  Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5244 Registered: 06-2004 |
Ok, so how many of you actually call GM "The General" or have frequently heard it called that? | ||
Gannon Member Username: Gannon Post Number: 14196 Registered: 12-2003 |
Never! Closest we got was 'Generous Motors' in our household. Dad's paycheck's came from there...and his pension...and until a month ago, even his health insurance! | ||
Cambrian Member Username: Cambrian Post Number: 1997 Registered: 08-2006 |
Yep! From a friend who's father worked there in the 50s. When I worked there in the 90s I worked at GM Truck in Pontiac, I told everybody I worked at "Truck". When my Uncle worked there in the 70s he called it "Truck and Bus". My other uncle worked for BOC at the Tech Center and ended up retiring from MFD. | ||
Turkeycall Member Username: Turkeycall Post Number: 28 Registered: 09-2008 |
Hired in at CPC in Marion, Indiana in '85. Previously it was Fisher Body, then Metal Fab a couple of years after I transferred to AC Rochester in Coopersville, MI. in '92. We called it "Mother Motors" until we were given away to Delphi. We had other names for Delphi, though, mostly unprintable. Took the retirement in '06. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 341 Registered: 03-2007 |
NEVER! | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 610 Registered: 05-2008 |
I've only heard that reference to GM when it was made by media folks. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 1599 Registered: 12-2004 |
Never heard it. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 320 Registered: 08-2006 |
Evidently the hockey team did; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F lint_Generals_(IHL) http://www.geocities.com/Colos seum/7221/ | ||
Douglasm Member Username: Douglasm Post Number: 1133 Registered: 10-2003 |
My father, who put in 35 years at Highland Park, would refer to GM in words I would prefer not to use, but never "The General". Never really heard GM refered to as anything but GM, although people tended to break it down into its component parts. My memory says people tended to work AT General Motors. References to Ford and Chrysler tended to be posessive, that is "I work FOR (Henry) Ford's", or "I work FOR (Walter P.) Chrysler's". BTW, "The General" was built by Rodgers in 1855 for the Western & Atlantic Railway, finally retiring in 1901. She was rebuilt by the Louisbille and Nashville in 1961, visiting Greenfield Village in 1963 (I think), and in 1972 was placed on display at the Kennesaw (Ga.)Civil War Museum, where she remains to this day..... | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5247 Registered: 06-2004 |
"I've only heard that reference to GM when it was made by media folks." I read it in a national media piece that stated that's how GM is known around here, that's why I asked. I've heard it called that maybe once or twice in my life and not by locals. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3688 Registered: 01-2005 |
Buster Keaton and "The General". Me 'n Jjaba saw the flick when it was first-run.  | ||
Stromberg2 Member Username: Stromberg2 Post Number: 117 Registered: 10-2006 |
Ray 1936, Have you heard from Jjaba, He hasn't been around here for awhile. Stromberg2 | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2766 Registered: 01-2006 |
Lilpup, the national media piece was full of shit. I have never heard that remarkably stupid term used, and I'm not young. As well, my mother's father was a long-time worker for GM way back in the first half of the 1900's, so I think if that term had any popular usage, I probably would be aware of it. Very prudent, on your part, to check out this matter with us worldly experts, and our virtually all-encompassing knowledge of damned near everything, here on DY. Just goes to show us how media types like to embellish their reporting with "local color" even if doing so requires exaggerations or even bold fabrications. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 5597 Registered: 10-2003 |
My cousin still calls it "Generous Motors" but then again, he was a janitor making an engineer's salary. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1865 Registered: 12-2005 |
I was a GM employee for 31 years and I don't recall ever hearing that term used by other employees, nor by any of my many contacts in the supplier and academic world. | ||
Frankg Member Username: Frankg Post Number: 644 Registered: 08-2007 |
I used to hear it occasionally at the Proving Grounds. But we used to work in the medium-duty truck section, and we had an old semi-truck wrecker, and old GM "General" model. It must have been 30-40 years old. So in addition to calling the wrecker "The General" we'd occasionally refer to the corporation with the same term. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 11870 Registered: 10-2003 |
Heard it many times, though mostly from true hobbyists or car mags, not often from the general public, or even GM workers for that matter. Much more common obviously is "Chevy," as opposed to Chevrolet. Perhaps that would be another interesting survey. How many people use the term Chevy as opposed to Chevrolet? | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 3690 Registered: 01-2005 |
I got an email from him early this week, Strom. I'm guessin' he's just been busy. Who was it that sang about the Boston MTA, and the man who never returned, no, he never returned? Maybe that's Jjaba on the Dexter bus.....  | ||
Blueidone Member Username: Blueidone Post Number: 338 Registered: 03-2007 |
Ray...that would be the Kingston Trio. Now you have that song going round and round in my head! It was always a favorite! Mom and StepDad always called GM either Generous Motors or Generous Mother...never heard it called the General. Mom worked at Chevy Engineering for 27 years...StepDad at Fisher Body for a little over 20. | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 250 Registered: 06-2005 |
Only time I've heard the term "The General" was on the Dukes of Hazzard. |
