Discuss Detroit » Hall of Fame Threads » Old Car Factories » Old Car Factories - 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 14
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 4:48 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here are some pictures I took this past weekend.
More to come later. The first is the front of the Warren car factory. The Warren was built between 1910 and 1913. The next two shots are of the factory where the Rickenbacker was built between 1921 and 1928. The company was named after the WWI flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker.

Warren-1331 Holden
Rickenbacker- 4815 Cabot
Rickenbacker Factory
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1383
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 4:58 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sven, what are your addresses? These plants look familiar.
Thanks.
jjaba
Top of pageBottom of page

Toolbox
Member
Username: Toolbox

Post Number: 371
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 63.115.63.131
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 5:06 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Packard Proving Grounds is noted in an article this week in AutoWeek Magazine. Tons of work is ongoing at the site and it looks better than it has in years.
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 15
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 5:31 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I put the addresses on the caption but they didn't show up. I'm still getting used to the formatting.
The Warren Motor Car Company is at 1331 Holden.
The Rickebacker plant is at 4815 Cabot. It looks like a lot of it has been torn down from what it used to be.
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1386
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 6:35 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Sven.

In the Motor Row Historical District, South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, there's quite a strip of old car dealerships. Many of them have the nameplates up high in the terra cotta. Examples are Chevrolet, Locomobile, Marmon, Ford, etc.

In Detroit, we can still enjoy some Packard Factory showrooms if you know how to find them.

Do any of these auto factories have the nameplates on them like Packards or the old Studebaker plants?
jjaba
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 167
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.195
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 6:55 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A little known fact... Edsel Ford was close friends with the owners of the Pewabic tile/pottery firm. Working with them he commisioned a special color of tile used only in Ford building and dealers' buildings. The name of color was "Ford Soda Glaze" and it's a typical art deco green color.......
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 16
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 7:02 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sadly, no. The old paint has worn away. I have pictures of an old Cadillac plant (see the Continental Motors thread) and the oly way I could figure out what it used to be was from the shadows of letters that used to be above the door. Really old buildings used to have big bold lettering on the side like the Studebaker building and one can still see buildings with their signage but alas, not the car factories. I've had to identify locations through addresses and then back them up with old photos. I came across a factory at the corner of Riopelle and Franklin. There used to be a car called the Hammer-Sommer manufactured near there. But which corner? I think some of the old addresses have changed which makes it harder to identify. It's a mystery and we all like to solve mysteries.
Top of pageBottom of page

Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell

Post Number: 990
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.241.37.140
Posted on Monday, March 07, 2005 - 7:48 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

MikeM regarding the fire you recall was in Hamtramck and invovled a number of buildings. It it the basis of this painting. https://www.detroityes.com/gallery/ 00gallery-outofcontrol.htm seen from across Joseph Campau just north of the new GM "Poletown" plant ring road. It also appears in the background this painting looking south across Veteran's Park in Hamtramck. https://www.detroityes.com/gallery/ 05gallery-baseballcars.htm The fire burned for two days.

Fritz Gronow, a purveyor of set item for film makers lost several vintage cars, stage sets and more, a couple of million he says, in the fire. He still locates set items so if you ever need a Tommy gun or such things give him a call.

This is a great thread that will graduate to the Detroit Memories forum when it runs its course.
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 168
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 205.188.116.195
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 1:38 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a couple of pics from the inside of the Highland Park Ford plant circa 1917.. One shows the lobby of the office building, and a couple other general pics. I'll post sme more as soon as I downsize them1
2
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 169
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 205.188.116.195
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 2:03 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a couple more,, one pic is of the Pyrometer room where the blast furnace temps were maintained, another is a color postcard of the 1914 assembly line.
Last pic is of the Wholesale Branch office building located at 1550 Woodward Ave.
1
2
3
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 17
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 5:28 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here are some pictures of the Cadillac plant at Riopelle and East Warren. There is old type above the door that reads, "Cadillac Division."
Whether it started its life that way, I don't know. One of the building is now a cold storage place.





Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1390
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 7:00 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Lowell. This is an excellent site.
jjaba
Top of pageBottom of page

Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 347
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 140.244.107.151
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 9:43 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Toolbox: Thanks for posting the link on the current activities at the Packard Proving Grounds from Autoweek. Dave and I have enjoyed a couple of visits out there during the annual Carnival of Cars. Here's a link to an article on last year's event: http://info.detnews.com/joyrid es/story/index.cfm?id=479

and the 1999 show: http://info.detnews.com/joyrid es/story/index.cfm?id=127

Along with the cars, you can tour the Gate Lodge, an Albert Kahn design, and some of the other original buildings. It's quite an event!!

(Message edited by Kathleen on March 08, 2005)
Top of pageBottom of page

Toolbox
Member
Username: Toolbox

Post Number: 376
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.30.83
Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 10:00 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I did an "unguided" tour of the buildings many years ago during the Carnival of Cars event. The Gate Lodge would make a killer house.

I will see if I can dig up some footage of cars making high speed passes on the oval from a Shelby Club event.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1226
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 208.54.15.1
Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 12:38 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

When I first saw the Warren plant I was approaching from the south side and could see the faded, vertical "R E N" on the bottom half of the smoke stack - the top half with the "W A R" has fallen in. There are several factories with painted signs faded just beyond recognition. I take pictures of them then play with photo editing software to see if I can bring it out, but usually I can't do better than the naked eye. Another exercise in frustration is trying to make out names from the mounting holes of missing brass letters.

I knew Lowell had painted that Hamtramck factory fire, I just couldn't find it before I posted.

Bate mentions Fisher 21 on Piquette, but there is also Fisher 23 on Piquette. An artcle I have at home (on the road all week) says 23 is still used for stamping die "try-outs".

Rustic's mention of all that concentrated industry reminds me of Shgrue's opening paragraph of Chapter 5 in "Origins...":

quote:

The intersection of Grand Boulevard, John R, and the Milwaukee Junction railroad, just four miles north of downtown Detroit, seemed the heartbeat of the industrial metropolis in the 1940s. Within a two-square-mile area extending along the Grand Trunk and Michigan Central railroads was one of the most remarkable concentrations of industry in the United States. To the north was Detroit's second largest automobile factory, Dodge Main, which employed over thirty-five thousand workers in a five-story factory building with over 4.5 million square feet of floor space. Studebaker had a plant at the corner of Piquette Avenue and Brush where it produced its luxury sedans. Just to the north, on Russell Street, was a cavernous red-brick building that housed Murray Auto Body, a major independent producer of automobile chassis. Packard Motors produced cars in a sprawling ninety-five-building complex that extended for nearly a mile along East Grand Boulevard. At shift change time, the area came to a virtual standstill, as cars, buses, and pedestrians clogged the streets. The whole area was often covered in a grayish haze, a murky combination of pollutants from the factories and car exhaust. Even at night the area bustled, as the factory windows emmitted an eerie "blue-green glow," and echoed with the "screams and clank of the machinery."



The next paragraph is too painful to type, not just emotionally' but physically, as I'm on a handheld;)

When I return on Friday I'll have a few westside bones to throw jjaba.
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 18
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 12:21 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Russell complex seems to have a whole mess of history wrapped all around it. Does anyone know which buildings belonged to who? Anderson, Murray and Hupp. There is a really old one story building south of the tall structures that looks interesting.
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 11
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.230.241
Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 3:50 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sven, try this link for more Hupp info. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/co llections/habs_haer/
Select place and use "detroit" on search, continue on list to #101 "Poletown District, Hupp Motor Car". There are 7 photos and 8 "data pages". Data pages make mention of building numbers, locations and usage.

From this thread, and other documentation I have, I will post a listing of auto plant names and address locations. With input from others, I can edit and better define the list.
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 12
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.239.99
Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 4:03 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's another good link on the Russell Industrial Park.
http://www.freep.com/money/aut onews/hist2_20030902.htm
Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 19
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 5:48 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bate,
Great info. Thanks. I'll have to investigate how I can get a copy of the survey.
Top of pageBottom of page

Toybreaker
Member
Username: Toybreaker

Post Number: 4
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 68.42.175.170
Posted on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 3:05 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

i have done some documenting of the Packard Plant myself, and hope to have a proper site up about it soon (yeah...i'm innovative.) anyway, here's a few of the goods. i have over 500 images to sort through.

i just tried resizing images to post here for the last half hour, got frustrated and gave up, i just can't compromise the quality that much. they are under 50k but it still will not accept them for some reason. ???

anyway, click below - lots of interior pictures of the Packard in it's current state. all pretty hi-res. sorry for the annoying directory.

http://www.dethany.com/packard /

(Message edited by toybreaker on March 10, 2005)
Top of pageBottom of page

Hamtramike
Member
Username: Hamtramike

Post Number: 36
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 146.9.58.19
Posted on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 11:08 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Any idea what plant this might be?
I forgot what car was produced at the site of 2700 junction, but the place is an awesome shell which is now being used for self storage (Classic Storage). You can even take your car up to the third floor in the elevator for storage.
But even more interesting is that the owner lives there and has invested quite a bit of $$$ building a sweet first floor loft. His friends thought he was crazy when he bought it back in the 90's if i remember correctly.

Any idea what was produced there?
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 13
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.134.181
Posted on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 2:20 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a start of a plant listing. Any input is welcome.

Active Auto Plants-----------------
Chrysler (DCX)
-Conner Ave. Assembly
-20000 Conner Ave (400,000sf) Viper
-Jefferson North Assembly
-2101 Conner Ave (2.6m sf) Jeep
-Detroit Trim- 12501 Dequindre
-Trenton Chemical- 5473 W. Jefferson Ave.
-McGraw Glass Plant- 9400 McGraw Ave
-Mound Rd. Engine Plant- 20300 Mound Rd.
-Detroit Axle- 6700 Lynch Rd

Ford Rouge - 3001 Miller Rd.

Inactive Auto Plants & Related------------
(s) standing (d) demolished

B.F. Everitt- 63-65 Fort St.
Brush- Oakland & Rhode Island Ave
Cadillac- Riopelle & E. Warren
Carter Color- 6051 Haistings (d)
Carter- 220-230 1st St.
Chalmers- Oakland Ave
Chalmers- Jefferson Ave
Chrysler- 6501 Harper
Chrysler Mack Ave Stamping- 11631 Mack Ave (d)
Commercial- 259-267 Franklin st
Detroit Forge- 9611 Winfield
Dingfelder- 958 Jefferson
Dodge Main- Joseph Campau Ave (d)
EMF- Piquette (s)
Fisher Plant 12- 1961 E. Milwaukee (d)
Fisher Plant 21 > GMC NATP- 601 Piquette (s)
Ford- Piquette & Beaubien (s)
Ford Highland Park- Manchester (s)
Ford Service- 7310 Woodward
Ford > Hudson- Mack & Beaufait
GMC Saginaw/Detroit- 1840 Holbrook
Graham Paige- 6250 Woodward
Hupp- Milwaukee & Mt. Elliott
Hudson- Mack & Beaufait
Kress Line- 657 Lycaste
Kressler-Detroit-
Krit- 1608 E. Grand
Lincoln- W. Warren & Livernois
Lozier- Mack Ave
Mack Ave Stamping- 11631 Mack Ave (d)
Metzger > Maxwell > Fisher - 1961 E. Milwaukee (d)
Murray Body- 7590 Russell
Page-Dertoit -
Regal- Harper & Haistings
Reliance - 87-89 Fort St E.
Rickenbacker - 4815 Cabot (s)
Studebaker - Piquette (s)
Warren Motor Car- 1331 Holden (s)
Wayne - Piquette & Brush

Auto Related Plants-----------
American Axle & Manufacturing -1840 Holbrook
ArvinMeritor L.V.S. Production Facility-Fort St. & Rademaker
Bridgewater Interiors (Johnson Controls, Inc. Partner)4617 W. Fort
Davis Tool & Engineering Co. -19250 Plymouth Rd.
Detroit Budd Co. -12141 Charlevoix
Detroit Diesel Corp.(DCX)- 13400 W. Outer Dr
Mark IV Automotive- 3775 E. Outer Dr.
Metaldyne Precision Forming: Incorporates Mascotech, Simpson Industries, and GMTI. -19001 Glendale
Simco Automotive Pump Co.- 6100 Buchanan

Detroit Area Stamping Plants---------

Arrow Metal Product Corp.- 1200 Mount Elliott
Budd Co. Stamping- 12141 Charlevoix
Mack Ave Stamping- 11631 Mack Ave (d)
Metro Stamping & Manufacturing-26955 Fullerton
New Center Stamping- 950 E. Milwaukee
(was GM to 1989, 8 mile movie plant site)
Superb Manufacturing Inc.-1200 Woodland
United Metal Products Corp.- 8101 Lyndon
Wayne Foundry & Stamping Co.- 3100 Hubbard
The Bing Group -11500 Oakland Avenue
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1237
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 2:37 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Welcome to the world's most modern auto factory! New for 1929 is the Plymouth Lynch Road plant. The popularity of the new low-priced Plymouth model necessitated a move of production from the Dodge Main factory. Built by the Dodge Brothers at a cost of $4.5 million for production of the 1927 Dodge Senior Six model, the single-story factory at Lynch Road and Mt. Elliott was enlarged to 375 x 2490 feet in 1928 and the first Plymouths rolled off the assembly line in late December.

The Plymouth plant is recognized as the world's most modern automobile factory. With its yards and platforms for receiving materials and shipping finished cars, it utilizes 44 acres. The factory proper contains 23.7 acres of floor space, all on one floor level and under one continuous roof! It utilizes 17 miles of conveyors. There are over 3000 individual machine tools, each driven by an individual electric motor ranging from 1/4 horsepower to 100 horsepower. Much of this equipment is less than a year old, as it is the practice of the Corporation to adopt the most modern machinery as quickly as it is developed and proved.

Lynch

Further enlarged in 1935 to add an additional line, the Plymouth Lynch Road assembly plant ran three parallel assembly lines, each producing a car per minute, giving the plant the capacity of 180 cars per hour, or 2880 cars per 16-hour day, the highest production rate of any auto factory in the world. Chrysler was unique in the industry in that all of its popular Plymouth assembly was done at a single plant. Briggs, its major body supplier, dedicated nearly all of its Outer Drive plant output to Plymouth bodies, before being absorbed by Chrysler in 1953.

Terraserver
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1238
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 2:48 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

inside1
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1239
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 2:51 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

inside2
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1240
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 2:59 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

inside3
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 170
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 205.188.117.68
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 1:15 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bate,
Great list!! Do you or anyone else have a photo of the Ford Service at 7310 Woodward? I don't have one in my files.....
The Plymouth factof 5300 cars in a day as record is somewhat errooneous as Ford produced 9100 Model A's in a single day in June 1929. I know because I'm still fixing them!
As the old joke goes,, a man calls up Ford and says "I understand you can produce a Model T in 15 minutes?" Henry Ford replies, "yes that's true"
Caller says " I'm the one that bought it"
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1245
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 6:28 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Paige Motors on W Warren:

1
2
3

Years of operation as an auto plant???

Paige also had a plant on W Fort near Studebaker. Still there?
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1425
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 6:27 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Incredible posting Mike and Bate. jjaba always saw Plymouth Rd. Lynch plant on AAA city maps growing up, but never ever has seen it. Amazing data and history.

Some of those old nameplates bring back so many memories.

Funny how the wildly popular Chrysler PT Cruiser which we all know should be badged "PLYMOUTH", is 100% made in Mexico. Imagine if that was FOB DETROIT as a Plymouth! Why did Chrysler do this to us?

California was a huge Plymouth market. They threw all of that away. Just to show you, the old dealers in many Westcoast cities have refused to lower the Plymouth blue back lit signs. They still replace the light bulbs, next to the signs for Dodge, Chrysler, and an import or two.

Ditto Oldsmobile. 200 stand-alone Olds dealers were shitcanned by GM. The Big 3 not only abandons nameplates, they ruthlessly abandon people, franchises, and turn successful investments into vacant lots as fast as does Wal-Mart. You just can't build that many Dollar Stores to replace them!

And 31 Ford:
"I own a Ford, they're the best
Drive a mile, Walk the Rest!"

jjaba, Food for Thought.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1247
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Sunday, March 13, 2005 - 11:15 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Summarizing info from Szudarek's "How Detroit Became the Automotive Capital", I found that Paige-Detroit was formed in 1909 and produced their first car in 1910. Fred Paige was president of Reliance Motor Co when they were bought out by GM. Harry Jewett was a local businessman who met Paige and supplied the capital to form the company after test driving one of Paige's early prototypes. Paige was forced out later that year and the company's name was shortened to Paige Motors. By 1913 the company had five factories around Detroit and was building a sixth on McKinstry. Today I drove down McKinstry between Fort and W Jefferson. This looks like it could be that factory. It's across W Jefferson from the large Marine Terminal. Anyone know otherwise?:

Paige?1
Paige?2
Paige?3

In 1927 the Graham Bros purchased Paige and re-organized it as the Graham-Paige Motors Co. The brothers had formed a company in Evansville, IN to build trucks bodies and put them on passenger car chassis. In 1921 they entered into an agreement with Dodge to use Dodge engines and drive trains exclusively and to sell their trucks through the Dodge dealer network. They built a plant in Detroit on Meldrum Ave (eastside) which was later replaced by factories on Connant Ave and Lynch Rd. They became the largest company to solely make trucks.

The purchase of Paige for $4 million gave them a chance to get into the passenger car business. Their first model was produced in 1928 and was designed by the LeBaron Studios of Briggs (on Meldrum - the one burning down in the picture earlier in the thread). The company suffered greatly during the depression and went into a joint venture with Hupp in 1940 to build cars using the same bodies. Graham's version was the Hollywood and Hupp's was the Skylark. Graham's plant on W Warren, pictured two posts above and here on terraserver, (originally used to build the Jewett Six, a subsidiary of Paige) started the joint production in 1940 but ended up producing only 30 per day. Hupp withdrew from the venture and went into receivership in October 1940.

Graham quit producing autos during the war to concentrate on war production, and coincidently made their first profit in nearly a decade. They decided to permanently withdraw from the automobile manufacturing business due to the extensive capital requirements. During the war they made amphibious tractors, and components for aircraft engines, PT boat engines, and torpedos.

In 1944 Joseph Frazer assumed control of Graham-Paige by purchasing stock from one of the retired Graham brothers. Frazer had worked his way up through several auto firms to finally help turn around Willys-Overland, the Toldeo maker of the "Jeep". He decided to resume production of autos at the Warren Ave Graham-Paige factory after the war, building a model called the Frazer.

Henry Kaiser headed a highway construction company in the '20s and directed the construction of the Boulder, Bonneville, and Grand Coulee dams in the '30s. During the war he managed west coast ship yards and built ships for the war effort.

Frazer went to Kaiser for financing to get automobile production rolling and in 1945 they formed the Kaiser-Frazer Corp. They planned to build two models, Frazers at the Graham factory and Kaisers at a west coast plant.

The UAW convinced them to use the Willow Run bomber plant which Henry Ford had no interest in keeping for auto production. They leased it for five years, and began producing Kaiser and Frazer cars on the double assmembly line there (and at a plant in Long Beach, CA) in 1946.

Graham-Paige was kept as a seperate identity within Kaiser-Frazer and funded one-third of the cost of running the Willow Run plant. That was too much and Graham-Paige, loosing money, transferred its assets to K-F in return for stock in 1947. Graham-Paige moved to York, PA to build farm machinery through a subsidiary. They sold that business in '49, divested itself of K-F stock in 1952 and turned itself into a closed investment company. They eventually acquired the Madison Square Garden and the New York Rangers and Knicks.

Although I can't determine if any Frazers were built at the plant after the war, Chrysler apparently built Imperials and De Sotos there until 1961.

K-F and Willow Run? In '53 Kaiser bought Willys-Overland and moved Kaiser production to Toledo (Frazers were discontinued in '50). The company was re-organized as the Kaiser Jeep Corp. and auto production ceased in '54. The tooling for the Kaiser was moved to Argentina to produce a car there called "Carabela" until 1962. Jeeps continued to be produced at Toledo, with Kaiser Jeep merging with AMC in 1970. Willow Run was sold to GM after a fire destroyed their Livonia transmission plant.
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 171
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.195
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:14 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's some other addresses of Automotive related factories, Sorry if I listed ones already posted.
American Brake Materials 4660 Merritt Ave.
Modern Mfg.Co (accessories) 5421 Grand River
Parker Rust Proofing -- Bonderizing 2195 E. Milwaukee Ave.
Federal-Mogul 4809 John R. St
Superior Piston Ring 6436 Epworth Blvd.
Hudson - cars 12502 E. Jefferson ave.
These addresses are suppliers to the main auto factories.... Will continue to dig thru my stack of pre 1930s Motor mags for more addresses
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1251
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:12 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ford, I think the reference to Plymouth Lynch Rd as having the highest output of any factory was from that time, i.e. late-'30s. Remember, they fared better than anyone during the depression and surpassed Ford to become the number two automaker until 1950.

jjaba mentions Plymouth and California. Plymouth acquired a plant in LA in 1932 to supply the west coast. In 1939 Dodge built a plant in San Leandro, on the bay south of Oakland, to supply Dodges to the west. Each plant produced the other make to help with distribution.

My last post mentions Graham Brothers. Dodge acquired their Evansville truck plant and started producing Plymouths there in 1935, shipping them down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers on barges for distribution to the south. The Evansville plant ceased production in 1959 and was replaced by a new factory in St Louis. San Leandro closed in 1955 consolidating west coast production in LA until 1971.

Bate, I need a spreadsheet or database with company, location/address, year built, year production ended, year demolished, make/model/product, etc. I'll get one started with your data.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3382
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:16 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here's a picture of one of the Paige plants. MikeM said there were six around town... I'm guessing the date of this card to be around 1924?



More scans, including some Plymouth stuff tomorrow...

(Message edited by aiw on March 14, 2005)
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1253
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:43 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Those linen postcards are always so sanitized. The main subject is clean and bright and there's always that rosy glow in the sky. Everything else behind it is indistinct and nothing blocks the view in the foreground. If only it were that easy!

I can't imagine them having more than one substantial factory, at least not large enough for its own postcard, so I think this must be the main plant on W Warren. Also, these accounts of there being more than one factory or plant may just be referring to seperate buildings in the same complex. However, it is just across the railroad tracks in Dearborn, not Detroit. Is the postcard generalizing with the location?

Here's a view from 1949 and from 2002. Looks like some of it has been lost:
1949

2002
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3389
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:36 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

No fooling! The way those postcards make it look, the factories were always surrounded by vacant lots!

Now how about a Fisher Body plant in Delray? Corner of Fort & West End. I didn't notice it last time I was down there, but I wasn't looking for it either...

Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 14
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.239.38
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:51 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

While we are on the subject of Lynch Road...here's a great insiders look at how they built them (circa 1970).

http://www.wwnboa.org/patik.ht m
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 15
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.134.252
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:04 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This thread keeps getting better by the week. Thanks to all for the great photos and TeraServer links. These are especially helpful for us out-of-towners. With the wealth of knowledge available here it would be great if someone could organize this thread to a website of some type. Possibly a listing of Detroit Auto factories with dates and locations, archival and present day photos (if still standing). I would be willing to contribute.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1254
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:17 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

AIW, I was in that neck of the woods yesterday to visit the neighborhood where my mom grew up. I-75 crosses over Fort east of the railroad tracks. If it wasn't demoed for the freeway, then I think I know which building it is. What year is that map? What year did Fisher become an exclusive supplier to GM?
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3390
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:28 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

MikeM, the map is 1929-30. It shows the Ambassador Bridge as open with the Tunnel "Under construction".

If you head out that way, turn south on West End, a few blocks down at the corner of Vanderbildt is the old McMillan School. It was the oldest school in the Detroit system until it was closed a few years ago. It was built in 1889.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3391
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:31 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A few more old factory postcards.

Hudson Factory, it says on the back "To reach the factory, take the Jefferson Cars going East."



Don't forget the old West Side Lincolin.

Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3392
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:36 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have a few old brochures from Plymouth Lynch Road.

Here are a few scans. I have two different ones, but the covers are fairly similar.

Cover 1

1

Cover 2

2

Factory overview

3

The engine drop... That looks safe...

4

Someone who's an expert can probably date the brochures I have based on these photos...

5

6

Finally the scientificaly aprroved best method for loading your new car, highlly automated... The good old loading dock.

7
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3393
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 1:41 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As for when Fisher became exclusive to GM? Wasn't it pre-Fisher Building? I thought that's where they made all their money. If my recollection is true, then that would probably be 1925-26?
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1255
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:00 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have that second Plymouth brochure. The texture of the paper makes it hard to scan otherwise I was going to post the diagram of the assembly line, which Bate's link describes.

Amazing that they were still loading finished autos into box cars. Douglasm is our local railroad expert; I bet he can tell us when the drive-on auto rail car was first used. This was Ford's motivation for building plants outside of Michigan. Railroads charged class 1 rates for autos (the highest rate); they charged for a minimum weight per railcar which, when fully loaded with autos, was still under the minimum weight; and they charged an extra 10% because autos were bulky items. Ford found it cheaper to send all the parts to an outstate plant and assemble the cars there instead.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3397
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.194.47
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 2:43 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mike my copy is not textured. Although I do have some papers that are, so I know what you mean.

As for the Fisher Body, I posted above in Delray, it looks to be gone...

Here's the intersection of Fort St. & West End.

fisher
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1429
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:03 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ok, guys, in three-part harmony:

COME AWAY WITH ME LUCILLE,
IN MY MERRY OLDSMOBILE
OVER THE ROAD OF LIFE WE'LL FLY
AUTOBUBBLING YOU AND I,

TO THE CHURCH WE'LL SWIFTLY STEAL,
AND OUR WEDDING BELLS WILL PEAL,
YOU CAN GO AS FAR AS YOU LIKE WITH ME,
IN OUR MERRY OLDSMOBILE.

JJABA, WESTSIDER ON THE OAKMAN STREETCAR.
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1430
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:08 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

With this incredible thread you've produced, nothing was said about Lee Iococca going from his Mustang success to invent the Chrysler Mini-van in 1983.

What is hardly known is that he almost bought Maxwell House Coffee that same year.
Imagine, we'd have "Lee Iococca mocha!"

jjaba, Historical humorist.
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 16
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.239.119
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:26 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Can anyone enlighten me on how to get the TerraServer to show street intersections in a search? Thanks.
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1431
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:31 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Detroit icons, John and Horace Dodge were hard-working, ambitious hard-drinking mechanics. They were known as the best precision machinists in Detroit. Early on, they won a contract to produce transmissions for Ransome E. Olds, at one time the leading auto maker in the world.

A few years later, they abandoned Olds for Henry Ford, gambling that Ford would make them more money. And he did. The Dodges built the chassis and most of the moving parts for the Ford Model T. As he raised money by selling stock, Ford gave the Dodges huge equity in Ford Motors. That made the Dodges incredibly wealthy.

In 1916, the Dodge Bros. created their own company with a Hamtramck assembly line. Soon, Dodge Bros. Auto Company, Inc. was the 4th largest in the USA. Both of the Dodge Bros. died young in 1920 and unlike Ford, left no descendants to run their auto empire.

Ransome E. Olds was the largest auto maker at the turn of the 20th Century in 1904. His first car was built in 1896 He owned a huge factory at the corner of E. Jefferson and Concord, near the Belle Isle Bridge. It was America's first factory dedicated to autos. His innovation was the curved-dash and windows of model 1900. In 1901, Roy Chapin drove a little Olds, Detroit to New York in 7 1/2 days.

On March 9, 1901, the Olds factory went up in a huge and amazing fire. It was highlighted with a series of interior explosions. Saved in the fire was one Olds runabout, which Ransome E. Olds drove off into the sunset to Lansing, Michigan where he set up shop out there.

After a power struggle with GM and others, he left his own cvompany and formed R.E.O. Motors, and died in 1950. We all remember his REO Speedwagon.

jjaba.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3400
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 65.92.103.170
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 3:56 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bate, Terraserver doesn't handle intersections (at least that I have discovered). Pick a ballpark Street Address and move the Arrows. I just punched in West End for the photo above, luckily West End is only a few blocks long.
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 174
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.195
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 4:20 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The plymouths are 1936 1937 Designs,,, the grille changed in '38 So hope this is helpful.......
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3401
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 65.92.103.170
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 4:23 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you...
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1258
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 5:13 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

AIW, I thought the truck lot might be the spot, but yesterday I saw that warehouse at the top-right corner of your photo...it looks like it could be part of a Fisher plant.

jjaba, Dodge Bros investment in Ford in 1903: $10,000 for 100 shares.
Combined value of dividends and capital gains from sale of stock back to Henry in 1919? $32,000,000.
Top of pageBottom of page

Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba

Post Number: 1434
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 24.22.6.155
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:36 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Mike. That was some serious money in 1919. There is wonderful history about Ford not wanting partners.

Mine is from 12th street, the garage of Sam Cohen and his sons Norman, Chiam, and Maxi. In their garage, they invented air conditioning. They installed their unit in a brand new 1941 black Ford and drove it out to Ford's office in Dearborn. Henry Ford came down on a hot July day and took it for a ride. Ford wanted the patent immediately. It was ice cold in there, very comfortable.

Sam Cohen wanted "Aironditioning by Sam Cohen and Sons" on the dashboard of every new Ford after that. Ford said no. Only Ford's name is on the car, except Harvey Firestone who he had a handshake with 40 yrs. earlier.

Well, to this day, look at Sam's legacy on YOUR dashboard.

It says, "HI, NORM, and MAX." Now you know the legacy of Sam Cohen and Sons, Westside neighbors to JJABA in ein bissel shtetl.
jjaba, Westside Bar Mitzvah bukkor.
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 17
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.134.14
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:42 am:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There was a time, early on, when Ford and Durant (GM) offered their companies for sale at 3M (cash) each to either Olds or Leland (I forget which). It might have their attempt to cash in, walk away rich, and retire. What a different world it might have been.
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 175
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.195
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 12:15 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Durant wanted to buy FoMoCo in 1907-8 Ford and Couzens agreed to sellfor 8 million in cash. Durant only offered stock so no deal came of this. Durant did buy several other companies and as most of the payments, it was stock and very little cash.
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3411
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 65.92.103.76
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 12:50 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Mike - The building in the top right hand of the Delray photo is part of the Produce Terminal Complex. Completely unrelated to Fisher.

Fisher Body Delray - 1952

then

Fisher Body Delray Site - 2002

now
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1262
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 1:56 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ahhh, very good grasshopper, however, we see that it was still standing in Oct '81 and was connected to the one building that was left intact:
WestEndFisher

If you drive by that building today, you will see a nice sandy-colored brick warehouse with a huge corrugated-metal structure on top that appears to serve no purpose. Now we know it was one end of a conveyor bridge.

So what did Fisher do at this West End plant? The Fleetwood plant was at Fort and Livernois? Was it just another supplier to Cadillac? Which number was it in Fisher's inventory?
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3413
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 65.92.103.76
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 2:15 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Ah... Good job Mike, I am guessng that it supplied Cadillac, but as for what number it was? I havve no idea. I didn't even know it had existed until I spotted it on my map the other day...

We can always just make up and assign it a number! Let's call it Fisher 14.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1264
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 2:51 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

More addresses, from a 1933 city guide:

Buhl Stamping CoScotten & M. C. R.R.
Cadillac Motor Car Co2860 Clark
Caile Motor Co6210 Second Ave
Chrysler Motors841 Massachusettes (HP)
Continental Motors12801 E Jefferson Ave
Dodge Bros Main7900 Jos Campau
Federal Motor Truck5780 Federal
Gemmer6400 Mt Elliott
Graham Bros6100 Lynch Rd
Graham-Paige8505 W Warren Ave (Dearborn)
Hudson12601 E Jefferson Ave
Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Corp3600 Military
Kelvinator14250 Plymouth Rd
Motor Products Corp11801 Mack Ave
Packard Motor CarE Grand Blvd & Belt Line R.R.
Scripps Motor Co5817 Lincoln
Standard Motor Truck Co1111 Bellevue
Timken Detroit AxleFort & Clark
U.S. Rubber Products (Uniroyal)6600 E Jefferson Ave
Top of pageBottom of page

Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 363
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 140.244.107.151
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 2:52 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I hope that all of you have taken the Auto Heritage walking tour offered by Preservation Wayne on Saturday mornings, May through September, 10am, starting at the Ford Piquette Plant and walking through the areas east and west of Woodward. It's an amazing look at Detroit automotive history!!!
Top of pageBottom of page

Bate
Member
Username: Bate

Post Number: 18
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 4.247.134.6
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 3:24 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Aiw, thanks for the TerraServer tip.
Kathleen, I hope to take the heritage tour on my next visit to Detroit. Up to this point, I make a list of addresses I want to see and drive around like a lost tourist- of which I'm entitled, as I live in Florida, the land of lost tourists.
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1265
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 3:28 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Embarrassed to say no... but I have toured the Ford Piquette plant.

I've had this picture for a while. 4485 West Jefferson, just west of Clark, next to the Detroit Marine Terminal. It was built in 1918. I think the building to the north is one of Paige-Detroit's but Studebaker was in this area as well. Any ideas?



Top of pageBottom of page

Sven1977
Member
Username: Sven1977

Post Number: 20
Registered: 04-2004
Posted From: 209.220.229.254
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 4:56 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here are some other addresses I have.

461 Holbrook St. - Briggs-Detroiter
2600-2795 Wight St. - Blomstrom and Kritt
298-300 West Columbia - Hammer-Sommer
313-315 Riopelle - Hammer-Sommer
3703 Mack - Lozier
8400-8499 River Ct. - Massnick
Beaufait & Waterloo - Abbott
3089 East Grand Blvd. - Wahl
687 Mack - Templeton-DuBrie
Michigan & 10th - Carhartt
100-401 Clark St. - Blomstrom/Deluxe
West Fort & 23rd St. - Bour-Davis
*recently torn down
285 Monroe St. - Hupp/Yeats
1329 Woodward - Beyster Detroit
510 Howard - Anhut
25 East Milwaukee - Day
1145 West Grand Blvd. - Chevrolet
(This was a major factory)
1305 Bellvue St. - Ritter
400-411 Bellevue - Hupp
5700-5799 Concord - King/Hupp
284-290 Rivard - Marvel
115-185 Lycaste St. - Hupp/Yeats
Charlevoix & Conner - Liberty
11600-11649 Lawton - Keeton
5786-5845 Commonwealth - Traveler Motors

Other than Chevy and Hupp, I don't think these companies sold many cars. Their dealers were patient though, they waited for the Yugo to come out before they closed their doors.
Top of pageBottom of page

31ford
Member
Username: 31ford

Post Number: 176
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.195
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 6:31 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bate,
what part of FL do you live I'm in Central, in Polk County
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1267
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 7:48 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Fisher Body plant on Fort @ West End:

quote:

Detroit, Mich., Dec. 23, 1918-- With the production of aeroplanes at the Fisher Body Corporation Aeroplane Division plant on West End Avenue coming to an end yestereday, officials of the firm announced that they are negotiating the purchase of the building from the government for the making of motor cars.
Fisher Body President Fred J. Fisher said the final aeroplane will be delivered today to the U.S. Army.
The Armistice was signed in France on November 11 and employees at the plant, while rejoicing because the Great War in Europe has ended, have been concerned about their future. Mr. Fisher said that additions will be needed at the plant to accommodate car body assembly, including a kiln for drying lumber. It is rumored that much of the production would be devoted to furnishing bodies to local motor car makers such as Ford, Dodge, Maxwell and Buick in Flint.

Largest Aeroplane Order
The U.S. Government had started construction of the one-story plant in 1916 and soon after entering the conflict in Europe the following year, it granted a contract to Fisher Body for the largest order ever written for aeroplanes.
Within 48 days after plant construction ended, the first plane was completed.
Three different types of planes were assembled there. The first was a J-1 Training Aeroplane of which 400 were made during the first four months of 1918. They also made five Italian Caproni bomber bi-planes. But the biggest order was the British-designed DeHaviland-4 battle plane, renamed in America as the Liberty plane.
From August of this year until yesterday, 1,600 were delivered. By October, production had reached 40 a day and in November alone there were 567 assembled. As of yesterday, a total of 2,005 planes had been completed, along with 200 sets of DeHaviland aeroplane parts kits. The work force peak was 4,500.

No U.S. Combat Planes
When the U.S. entered the war on April 6, 1917, the Aviation Section did not possess a single combat-worthy aeroplane. A commission was dispatched to Europe to study the best designs available and the DeHaviland-4 was one of the three selected. The first sample arrived in the U.S. in July 1917 and thousand of engineering changes were made before the plans were shipped off to the newly-constructed Detroit plant. Even the screw threads had to be altered to U.S. standards. The established price of the 1918 Liberty plane was $5,500.
Once constructed at the Fisher facility, the planes were taken to a nearby field for a test flight. Besides a pair of Lewis machine guns, planes could be outfitted for carrying 12 bombs not exceeding 322 pounds. For night observation, the aeroplanes carried cameras in the rear cockpit, a wireless radio and flares.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: The World War I plant later became known as Plant 18, Fisher Feetwood.)



From: http://www.geocities.com/sponc om26/HistoryLeadsIndustry4.htm l
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1268
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 7:55 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Continuing:

quote:

Fisher Still Expanding
Fisher Body has been rapidly expanded during recent years with the biggest acquisition coming earlier this year in Flint. In 1920, Fisher began providing bodies for the Buick Motor Car Division of GM in Flint from its Plant No. 18 in Detroit, hauling them on trucks along the Dixie Highway. Fisher then built an assembly plant in Flint in 1923 to make both Buick and Chevrolet bodies. This plant later became too small and Fisher this year acquired the vacant Flint Motor Car Co. plant, once owned by William C. Durant.
This facility, now designated as Fisher Body Flint Plant No. 1, is considered the largest such plant in the world.
Fisher also took a bold step in 1920 when it began building its first major plant outside the Detroit area in Cleveland.

Many Detroit Installations
Prior to that, the firm had built or leased some 40 plants scattered around Detroit, most of them north of the downtown buisiness district. Many of these "plants" are no more than storage sheds, but others are large manufacturing units.
The original structure was Plant No. 2 on St. Antoine purchased in July 1908. It housed a wood kiln until demolished last year(1925). Plant No. 4 on Oakland Ave. was built in 1910 to assemble the original closed bodies.
The 40-some plants have been used for such functions as body asembly, lumber storage, sawdust storage, paint and trim, offices, wooden parts fabrication, die making, hardware parts manufacture, engineering, experimental and development and metal stamping.


Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1269
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 7:57 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

A 1930 reference to the 1925 purchase of Fleetwood by Fisher:

quote:

In Detroit, Fisher produces Cadillac bodies at its Plant #18 and employees of the plant there and here in Fleetwood have freely exchanged information and visited each other's facilities. The "Fleetwood" nameplate now appears on many Cadillac car bodies and there is the possibility that Plant #18 may be renamed the Fisher Body Fleetwood Plant.


Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1270
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 8:10 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

From 1968:

quote:

Ternstedt was named after its founder, Alvar K. Ternstedt, inventor of the first practical car window regulator. A native of Sweden, he applied for a patent on his invention in 1911 but it was not granted until 1916.
The regulator utilized a chain and sprocket mechanism that offered greater east of operation than any previous device. Ternstedt needed financial backing to start his own company so in 1917 he invited the Fishers and several others to join him. At that time, the Fisher organization was already the largest body-building firm in the world.
At a meeting in Detroit on April 17, 1917, the Ternstedt Manufacturing Co. was incorporated. Ternstedt was elected chairman. The seven other directors were four of the Fisher brothers and three other major Fisher Body Company shareholders.
But Ternstedt didn't live long enough to enjoy the success of his venture. He died six months later and in 1920, Fisher Body acquired the Ternstedt firm.
When Fisher Body became a division of GM in 1926, Ternstedt became a division within Fisher Body. Ternstedt became a separate division in 1948 and now, 20 years later, is now rejoining Fisher Body.
Alvar Ternstedt lived long enough to start manufacturing operations at a building located at Fort Street and Livernois in Detroit, site of the present Fisher Body Fort Street Plant. That remained the Ternstedt headquarters until a new divisional office building on the Tech Center site in 1962.
At present, Ternstedt operates seven plants and has nearly 25,000 employees. There are 400 Ternstedt products on the average GM car such as door handles, window regulators, locks, wheel covers and many of the brightly-plated trim parts found on vehicles.




So the Fisher plant at W Fort and Livernois was originally Ternstedt. What did FIsher do at this plant? Did they supply bodies to Cadillac Clark St from here or did they continue making accessories?
Top of pageBottom of page

Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw

Post Number: 3424
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 209.216.150.127
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 8:11 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Good job Mike... I was close with my 14 guess....
Top of pageBottom of page

Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem

Post Number: 1271
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.43.13.241
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 8:57 pm:   Delete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yes you were ;}

I don't know the date of this postcard..early '20s? I think it's after Cadillac moved assembly from the Amsterdam plant to Clark St (Main Plant)in 1921.

caddy

Where are these others? Is the "Body" Fleetwood? Which one is the site Sven posted photos of near the top of this page (E Warren @ Riopelle)?

From:http://www.experienceeverythingautomotive.org/data/yrt_tours_cent_cadillac.pdf

quote:

Leland & Falconer Plant
Milwaukee Junction, 1899 Trombly, Detroit
The site of the first Cadillac Plant is immediately west of the new Hamtramack Cadillac plant.
In 1893, a factory was built for Leland & Faulconer (founded in 1890) to manufacture precision machinery and tooling. Located along the railroad tracks that lead to the foot of Orleans, they were well positioned to provide for the “Rivertown” industries.
In 1896, they began manufacturing gasoline marine engines and it was their reputation for quality and their experience in manufacturing reliable gas engines that resulted in their entry into the automobile business. (Some buildings on this site appear to be survivors from the early industrial complex). The first Cadillac prototype drove out of here in October 1902. Subsequently, L&F supplied transmissions, engines and chassis for later assembly at the Cadillac factory at Cass and Amsterdam. Eventually the Leland and Faulconer plant became Cadillac Plant # 2.


The address puts it at Trombly a block west of Grand Blvd. Not sure if this still exists. Is it the "Foundries and Sheet Metal Division" above?
Discuss Detroit » Hall of Fame Threads » Old Car Factories » Old Car Factories - 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24