Post #7
Lancer at it's peak and beyond !!!
At Lancers peak as well as the hobby's, Lancer Co. had 7 forming machine's with 2 people at each of 6 machine' and the 7th machine was a dedicated machine for the mold makers finalizing the designs of not only the molds but the bases they sat on making sure that all would work well during production.
At the height of production there were 4 mold makers.
We not only produced the 1/24 bodies but the hobby progressed into 1/32 bodies and then H.O. scale bodies also, all made out of the butyrate plastic that we all know yellowed over time. Eventually as the hobby progressed and grew even larger, the open class of racing came to be and outlaw bodies made of a extremely tough plastic called Lexan came into existence, mostly used I believe by the well known "Professional" racers, many who are still remembered.
Butyrate plastic was a very pliable and resilient plastic and easily formed, but Lexan was a very tough plastic and difficult plastic to form and presented a lot of challenges.. Luckily the outlaw bodies were light weight bodies and only half the thickness of the standard body's and being thinner material made forming problems much easier to overcome
At lancers peak there were 4 mold makers;
Lloyd Asbury
Myself
Lonnie Downer
Walter wood (Woody)
The secretary was Eloise Hamilton
Our machinist Milt Gibbs'
Mike Jewitt who was in charge of painting the bodies and also producing the displays.
And some of the production workers and friends were;
Joe Bernaert
Ronnie Brown
Ken Baumgarth
As the hobby grew even larger and the demand for bodies increased, John had to add a 2nd shift of production workers. The hobby grew extremely fast, and our parking area shrank very fast 
- LOL.
The hobby was really healthy for about 5 years, but slowly the hobby began to slow down and interest seemed to be going away, and the eventual started to begin at Lancer..
People had to start being laid off as demand for products slowed down. At one time semi truck loads of product would leave several times a week, but now the trucks were much smaller and left less frequent.
As production slowed and more, and more people left, the inevitable began to happen. Mold makers were being laid off signaling a big change coming for the entire company!
John called me into his office and explained what was happening and his plans for the future of Lancer Co. He asked me if I would stay and help him start a new direction for the company and that Lloyd would be leaving the company. I was paid a lot less than Lloyd so I figure that's why he kept me. I never could come up with another reason as we were all good at our jobs.
In the end only 3 people survived the massive layoff; John the owner. the secretary Eloise and myself. Nothing but a skeleton crew.
John's plan that he shared with me was to reinvent Lancer Co. He had done his research and found that the craft industry was on the move growing quite fast and he had decided to get in on the ground floor.
He purchased a large warehouse building in an industrial park a few miles away. He moved all the forming machines and bought one high speed fully automated forming machine for high speed production, and went to all female production workers where before they were mostly male..
I spent the next 8 years creating craft molds for all kinds of new products coming on to the market.
After 13 years at Lancer Co. and the school system in California developing huge problems, my wife and I decided it was time to take her home to Oregon along with the family. We sold our home. I flew my family to Oregon. I gave my notice, packed up everything we owned with the help of a friend, and my family and I began a new life.
The schools were great. I got a great new job and we bought a new home.
Life had started over and life has been good and my career was wonderful. I was paid to play for nearly 40 years. I have been retired over 15 years and I couldn't imagine it would be this good.
I really appreciate your interest in the history of Lancer Co. and how well you welcomed me and allowing me to come on the forum and share my fond memories
It was a special time in my life in a wonderful time in the 60's and 70's. No bad memories at all - it was just the best. I couldn't have asked for more.
Any further question are more than welcome. I'm sure there are things I left out.
All the best to everyone here continuing to enjoy the hobby - Dave Susan
. Sorry Bill.
