Cal Pacific Airmotive

[BKB]

I was down in Salinas today.Stopped by the airport to have a look around.Found the Cal Pacific hanger(s).Not hard to find!Went in the office.Nobody there...............called out a hey there..............no anwser.Rather hesitantly I walked through the offices through some small work areas out into what can only be described as MUSTANG heaven.
I saw 2 gentleman way in the back.Walked up and said I'd heard about this place and just wanted to look around.One said no problem.So I did.
What a place! Several sets of Mustang wings in various states of restoration One set looked completely done.Another stripped bare with just the ribs attached.There are bits and pieces of Mustang everywhere.If you know what you are looking at this place is awesome.After several minutes of jawdropping looking around I went back over to the 2 guys in the shop.They where forming up some sheetmetal on a beader for some sort of repair.I asked lots of questions and got lots of anwsers Talked about Jack Roush's P-51B that was sitting right there in front of me.Unbelievable for sure! I asked about the craftsman,and tooling,and time to make parts,etc,etc,etc.(I'm glad my wife wasn't there to see me babbling like a little kid!) All the time I'm talking to these guys I never got the impression I was imposing or they where too busy to talk.I had no idea who they were ..........................
until I got home and pulled out my Warbird Digest #8.
I felt honored and privileged to be able to say I spoke to Art Teeters.
Very nice guy.Obviously very passionate about what he does.The environment was clean and hospitable.The kind of place great creations are reborn.That is exactly what is going on down there.There is machinery and tooling in the right hands with the right skills capable of creating from scratch almost any part of a Mustang. I am a machinist by trade. Mustang fan ever since I saw Bob Hoover fly his routine at Moffet Field when I was 8 years old. I am not easily impressed by shops in general.Let me tell you up front I was in awe of this place.And to be able to speak with a gentleman such as Art Teeters made it even better.
The skill level and dedication of these guys and anyone in the restoration trades is phenomenal.I bow to the great metal forming masters.This is a dying art.Learned and passed on like any trade.Only this one is dedicated to the preservation of part of history.I surely hope there is some young guys/gals out who will read this and go down to Salinas and be inspired to dedicate there lives to learning this trade.For without new blood and inspiration the preservation of warbirds will come to a grim end.
I will end this ramble with a heartfelt thanks to Art Teeters for taking the time and having the patients to let yet another Mustang groupy have a look around the hallowed grounds of his fine establishment.
I will think about this place for a long time.


Brian Bernhardt

[TWD]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I had a similar experience about 8 years ago. Walked in thru the open back door. Chatting with some guy. Finially it clicked. "I'm in Salinas and you must be Art Teeters."
A Wonderful Experience.

TJ

[SCEPTER]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I went their last year.Very cool place,Nice people too.Art's son Dave runs the G.A. shop.I think Dave did the wings for Miss A a couple years back.

[KB Adkins]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I think this is the place you're talking about....

http://www.cebudanderson.com/jackroushp51b.htm

[p51flyby42]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

The skill level and dedication of these guys and anyone in the restoration trades is phenomenal.I bow to the great metal forming masters.This is a dying art.Learned and passed on like any trade.Only this one is dedicated to the preservation of part of history.I surely hope there is some young guys/gals out who will read this and go down to Salinas and be inspired to dedicate there lives to learning this trade.For without new blood and inspiration the preservation of warbirds will come to a grim end.

Brian Bernhardt

count me in! where do i sign?

[BKB]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

Yes it sure is the place.Thanks for posting the link.


BKB

[speeddemon]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

You just gotta love that Malcom hood......

Twenty-five years ago, there weren't ANY razorback Mustangs flying....sheesh, now in a short period of time you will have FOUR, with the possibility of a fifth if/when the CAF gets theirs repaired.

That would make a great formation shot--and all of them back in the states now!

[paintboy]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I have been following this particular project with much anticipation over the past 3 years. The use of the Malcolm Hood is nothing short of brilliant, since to my knowledge she will be the only example of a B model Mustang with the Malcolm Hood. Not even an example in a museum, unless I am mistaken. I have made several trips to the facility and have been welcomed each time by Art and crew. The progress and completion of this particular Mustang will be nothing short of spectacular. It's addition to the herd will be special to say the least. Jack Roush shars the same appreciation for the Mustang as Art Teeters, who told me in an interview, he could not see himself building any other type of warbird than the Mustang. I was happy to bring the story of Art's facility to the pages of Warbird Digest as the outstanding workmanship being accomplished at Cal Pacific Airmotive needed to be brought to everyones attention. There are many more examples of the Mustang to be rolled out of the hangar in Salinas, all of which will be special, but this particular example is extra special. I hope to have a follow-up on this project as she is completed. I cant wait.

Dave

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

Art kinda frowns on photos taken inside the hangar due to particular jig secrets, therefore I haven't been able to share any pics with ya'll in the past.

I have no skills or knowledge in warbird rebuilding, but I found this particularly funny...that a nearly 70 year old design, that has had numerous shops dedicated to the heavy rebuild of the type, still has any remaining "trade secret" as to its construction or maintenance tooling.

Good on 'em if they've got something that makes their product superior, though.

[Airracer75]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I first with Art Teeters back in 1990 or 91 it was the feeling I got. Art Teeters is a very easy person to talk to. When I was there he stopped what he was doing and gave me the tour of the place which at that time was in a smaller hangar on the airport. He me a scratch built mustang wing that he was compeleting and a new canopy he had just finnished. What an experiance that visit was. And i'm glad to here he's still going at it. Art is one of a kind.

[paintboy]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I'm not sure the restriction on photos has as much to do with building secrets as with wishes from certain clients who wish their projects to be kept out of the publication pages. I have visited the facility 6 or 7 times following Roush's project and have been able to phtograph her from nose to tail, but with the understanding from Art that certain projects being built are not photographed. An easy request to respect. I have even photgraphed wings being built in their respective jigs. So I dont necessaryly buy into the "secret" aspect of no photography allowed. Art has a very loyal client base and he maintains that loyalty, by making sure their wishes are met. Sure it would be nice to be able to walk into any facility building/resporing aircraft and pull out the ole camera and shoot away, but sometimes that simply is not possible.
Art has spent the better part of 20 years tooling dyes, building templates, which range in the thousands, purchasing plans and collecting every possible drawing to accomplish his desire of building the best P-51 Mustang possible. His hard work and dedication have rolled out some the most beautiful Mustangs built. Excuse the master for not wanting all his hard work and efforts photographed for the masses to examine. Remember, this is, after all, a business to him as well as a labor of love.

Dave

[Air Race Addict]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I'm not sure the restriction on photos has as much to do with building secrets as with wishes from certain clients who wish their projects to be kept out of the publication pages. I have visited the facility 6 or 7 times following Roush's project and have been able to phtograph her from nose to tail, but with the understanding from Art that certain projects being built are not photographed. An easy request to respect. I have even photgraphed wings being built in their respective jigs. So I dont necessaryly buy into the "secret" aspect of no photography allowed. Art has a very loyal client base and he maintains that loyalty, by making sure their wishes are met. Sure it would be nice to be able to walk into any facility building/resporing aircraft and pull out the ole camera and shoot away, but sometimes that simply is not possible.
Art has spent the better part of 20 years tooling dyes, building templates, which range in the thousands, purchasing plans and collecting every possible drawing to accomplish his desire of building the best P-51 Mustang possible. His hard work and dedication have rolled out some the most beautiful Mustangs built. Excuse the master for not wanting all his hard work and efforts photographed for the masses to examine. Remember, this is, after all, a business to him as well as a labor of love.

Dave

Good points Dave. It's possible that there could be liability concerns as well? Just a thought. Maybe not.

[VultureSix]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

I was out there for the first time a few years back looking at my boss's Mustang and helping with some details. I asked to take some pictures. His request was the same. It's not secret jigs or dies. It's customers names ON the parts, racks, jigs, etc. Some customers do not want pictures of their P-51's published in magazine articles or on the internet before completion. Maybe they want to be low key. Maybe they have given magazine "x" an exclusive to cover the project from begining to end for a feature article. Early publication would spoil the suprise. Whatever the reason, Art and everybody at Cal-Pacific respects this.

Art is one of the nicest people I know and his staff are some of the finest.

[Jim58]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

Photographs are seldom allowed in ANY manufacturing facility.
sometimes the most mundane task Could be a considered a "TRADE SECRET"

or maybe just paranoia.....

several months ago a good customer showed up with reps. from their "Taiwan facility" and they were expecting to take photographs of our machines and processes.....what do YOU think they were told.

IMHO

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Cal Pacific Airmotive

Actually, I can see how some processes in the rebuilding of warbirds might become unique enough to want to protect the way YOU do something that's been done for over 70 years...

Re-Engineering something old to make it better, or a process of rebuilding something back to the exact way it was when first done, only doing it, perhaps, in a very different way, might well become something that a warbird rebuilder would not want the competition to see...

Yust my two pennies..