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Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-10, Page 15'A r +.14cIANTQNMEWS-IiECQRP,.WED1ropev m BER10,1904 Tnk invadesL: Clintrirt By Shelley McPhee CLINTON - It wasn't actor James Garner n omotiug his new movie. It wasn't an inva- ;ion. It wasn't a hallucination. What C,Lintonians saw barrelling down residential streets on October 5 was a real Live military tank. What was a tank doing in Clinton? It was being used for driver licence testing at the local Ministry of Transportation and Com- munication Driver Examination office. Usually such tests are taken at the London office, but because of a backlog there, two examinations were scheduled at the Clinton branch last week. Landon GM Diesel workers Ron Schroeder and Joe Bruckbauer successfully maneuvered the tank through Clinton streets, to obtain their D classification licence. The licences were required before Oc- tober 10 so the tanks could be taken to a military equipment show in Washington. The tank, properly named a Light Ar- mored Vehicle, is one of more than 900 that is being produced at the London GM Diesel plant. The tanks are being made for the U.S. Marine Corps and are designed for mobility, speed and agility. With a price tag of about $600,000 each, the Light Armored Vehicles could have a life span of 20 years, or less than three minutes in battle. Despite its unusual exterior appearance, driving a Light Armored Vehicle is not unlike a car or truck. It features automatic transmission, eight -wheel drive, a diesel engine, and basic gas and brake pedal operation. It has a maximum speed of 65 mph. and it also swirns. It weighs approx- miately 28,200 pounds, or 14 tons. According to driver Joe Bruckbauer, "It drives easier than a car and stops faster too." Driving examiners Barry Stevens and Murray Holmes were also surprised to find how easily the vehicle handles. They com- mented on the smooth ride and Mr. Stevens noted, "It drives better than a truck with gears." The Light Armored Vehicle is equipped with super suspension, to handle travel over rough terrain. Mr. Bruckbauer added, "You can feel assured going down the road in one of those things, but in rough terrain you can take some blows." Despite some initial apprehension, the driving examiners found that testing for a tank differs little from the ordinary D licence examination. Mr. Stevens explained, "We look for the same basic things we'd look for in a truck." He called the ride, "cool but . comfor- table." The driver sits in the front section of the tank. The examiners sit in the back up- per part of the tank, in the commanders seat. The driver and examiners com- municated through an intercom system, • built in their helmets. The Light Armored•Vehicle can seat nine People. The driver, commander and gunner in front and six troops in the back. GM Diesel in London was awarded the contract to make these vehicles fondle U.S. Marines in a competition with three other tenders. The London plant had built similar six -wheel vehicles for the Canadian govern- ment and developed, the eight -wheel model four years ago from a Swiss design. After a year's worth of testing, the GM model won the bid to make 900 Light Ar- mored Vehicles. Today they come off the production line on the average of one a day. Before sad,, live action the Light Aro mored Vehicles are_ put through rugged en- durance testing is Michigan and the Califor- nia desert. GM worker Vern Desrosiers has been involved in the testing for the past four years. The testing. involves a 29,000 mile durabili- ty run on four vehicles, randomly picked from the assembly line. Vern's work also in- volves testing in the California desert for six months. His lasting impressions of that ex- perience are lizards, coyotes and 130 degree F heat. He's glad to be back home in London. Vern drove the tank from Clinton and Lon- don on Friday. He said it's interesting to watch people's expressions as the tank rolls by, "People stop and stare and do double takes. They'll follow the tank, but they won't pass it." In combat zones, Light Armored Vehicles mean military action. At GM Diesel they mean production and work for the more than 500 employees at the plant. 'or the trio that arrived in Clinton last week it meant passing a driver's test and having a little fun. In Seaforth when they stopped for coffee the law abiding citizens, pulled into a parking meter spot and paid their dune parking fee. At test time, they successfully passed the course. Correction Yes there was a military tank rumbling down Clinton streets on Clinton examination office conducted the tests under the supervi- Friday. The Light Armored Vehicle, made by GM Diesel in London, was used for driver examination tests by two GM employees. The sion of BarryStevens and Murray Holmes. (Shelley McPhee photo) our Soybeans and Corn to Hensall Co-() Some facts about the services offered by the Town and Country Homemakers were incorrectly explained in the October 3 edi- tion of the News -Record. It should be clarified that the Town and Country Homemakers and the Home Care program are two separate services; funded and operated under two different authorities. It was incorrectly reported that potential clients and cases are assessed by doctor, nurses and the Victorian Order of Nurses. Referrals only are made to•Town and Coun- try Homemakers by medical professionals. Assessments to establish the services need- ed are made by the Homemakers. Assessments are not free. They are billed through OHIP. Private clients who pay for homemaking services do not help subsidize those who cannot pay. Fund raising efforts, like the current October countywide can- vass, help to offset costs for those people who need homemaking assistance but can- not afford to pay. For additional information on the Town and Country Homemakers and the Home Care program please refer to two letters written in this week's News -Record on Page 4. Omitted from the 1984 Clinton Public Hospital Auxiliary Penny Sale results were two prize winners, Mark Walker who won 25 Bicentennial Silver Dollars and Danny Gib- bings who won four coffee mugs. Both gifts were donated by the Clinton Credit Union. Three people suffer injuries Three people suffered minimal injuries in a two car collision on Highway 8 just west of Clinton. Passengers Hazel Park of Goderich, Janice Brindley of RR 4 Goderich and William Henderson of REC3 Clinton all suffered minimal injuries in the September 7 accident. According to Goderich Ontario Provincial Police, both.cars were heading east when the car belonging to John Goldsworthy, 32, WillliR 4 iam Naylor, 38 of Sarnia collideand a vehicle d. by Mr. Goldsworthy's vehicle received $1,200 damage and the other car received $700 damage. * Fast efficient service * Honest. weights * Fair grades * Fair prices * Patronage Dividends Your .farmer owned business j ....gonad! e� Co-operative 8rugefield 1-800-265-7097 Zurich Seaforth 262-3062. 236-4393 482-9823 527-0770