Oldsmobile lansing plant history book

Lightning from lansing hemmings hemmings motor news. In 1901 a fire breaks out at the newly built detroit plant, the sole model. The 1968 oldsmobile muscle car the 442 w30 convertible. With the lansing facility only a distant memory, how would i. Closed in 2004, the building has sat vacant with no future plans except to be used as a billboard for cadillac. In april 1942, oldsmobile introduced the first of the 21,894 m3 antitank guns, chambered for a 75mm armorpiercing shell weighing nearly 15 pounds, which it would build through 1944. Fremont, california, framingham, massachusetts, and arlington, texas. The car was delivered to martino oldsmobile in lansing, il from the oldsmobile lansing, mi assembly plant. All 1968 oldsmobile 442s were built at the lansing michigan plant. Reo shuts down, a sad time for lansing michigan history. In 1904, ransom olds left the company, and in 1908 the company. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.

Oldsmobile workers in lansing, mi, produced the last oldsmobilean alero gls. They coauthored three books using this and other material. So, in its history of being a subcontractor for the war department, oldsmobile had. There are many reasons why michigan became the hub of all automotive manufacturing, but a few just happen to be mostly chance. Msu, uaw partner to preserve oral history of lansing fisher body plant updated jan 21, 2019. The closing comes just days after general motors stopped production of the venerable oldsmobile at its lansing car assembly plant, which had. The boys in the pacific are yelling for help today. My childhood and early adulthood was dominated by the presence of. Oldsmobiles first 100 years, for the oldsmobile heritage center in lansing. At the main plant in lansing, oldsmobile built an underground range for testfiring the 20mm and 37mm guns, the better to deaden their deafening blasts. This forge also opened up many different contract opportunities. How would i find out total production of a 1966 starfire with the 4speed muncie m20 wide ratio transmission.

Photos, specifications and history on the 1968 oldsmobile 442 w30. No negroes were hired then by lansings big oldsmobile plant, or the reo plant. Factory workers signed the last oldsmobile, an alero sedan, before the vehicle was moved to lansing s r. Dairy storemichigan state universityfrom 2017 book 1957 photoeast lansing, mi. Lansing car assembly was a general motors automobile factory in lansing, michigan.

This i know is a unique option on the 66, may have been more common on the 65 sfire and jstar 1. For 1972 only, the vins engine digit will contain an x. Retirement years included coauthoring with helen earley the oldsmobile centennial book setting the pace, oldsmobile war years pictorial, and oldsmobile the last chapter. Verlinden had worked for henry f ord and had been the general manager of oldsmobile. I didnt expect it to be as i expected a dry report on how gm stayed in lansing. Oldsmobile overview page conversion to firepower oldsmobile wwii plant tour guide book firepower is our business oldsmobile in world war two lansing, mi 18972004 rest in peace. Non44s used a chrome oldsmobile script on the left front corner of the hood on non442s. On this day in 2004, the last oldsmobile comes off the assembly line at the lansing car assembly plant in michigan, signaling the end of the 106yearold automotive brand, americas oldest. Helen earley coauthored the book, setting the pace. This was a year before i ventured into the oldsmobile verlinden plant. Specifically, the lansing plant cranked out more than 156,000 heavy guns or barrels in calibers from 20mm to 76mm, plus artillery shells of up to a very substantial 155mm.

The new plant has been built in the city of lansing michigan, and manufacture took off from the 425 models made in 1901, to 4,000 in 1903. The oldsmobile alero was a midsize car that was produced by general motors for its oldsmobile division from 1999 to 2004. Production of 1966 olds starfire with 4speed trans. It was a sad day for helen earley of east lansing, mich. When carmaking giant general motors decided to close its plant in lansing, michigan, in 1996. It was purchased in november of 1961 by then 55 year old frieda k. The inside story of the keep gm movement was a surprisingly enjoyable read. As mayor of lansing, it is my pleasure to present a history of lansing. According to olds, at this time, the 425 was the only big block in their arsenal, but was used exclusively in the big cars.

David hollister is the former mayor of lansing, michigan. Oldsmobile project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Which doesnt mean the 400 wasnt available till then. Career spanned 33 years at oldsmobile division and retired in 1986 as superintendent of manufacturing engineering at delta engine plant. Not once in its centurylong history had gm reversed a decision to close a plant. Oldsmobile, lansing, shells, cannons, and world war two. Teds most recent book, how to speak midwestern, is a guide to the speech and sayings of middle america, which the new york times called a dictionary wrapped in some serious dialectology inside a gift book trailing. His latest project at the museum was to create a display that would simulate the curve dash assembly line. Oldsmobile world war two production statistics for the lansing, mi home plant cannons. Michigan, the wolverine state, joined the union in 1837. October 2009 learn how and when to remove this template message list of former automotive manufacturing. Former gmers look back 10 years after janesville plant. In its 107year history, he made 35200 thousand cars, including at least 14 million built at its plant in lansing, michigan.

The 68 olds 442 was a muscle car from the golden age of the american muscle car era. Documentation included with vehicle factory owner manual. When production was discontinued in 2004, oldsmobile was the oldest of the automobile brand, and odinoy of the oldest in th. This was a colt design that olds built under license.

While all w machines were built in lansing, michigan, cutlasses and 442s were also built at multiple other plants. Gm to drive oldsmobile into automotive history sfgate. Visitors guide and tour, a brochure and booklet set with a walking tour guide and narrative on more than 50 historical sites within our city. Former employees of janesvilles general motors assembly plant share their thoughts on the demise of the plant 10 years after it closed. While researching that book, they stumbled across a previously undiscovered. He set up his plant on the site of the fairgrounds next to the grand river. All aleros were built in the united states at lansing, michigan. Many parts of the lansing plant still stand today, as a part of the general motors grand river plant, that produces the alpha body platform for gm, the platform consists of the cts cadillac and the chevy camaro. The curved dash runabout located at gm grand river assembly entrance. In 1987, helen earley and james founded the oldsmobile history center to manage the extensive historical collection about the people, the plant and the products of oldsmobile. As with the 2001 assembly plant built in lansing, the delta plant resembles a hightech research facility and not a traditional factory. Oldsmobile name was never official, as a manufacturer called them olds automobiles, but people called them oldsmobiles. Plant tour guide book of oldsmobile during wwii 1 this forging and extruding process was only capable because of the new forge that the lansing plant had recently built 2.

Fisher body world war two wwii production numbers armament by fisher. Things to do using a map of lansing, locate streets and places with a connection to the citys earl y automobile history. Lansing oldsmobile early history factory oldsmobile was first mass produced in 1901 a fire breaks out at the newly built detroit plant, the sole model survivor being what come to be the curveddash oldsmobile. The reo family tree, however, would come to a sad and depressing end in the midseventies, as the lansing reo plant would end in corruption, filth, unsafe working conditions, and a curious. During its time as a division of general motors, it slotted into the middle of gms five divisions above chevrolet and. During more than a century of production, more than 35 millio. Oldsmobile was one of the brands of american car manufacturers general motors for most of its existence. After fire destroyed the new olds motor works plant in detroit on march 9, 1901, the lansing business mens association offered olds land acquired in hopes of permanently hosting the state fair. List of production and discontinued oldsmobile models with full specs and photo galleries. Nimnicht broke ground for a new chevrolet and fisher body assembly plant on broening highway in the southeast section of baltimore. At the main plant in lansing, oldsmobile built an underground range for.

In january of 65 oldsmobile issued the manual including the 400 as the only 442 engine. He was very knowledgeable on oldsmobile history and was a great resource for the museum. Eventually the fourstory concrete section of the prudden plant was also renovated. Msu, uaw partner to preserve oral history of lansing. Abandoned oldsmobile headquarters and lansing auto plant. This exhibit uses beams from the original oldsmobile plant as the perimeter of the display. The examples and perspective in this list deal primarily with north america and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. On october 29, 2004, the last oldsmobile rolled off the assembly line, ending 107 years of automobile production related to that brand. It produced over 35 million vehicles, including at least 14 million built at its lansing, michigan factory alone. Oldsmobile brought many inventions, that are still used today, into the automotive world. Oldsmobile had multiple plants across the country to supply its dealers.

All wmachines for the 1966 to at least 1972 model year were made in lansing m is the 7th character in the vin. Throughout all the ups and downs of the auto industry, michigan is still known by many across the nation for its manufacturing history. It shows what was going on during that time period 197079 ect. This plant in downtown lansing would later be known as lansing car assembly chassis plant.

James krytas 1972 oldsmobile cutlass w30 442 was a labor of love as he worked to restore it, intending to throw it into the spotlight at car shows. The plant also included the unique lansing gm building 150 which sat in. Variances existed within some plants and more so between multiple plant locations. Oldsmobile was a brand of american automobiles produced for most of its existence by general motors. Lansing car assembly lca began in 1901 when ransom e.

Setting the pace, oldsmobile war years pictorial, and oldsmobile the last chapter. Discover the signs that explore the areas automotive history. List of former automotive manufacturing plants wikipedia. Olds and reo motor car company to the impact of developing neighborhoods, to the demise of an auto innovators home to make way for a freeway, it seems like every time you turn around in lansing, you encounter a tie to the automotive history.

The alero was introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model to replace the entrylevel achieva and cutlass, and went into production in april 1998. The plant was designed to produce 80,000 cars and trucks a year. By 1907, the reo factory in lansing, mi, was one of the top four automobile. See more ideas about history, michigan and lansing michigan. Durant motor cars went out of business during the great depression. Ransom eli olds of lansing, michigan, founds olds motors workswhich will later become oldsmobileon august 21, 1897. The story of how lansing nearly lost its automotive industry and instead won two new carmaking plants made its bigscreen debut tuesday night in a documentary.

Lisa fine informs us in her book the story of reo joe that, in 1973 the union. Located in the center of the great lakes, michigan is divided into two land masses known as. She started in 1942, manufacturing guns and cannons in a. Aviation b17 68,612 b17 exhaust collector systems, 46,748 b17 fixed engine cowlings and 40,228 b17 removable engine cowlings fisher body division of general motors built 46,748 b17 fixed engine cowlings and 40,228 b17 movable engine cowlings at several of its plants. When carmaking giant general motors decided to close its plant in lansing, michigan. His new plant produced only the curved dash runabout, the first car to be called oldsmobile. I gave it a 4 star because i would have liked even more pictures of their cars. This was the storied rocket v8, arguably the most important mechanical advance in oldsmobiles history.