembled with a few rivets and lots of adhesive. There are also quite a few harmonic noise dampeners placed in numerous places all over. I was told that these are on common to all cars. Exterior door panels are attached to the interior by adhesive and a heat press. I was able to lift a carbon fibre panel for a Vanquish. It was just nothing, maybe two pounds. Keith said that a replacement panel in case of an accident would be 2200 English Pounds.

Next was the painting area. Custom colors are still hand sprayed and company colors are robot sprayed. To finish the custom color is 70 man hours and the other is 50 man hours. That is mostly all hand polishing after each of several layers is applied. Keith mentioned that one indication of AM factory paint is to see the overspray in areas that will be covered up. the only thing in front of the wheels on the finished car is the radiator, so the front assembly is bolted on with 12 bolts and the rear is attached with four bolts.

Then it was off to the engine area. There were a few V8's and V 12's, with different color tops. I know my 06 Vantage with the 4.3 was grey a the 4.7's are now black. There was a 4.7 in black and one in grey, which Keith couldn't explain. Two workers were running a diagnostic on the wiring harness and checking pins. Everything is very quite and calm throughout the building.

Now to the actual assembly line. The typical GM assembly line moves the equivalent of every 8 seconds. The AM line moves at once every 40 MINUTES. The bodies are dropped onto the chassis and then insulation, carpeting, seats, glass, wheels are all added. All body panels are covered thought to protect the paint. Fluids are added here as well.

The cars are now finished and taken an driven over a series of speed bumps to settle everything in. Alignment is now adjusted. Next they are driven to a garage, where 2,400 gallons of water is dumped on top to check for water leaks. Next each car is taken to another another building where a track experience can be simulated. They all used to go to the track, but now it is all simulated with electronics. Once this has occurred, they receive their wings and inspection plague.

Ten percent of all production is taken into a room and given further scrutiny
by the engineering staff to insure quality control. There was a Vanquish and a Rapide being looked over as we passed.
There are two assembly lines, however only one is being used. They will make about the same number of cars this year as last, 3,800.

Now that the 1 7 7 is gone, I can't help but get the feeling that something else is coming. Once the tour was over, i wanted to go to the Heritage British Auto museum a mile down the road and a contractor agreed to give me a lift. She told me that she supplied the carbon fibre to the factory and
couldn't talk about what project she was working on. I can highly recommend the Heritage Museum. Over a hundred pristine vehicles going back to the early 1900's.

Finally, I was hoping to actually see a 1 7 7. Keith told me that the last was one currently being delivered to a professional baseball player in FL. I ask him if he had ever driven it and he said, yes many times. Each trip needed four hours to wrap the car to avoid any paint damage. If you ever get the opportunity to tour, do it. You will be impressed by the attention to each detail being done by people who are happy to be doing quality work. They actually want to meet you and hear your impressions of the work.

 

Thank you for the write up for those of us not fortunate enough to see in person, loved it!

 

Strange - Was on the same tour last October and had the exact experience - where they thought I owned two Aston's (a Vanquish and a DB5). Has me wondering if there are a minimum number of vehicles you need to own to qualify for the private tour (and do the dealers have to 'enhance' your portfolio to get an invitation)?

Nevertheless, the ladies were fabulously hospitable and we had a great tour.

Also dropped by the museum next door and saw their 2003 DB7 Zagato along with a 2005 DBR9 GT (posted some pics earlier https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post4247735 )

Loved your write-up. I'm impressed with the detail - just as I remember it.

 

How did you get on the tour? Is it done through your dealer, or did you apply to the factory itself?

 

Mine was arranged through the dealer. I believe that's the only way it can be done.

I was told that most new owners try to time their visit to correspond to the point in manufacture where the drivetrain and bodywork of their own car is being joined (and the factory tries to accommodate where they can).

Alternatively, the factory does have an annual one day open house if you can coordinate travel for that same time.

 

Great stuff, thanks for posting! I got to tour the factory as part of the Centenary in July 2013 and it was great to see everything in person.

The yellow V8V has been in the pond for years. If there was a One-77 there at some point, I'd guess it was only done for a photo op.

The facility (and resources with it) to make the One-77 are now being used to make the Lagonda.

The intake manifolds for the V8's come in both grey and black.
Grey = standard intake boxes
Black = airboxes with extra inlets that can open to allow extra air in.
The black ones come on the 4.7L V8VS and V8V GT. The 4.3L gets a black one if it's had the Power Pack fitted. The only functional difference between the black and grey intake manifolds is that the black ones have an extra port added to allow a vacuum hose to be attached (the hose runs to the airboxes).

 

Twice I asked the dealer in Dallas about info/help with a factory tour as my wife and I were in the UK in Dec 2014. They never got back to me so just gave up. We both did the Heritage Museum which was fantastic and my wife did the Land Rover experience. Next day went to Appleby Engineering and really enjoyed that!

Cheers

 

I too ask the Dallas dealer about a tour and all I got was ," if you buy a new car, we can probably arrange that." I just emailed AM and told them that I was had owned two cars and was coming to the UK. They offered several dates and I picked one and just showed up...

 

I had a lot of fun reading this...thanks for taking the time....and to the others before you.

The trip is on my list!

 

I was there in Oct and it was fantastic to see how our cars are being made..

I highly recommend this to anyone who can..