UNION TRIBUNE PHOTO CARS

Chuck Boyd and a U-T Corvair

JERRY WINDLE writes:

PHOTO CARS -- I came to the U-T in August, 1967, this was just after the photo was taken that Thane mentioned with the photo guys posed around and standing on a camera car -- at the time a Corvair. I loved driving the Corvair, especially coming south on Hwy 163 and making the turn onto Fourth Ave, nice long curve and that little Corvair hugged the corner. I didn't know any better.
Someone mentioned photogs left their gear at the paper, and this was true. Eventually we had some 40+ photogs and only 8-9 cars. we'd have to come to work, get a job, sign out a car and when we returned, put the keys back on a hook. Naturally, we soon learned which cars were better than others and there was always competition trying to get the better ones. Later we discovered the keys would actually work more than one car. We'd get a key, walk all the way down to the cars only to discover the car we signed out was gone!
Not having our equipment at home with us came home when Caliente burned down. The late Ted Winfield lived in Chula Vista and had to go downtown to get his gear and a car and head back south to Tijuana. I was the next one in and didn't get there until 9-10 a.m., and it was still burning!
The cars had a roof rack so photogs could stand on top of the car, if necessary for a better point of view. Later cars proved unworthy and a few roofs got a little bent from this practice, much to the chagrin of management.
There is a photo of Jerry Rife sitting on top of a Corvair, I believe, with water up to the windows down on Market street, I think after a big rain.
Thane/Chuck was also correct in that there was an "undercover" car, again a white Corvair. Of course it stuck out like a sore thumb, and we always felt we'd be better off in the red and white car with U-T emblazened on it. Kay Jarvis and I went into Logan Heights with one once and the choke cable fell off. Thought we'd never get back. It was a piece of junk - they all were.
I am of the belief that the late Stan Griffin was responsible for the red and white color scheme with the big lightning bolt on the side and U-T "radio dispatched" cars on the side.
As mentioned, we eventually got Ford Pintos. We never had a say in what cars the paper got. In fact, I believe Thane actually sent a memo to the powers that be that he felt they were unsafe and he wanted to be on record in case something happened. Don't know if this was an urban legend or not, but the photogs admired Thane for standing up to management.
Here's a legend regarding the photo cars which IS true. The photog shall remain nameless. He went downtown on an assignment and parked in one of the Ace lots. When he came back, the car was GONE! It had been STOLEN! Of course, we all wondered who would steal such a piece of junk. Anyway, after a few weeks, we get a phone call from Ace asking if we were ever going to get our car!! Seems the photog forgot where he had parked and assumed the car had been stolen. To this day he swears it was stolen and parked in another nearby lot.
Nowadays photogs have a car assigned to them and have their gear in there with them. They have pagers and cell phones and still can never be found when needed! Ain't like the old days when we reported at our shift start time and went from there. Of course in those days we all swore it would be great to have our own company car.

JR: I should point out that Jerry is a car expert, in my opinion, although if memory serves, his main interest is in Fords. I remember someone telling me once that Jerry's wife didn't even know how many cars he owned, that he had some "hidden." Of course, in Ramona, no one hides cars. They are parked in the front yard, side yard, back yard, etc. The fellow down the road from me has eight vehicles of one kind or another on his property. Not a one of them less than 10 years old, and I assume half of them don't run -- at least they haven't moved in years.