Made In Wixom Video - Now Available through VTCI's Country Store

[Alan H. Tast]

I'm happy to announce that VTCI now has available "Made In Wixom" - a video presentation from the 2003 VTCI International Convention which gives a history of T-bird production from 1958-1976 and 2002-2005 at the Wixom Assembly Plant. The video contains an overview of the assembly process, statistics on production of T-birds and Lincolns at Wixom, historic photos from the '50s-'70s and 2002-2005, including many taken during the VTCI's tour of the Wixom plant in June 2003 as part of the Ford 100th Anniversary Celebration. A panel discussion with retired Wixom workers provides insight into how those who built the cars recalled their tasks, and even provide some behind-the-scenes insights sure to entertain any T-bird or old-car enthusiast.

The order form and pricing can be found at the link below, or get to it through the VTCI Country Store.
https://www.vintagethunderbirdclub.net/Wixom%20form.pdf

[Alan H. Tast]

I want to make people aware that we've been getting reports of the "Made in Wixom" DVDs not working in computers and DVD players. The USB-B flash drive versions, on the other hand, have been working with no issues. With recent news reports about older DVD discs going bad because of age (Google 'Warner Brothers DVDs 2006-2008) or quality of CDs/DVDs currently being produced, and a phenomenon called 'digital rot' or 'bit rot'

https://www.tboneelectronics.com/burnt- ... ia-storage

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_degradation

At present we have a very limited number of DVDs in stock which are known to work, but once those are sold out we are considering going strictly with only offering the 'Made in Wixom' video on USB-B flash drives until either
(1) the problem is resolved with the DVD making process by either changing source of blank DVDs or changing production hardware; or,
(2) it's determined that producing DVDs is no longer feasible because of issues with either DVD disc quality or the hardware used to produce them.

[ward 57]

I had an issue with a DVD my Neice made for the family. Apparently older DVD players and computers have to read the 'codex' on how the DVD was recorded. Apparently there a bazillions of different codex due to restrictions on what could be played on machines in different countries such as a content that has to be approved before a codex license would be issued.
Most content can be played universally but older machines may not have the codex to play them.

[Alan H. Tast]

I had an issue with a DVD my Neice made for the family. Apparently older DVD players and computers have to read the 'codex' on how the DVD was recorded. Apparently there a bazillions of different codex due to restrictions on what could be played on machines in different countries such as a content that has to be approved before a codex license would be issued.
Most content can be played universally but older machines may not have the codex to play them.

Advancing technology is both a blessing and a curse, especially for those who have not upgraded or replaced older DVD players or readers. Not knowing what a person has and how backward compatible it may be, it appears that going with a USB Flash Drive as the primary offering may need to be used until such time that the Club can institute a 'paywall' system for members to pay for downloading files from a secured server, which is not in our current budget limitations. And while we are exploring such an option, it won't happen any time soon unless there are some breakthroughs in how such a system can be implemented.

[ward 57]

I guess I'm really a dinosaur @71. I was heavily involved in the cellular phone industry from the ground up and got spit out during the whole revolution from analog and the subsequent variants from analog to digital communication.
I have a cell phone out of necessity as so much communication is done by those, a land line with a fax multifunction printer which I actually still use and a floor mounted tower computer for the household. Who could ever read a CD anymore? Just put a QR code on it. I couldn't even get a hard copy of my tax software this year.

[abaucom]

I am a dinosaur @74. My first PC was in 1994, and have used the same email address all these decades. It just seems that continuing software changes get less intuitive, and more complicated. This year spent more thousands to upgrade my home computer equipment, forgotten how many times I replaced everything. Believe it or not, today finally gave in and got my first cell phone. More money spent. I survived all these decades without a cell phone. I must be the oldest dinosaur. Just let me die before I have to learn any more new technology.

[Alan H. Tast]

For those who prefer to obtain a copy of the Wixom Assembly Plant video on a USB-C type drive, arrangements are being started to offering it on a dual USB-B + USB-C flash drive later this spring or early summer, and possibly at the VTCI tent during the All Fords at Carlisle event June 6-8. More news on this will be released as it develops.