After reading Ryans thread on the Packard plant I though it would be interesting to see pics and hear stories of american auto factories, both yesterday and today, operating or abandoned. Whacha got?
Kansas City Chevy plant in 1997, it had been shut down about 10 years earlier. My car was built there.
Here is an interesting link to the sand mines in St Paul that Ford used to mine for gl***. http://www.actionsquad.org/ford.htm
Here you go: http://www.opacity.us/site63_studebaker_stamping_plant.htm Old Studebaker factory. Kinda sad, but a bunch of neat pics.
Here's one. Dallas Developer Buys Old Ford Plant. Its still painted Ford engine blue to this day. http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/11/12/story7.html In 1913, Ford built a Model T factory in Dallas in what is now known as the Deep Ellum area. A few years ago the building was converted to high $$$ loft appartments.
i had quite a few family members that worked for Studebakers in S. Bend during the 20's up into the 50's. i dont have access to the pictures right now, but my uncle has some neat stories... he started working there along with his cousin when they got back from WW2. they weren't full time employees and bounced job to job, he remembers the upholstery department the best and praised the pride people put into their work... this past winter when i visited we drove around the old Studebaker plants, most are run down or in the process of being demolished...for what, i dunno. i saw the official Studebaker parts store, still in business in one of the old buildings. it was a huge facility and must have been a site to see back in the day. might as well mention, we also drove by the Bendix plant....some pictures here if interested... not mine though! http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/ABNF/studebaker_plant.htm
I don't care who made them, deisel engines are usually very reliable and durable. Its a shame someone doesn't have the insight to buy these up, see if you can test run them and sell them. Even if sold overseas, it would be better than seeing them wasted.
That's exactly what I thought when I first saw that Studebaker plant, how much different it must have been back in their heyday. On a side note, I would love to have a wooden floor like that.
Check out this old thread started by DirtyT (in 2006) http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118787&highlight=packard+plant That post has pictures of the Packard plant, a Ford plant, and the plant where Kelsy Hayes were made.
Just the other day I stumbled upon a cool article about the Long Beach California Ford plant ... just click HERE ... and closer to home: The Ford ***embly Plant in Milpitas California was completed in 1955 (it covered 32 acres & employed 2300 workers) ... closed in 1983 ... converted and reopened as the "Great Mall of the Bay Area" in 1994:
The GM Van Nuys plant is now a commercial area and shopping mall. A couple of my customers are retired Van Nuys plant employees, these guys can talk for HOURS.
Anyone know what has become of the building(s) that the '32 V8's were ***embled in? ... are they a part of the Henry Ford Museum "River Rouge Complex" tour? ... or are they part of the working ***embly plant? ... or have they been paved over in the name of progress?
Can you give me information on the Studebaker parts store. I have one that needs a starter. I have been having trouble finding one. Any and all information will be appreciated. Josh
Kinda OT, but has anyone been to the old Magic Chef factory in Franklin, TN? Pretty neat how they turned it into a little mall. As of last year there was a cool antique furniture store there.
back in 65 my dad toured the k-mo chevy plant for a school field trip his 63 ss nova was built there that he sold about 3 years ago. imagine what kind of uproar a field trip to the plant today would get you O/T when i was in grade school we used to go to the pumpkin patch they outlawed it because some dip**** kid fell off a hay bale.
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