A DAY ON THE FACTORY FLOOR

HAVEyou ever seen the famous Discovery Channel show, How It’s Made? If not, you’re missing out on some of the best behind-the-scenes television on offer. The team visits both small and large industries to find out how stuff is made. In each episode, they pull back the curtains and look at the people and the machines that build the things we take for granted.

I’ve been lucky enough to see car manufacturing up close many times. It’s hard not to be impressed by how a bunch of different things come together on one large patch of earth in order to create a fully functioning car or engine.

There is a catch, however. Plants function according to a rigid schedule and outside interference is simply not allowed. As a tourist in such a finely tuned assembly line, you normally stand well away from the action in a little yellow lane used specifically for tours. With minutes literally being worth thousands of rands, the line doesn’t stop for anybody.

So, imagine my surprise when an invite to partake in Ford’s assembly line landed in my inbox. I reread the invitation twice to ensure I wasn’t reading it wrong. Ford actually wanted me to come and work on the line in its engine plant in Struandale.

Driving the Ford Ranger from the hotel to the plant, the nerves started sinking in. I’m well versed in servicing a 2006 Honda Jazz in my own garage, but building a modern twin-turbocharged engine from scratch is in a whole different league. It’s like pitching up for Springbok rugby practice after watching the 2019 final against England.

Perhaps I’d be assigned to a menial station where I could do no harm. Like snapping the engine cover in place, or wrapping the engine in plastic to get it ready for the long trip to Silverton.

The morning briefing revealed that this was not the case. My driving partner and I would