Siheyuan: My Northeastern Farmhouse

Chapter 233 Who will be the winner?

The Ministry of Metallurgical Industry is located at No. 46 Dongsi Street. After getting off the car, Director Zhou said to Gu Weijun, how good this car is, can it be driven so far without any problems?

After entering the office building, Director Zhou found Minister Lu with ease. After knocking on the door, he pushed the door open and shouted, "Minister Lu, I'm here to ask for help!"

Minister Lu took off his glasses and said with a smile: "Sit first, everyone!"

Minister Lu called his secretary to pour tea for Director Zhou, Gu Weijun and others, and then continued to ask with a smile: "Old Zhou, you always surprise me! Why did you suddenly ask for help today?"

"I'll listen first!"

Director Zhou sighed, "Oh, Minister Lu, didn't I say last week that our steel plant had developed a new four-cylinder diesel engine? And after seeing it, Team Leader Fang of the technology import team was full of praise!"

"No, I also asked the designer to hurry up and design a five-speed gearbox and chassis. After processing, I will prepare it as a gift for May Day!"

"But I drove the renovated jeep to Vice Mayor Wang today. I was supposed to report the good news!"

"But Vice Mayor Wang rejected us without even looking at us?"

"He would not agree if he said that our steel plant can only produce steel and that Jeep is a duplication of investment!"

"Oh, what a pity for such a good design!"

"Oh?" Minister Lu accurately grasped the key point of Factory Director Zhou, "Old Zhou, are you saying that you have designed the gearbox and chassis, and processed them and transformed them into the Willys Jeep?"

"That's right!" Director Zhou nodded.

Minister Lu was also surprised. He knew about the four-cylinder diesel engine because Shijingshan Iron and Steel Plant's breakthrough in the construction of a 2-ton hydraulic press attracted members of the technology import team. Unexpectedly, Director Zhou also took out a drawing of a four-cylinder diesel engine. After reading it, the technical team was surprised by its structure and technical parameters!

I even went to the test workshop of the steel plant to see the real thing!

Now the gearbox and chassis are designed so quickly?

Are there any such awesome people in our country?

And it's still in the steel factory?

"Did you drive all the way here?" Minister Lu confirmed again!

"That's right!" Director Zhou patted his chest, "Minister Lu, could you please go and have a look?"

"There's no problem at all for these dozens of miles!"

"Whether it's the gearbox or the chassis, it feels very good!"

"Wait for me!" Minister Lu immediately picked up the phone and shook it, "Get Tang Ke from the Power Machinery Department!"

"Hey, Tang Ke? I, Lu Dong, will go to the parking lot together. Lao Zhou has installed the engine, matching gearbox and chassis and driven over!"

"Yes, let's go and see it together!"

After Minister Lu put down the phone, he asked his secretary to arrange for the driver of the small car class to go to the parking lot with him. He stood up with a smile and said to Director Zhou: "Come on, let Tang Ke and I experience it together!"

After meeting Director Tang in the parking lot, there were exactly two jeeps, one for each person. They called for the driver of the small car class and drove directly out of East and West Street and headed straight to the countryside.

Director Zhou and Gu Weijun were waiting on the spot. Director Zhou asked abruptly: "Dajun, are you okay?"

"It's definitely no problem!" Gu Weijun was confident!

The designs chosen by Gu Weijun are all mature designs from the 70s and 80s, and they have all been tested by various domestic conditions!

About 40 minutes later, the two jeeps returned to the Metallurgical Department one after another. Gu Weijun estimated that they drove about 30 kilometers in the countryside.

After getting off the car, Minister Lu patted the car body excitedly, "Old Zhou, you have given me another big surprise!"

"Although the engine, gearbox and chassis are all newly designed and have not been tested for a long time. However, I feel very good along the way! Not only did there not be any problems! It also has sufficient power, fast acceleration, and smooth shifting. There are a lot less bumps!”

“This is definitely a very good design!”

"In this case, just wait, I will contact Director Duan of the First Machinery Department immediately, and Director Duan of the First Machinery Department will definitely be very happy!"

Gu Weijun breathed a long sigh of relief, and also noticed a slight relaxation movement in Director Zhou's back. Then Director Zhou laughed "haha", "Minister Lu, my old Zhou's background is not that of a soldier. Don’t dare to do things you’re not sure about!”

Minister Lu and Director Tang also laughed. Minister Lu took Director Zhou's arm and walked towards the office building. As he walked, he said enthusiastically: "Old Zhou, can this jeep be converted into a light truck?"

"I was wondering before, why did you, Lao Zhou, focus on single-cylinder diesel engines for transportation? It turns out that this is your goal!"

"I don't believe you, Lao Zhou, didn't think of this!"

"We need to make another breakthrough. Isn't it impossible to carry heavy goods of 7 or 8 tons? Then we can design a hydraulic dump truck!"

"Haha, our steel plants and mines are particularly short of dump trucks!"

Minister Lu excitedly patted Director Zhou on the back, "Old Zhou, you have given me one surprise after another this year!" "Let's have a drink if we find time!"

After receiving the good news call from Minister Lu, Director Duan Junyi from the First Machinery Department came to the Metallurgical Department in just ten minutes. After arriving at the office, he took Minister Lu and Factory Director Zhou to the parking lot to see the prototype car without even drinking water!

After circling the jeep twice, Minister Duan personally drove the modified jeep out of the city and went to the countryside for a test drive on a dirt road.

After driving back, Director Duan's face was red with excitement. After jumping out of the car, he quickly walked towards Director Zhou and squeezed his hand, "Director Zhou, you have once again solved my urgent need!"

“The handling and power of the Jeep you modified are really incredible!”

"The second automobile factory we are preparing now is to produce trucks with about 1-8 tons!"

"With a Jeep like yours, the problems with Jeeps will be solved quickly, and there will also be no problems with light trucks under 3 tons!"

"Have you brought the drawings? I'm going to call Rao Bin and the others for a meeting right away! Let FAW also synchronize production and cooperate with road tests!"

When Director Zhou replied that he didn't have the drawings, Director Duan immediately urged, "Hurry up and have the drawings sent to the First Machinery Department!"

"With this design drawing, FAW will definitely help digest it quickly. By then, FAW will be able to build and produce at the same time without any delay!"

"The production design of FAW Jiefang Vehicle can also make great progress!"

Seeing that Minister Duan kept talking about FAW and the Second Automobile Works Group to be built, Director Zhou immediately said tentatively: "Mr. Duan, our Shi Jingshan can also make greater contributions to the country!"

"The workers and masters of our machine repair branch are working overtime to process the engine, gearbox, and chassis. Only one machine department can support it!"

"Our machine repair shop can fully shoulder the burden of manufacturing jeeps and light trucks!"

Director Duan smiled and said, "Director Zhou, I understand your feelings, but we are focusing on a national game of chess, and the steel plant's focus should still be on making more steel!"

"I heard that your self-developed single-cylinder diesel engine can solve both short-distance transportation in the factory and farming in the countryside. This is great!"

"The Ministry of Agriculture has also delegated power to you to do it boldly!"

"It's enough for your machine repair branch to contribute!"

Minister Duan persuaded meaningfully, "Old Zhou, don't talk about your Shijingshan Iron and Steel Plant."

"It's the Satellite brand mini car that was developed by the Second Branch of the Beijing Automobile Repair Plant two years ago. After several years of development, 146 prototypes were produced. In the end, due to quality reasons, it was still unable to be mass-produced!"

"The repair shop in Jingcheng has more technical accumulation than your Shijingshan!"

Factory Director Zhou pointed at the modified jeep and retorted angrily, "Director Duan, can this be the same?"

"You know cars!"

"You just tried it too!"

"Can you be honest, how is this car?"

"Our steel plant has designed and produced such a good car. Can you say that our technology is not good enough? Can the repair shop in Beijing compare with it?"

"These two modified jeeps were made by hand, little by little, by the masters of our machine shop!"

"We have driven more than 100 kilometers back and forth in the past few days without any problems. Can't you explain the problem?"

"Why do you leaders keep saying that steel plants can't build cars?"

"We all have a heart to contribute to the country's service. Why did they send us away with just a word about the steel factory!"

Director Duan was not angry and continued to persuade patiently: "Being able to design such a good engine and chassis is a contribution in itself! Why continue to pursue production?"

"Manufacturing a car requires the cooperation of multiple factories and departments! Although you have designed the car and made a prototype."

"But what about the problem with the production line?"

"What about the follow-up factory collaboration?"

Gu Weijun immediately said three words "repair factory" in Director Zhou's ear. Director Zhou immediately looked like it was a matter of course, "Didn't you just mention the Jingcheng Automobile Repair Factory?"

"Just give them to us in Shijingshan and that will solve the problem!"

"Uh", Director Duan was speechless for a moment when Director Zhou retorted.

(End of this chapter)