Alan,

I couldn't agree with you more.  The memories of the people that worked in these places really do bring the periods back to life in a most vivid way.

I have tried to include memories of the people of the times when I have been preparing books.  It can be quite a slog getting the contacts, then the memories actually written down.  My book " Memories of the Founding of Massey Ferguson" was composed entirely of the memories of ex employees - about 50 of them. 

In my experience it's hard to get anything off the factory floor men but sales, service, engineering and managment are the more productive contacts.

Incidentally whilston the subject of ex MF men I must reccomend to all a relatively new book "Inside Massey Ferguson - a Story of Service" by David Walker which as the title suggests  by an ex MF man who worked in the field service department.  This is a truly rieveting read and difficult to put down.  Another produced about three years ago is "Working at Masseys- the Rise and Fall of MF in the UK" by Ken Tyrell.  Ken was actually a factory floor man and a trade union convenor so he tells a story from the "other side".  Both two very fascinating reads.

So GARY, it's over to you now - form your team of ferrets and let them loose on Racine and Detroit.

John