Fort Wayne Indiana - General Motors Truck Assembly Plant

First, a big thank you goes out to Mark Gevaart Communications Coordinator General Motors Fort Wayne Assembly for helping make arrangements for both the tour and the hotel!

The Tour
 
We will arrive at the plant at 12pm for the tour.  Our trucks will be parking at the main visitors parking area.  This area will be roped off for us in advance.  We will need to go through a short plant safety video before entering the plant and you will need to sign in as a visitor to the plant.  You must have photo ID and solid shoes to enter (no sandals or high heels, bring running shoes) You must also wear long pants, so bring pants to put over your shorts.  Don't forget this or you will not be going on the tour.  We will also be touring the paint facility of the plant (Woo Hoo, we didn't get to do this last year....Bonus! ) and will be required to safety glasses.  Also, you can't take any pictures or video while in the plant.  (Guess they don't want F*rd to get a hold of their secrets.  )  After the tour we will be showing off our trucks to employees on both the day and afternoon shifts.  We will have time in-between to shine the trucks.  (Hope it doesn't rain like last year)
 
The Hotel
 
It seems the week we are in Ft Wayne that there is a basketball tournament in town, which means all hotels are booked.  So we have booked a hotel in Markle, IN which is 10 minutes south of the exit for the plant, and about 15 minutes south of all the restaurants.  It has been offered to us at discount rate of $50 a night.  Please call the hotel and book your own room.  Book your room under "454SS
NATC"  
Here's the info:
Seasons Inn
Intersection of Hwy. 224 & I-69 Exit 86
730 West Logan Street
Markle, IN 46770
Phone 260-758-8111
Fax 260-758-9702
General Manager Brian Taylor is our contact but the rest of the staff is
aware of this event too.
 
Any members traveling from afar should book 2 nights for your hotel room, arriving on Tuesday, tour on Wednesday and then checking out Thursday morning.  We have a block of 9-15 rooms for us, book early.

We are leaving this day open for those who attend the Fort Wayne tour to have time to drive to Bowling Green.  On the way down to Bowling Green we have arranged for a tour of the Allison Transmission Plant.  Again this will be an awesome tour for the group. We leave Ft. Wayne in the morning to be at the Allison Plant between 11:30-12:00. 

Special thanks to NATC Member Brian Pannell for setting this tour up.

Friday August 1, 2003

AM - Well Holley Performance once again hasn't called back and are not very accommodating for the club.  I guess when we buy performance parts we won't be accommodating to them either then!  So I will leave Friday morning open to all.  This gives you time for rest, or possibly touring the Mammoth Caves, or going shopping, whatever you wish to do.

PM - For those who wish, a tour of the Corvette Assembly Plant is at 1pm.

- 2:30/3:00 pm  to 5:00pm- We will be setting up for the Show N Shine Event.  The Corvette Museum has generously donated their far parking lot for the event.  This is just a chance for everyone to check out everyone else's truck.  We will have a few awards to give out and everyone who participates will be the judges for the awards.  At this time anyone who wishes to tour the Corvette Museum and visit the Corvette store can do so.

Dinner - We will be holding our annual 454SS NATC banquet dinner at 7pm.  It will be catered by West Kentucky BBQ, whom caters for the Vette Museum functions, and will be held at the banquet hall at the Best Western where we are all staying.  The menu is below and the cost will be $14 each for the buffet.  Don't miss it!!!!

     Pulled Pork Barbeque
     Grilled Chicken Breasts Fillets  
     Dinner Rolls
     Smoked Baked Beans
     Creamy Coleslaw
     Bread Pudding with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce
     Brewed Sweet Tea and Lemonade
     All condiments as well as disposable plates, forks, napkins and cups

Saturday August 2, 2003

12:00pm - 3rd Annual Sport Truck Shootout!

The track will be open for the event at 12:00.  You can take a few runs between 12:00pm and 2:00pm.  We will run the Shootout from 2:00 - 4:00pm.  At 4:00 we will hand out the awards.  

Dinner - Due to the fact that a member of the NATC was sick from food starting to spoil due to the heat, at last years Trackside Cookout, after the Shootout, we have decided to do a cruise of Bowling Green after the Shootout and stop off for a quick bite on the way back to the hotel.  During the Pool Party at the hotel at night we will be ordering pizza, everyone can pitch in when we order.

Evening - Pool Party - We usually set this night aside for anyone staying at the same hotel as the 454SS NATC for a get together at the pool side.

Sunday August 3

For those who can get tickets, Brickyard 400 NASCAR race in Indianapolis.

If you would like to stay in the Bowling Green area for a few more days please visit http://bg.ky.net/Tourism for attractions in the area.

Also, Beech Bend has an excellent amusement park and water slide area to visit, as well as camping.