Willow Run plant about to see the wrecking ball...?

[69Z28-RS]

Interesting article from Hemmings re the Willow Run plant....  maybe we can all pool our money, but it, and convert it to a Camaro restoration facility? 

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/04/29/willow-run-assembly-plant-faces-the-wrecking-ball/?refer=news

[JohnZ]

Interesting article from Hemmings re the Willow Run plant....  maybe we can all pool our money, but it, and convert it to a Camaro restoration facility? 

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/04/29/willow-run-assembly-plant-faces-the-wrecking-ball/?refer=news

There were TWO Willow Run plants - the subject of the Hemmings article is the huge plant Ford built to build B-24's during WWII, which later became the Kaiser-Frazer plant, then the home of Hydra-matic Division, then a GM Powertrain transmission plant, then closed; the other plant was the Chevrolet assembly plant across the highway where Corvairs, Novas, Citations, and Caprices were built, which closed in 1993. I started my GM career at Chevrolet-Willow Run in 1964, building the Corvair and Chevy II.

[KurtS]

I went thru the bomber plant several times (it's under 10 miles away) a couple of years ago when they auctioned off the transmission tooling.
Really cool to see where the engines and wings were assembled and met the main body. Looonnnnngggg plant. It make the sharp turn near final assembly so that the plant was all in the same county.

[z28z11]

[/quote]
 I started my GM career at Chevrolet-Willow Run in 1964, building the Corvair and Chevy II.
[/quote]

Gee, John, you probably built the car I got my license in - my Dad's '65 Corvair Corsa. Loved that car, leaking pushrod tubes and all - a lot of really good memories from it. Wish I had it sitting beside the 'Maros today.

Regards,
Steve

[MyRed67]

 My brothers '66 Chevy II was built at Willow Run in Apr. of '66.  Here's a link to pic. of it on here.  It was originally solid color Turq. car with Fawn Interior.  And it was as V8, Auto. car.  Now sports a date correct 327 with a 350 Turbo. Trans.

[JohnZ]

I went thru the bomber plant several times (it's under 10 miles away) a couple of years ago when they auctioned off the transmission tooling.
Really cool to see where the engines and wings were assembled and met the main body. Looonnnnngggg plant. It make the sharp turn near final assembly so that the plant was all in the same county.

My ex-father-in-law (Phil Cartwright) was the Works Manager (Plant Engineer) at Hydra-matic; he facilitized and tooled up the ex-Kaiser/Frazer plant for GM to build transmssions after the fire burned the Livonia plant to the ground in the 50's.

[MyRed67]

My brothers '66 Chevy II was built at Willow Run in Apr. of '66.  Here's a link to pic. of it on here.  It was originally solid color Turq. car with Fawn Interior.  And it was as V8, Auto. car.  Now sports a date correct 327 with a 350 Turbo. Trans.

Just realized I forgot to post the link;
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=9770.msg71417#msg71417

[KurtS]

btw, the Yankee Air Musuem at Willow Run was able to buy the final assembly part of the Willow Run plant.
Pretty cool opportunity.
http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2014/11/nonprofit_award_yankee_air_mus.html

[L78 steve]

Interesting article from Hemmings re the Willow Run plant....  maybe we can all pool our money, but it, and convert it to a Camaro restoration facility? 

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/04/29/willow-run-assembly-plant-faces-the-wrecking-ball/?refer=news

There were TWO Willow Run plants - the subject of the Hemmings article is the huge plant Ford built to build B-24's during WWII, which later became the Kaiser-Frazer plant, then the home of Hydra-matic Division, then a GM Powertrain transmission plant, then closed; the other plant was the Chevrolet assembly plant across the highway where Corvairs, Novas, Citations, and Caprices were built, which closed in 1993. I started my GM career at Chevrolet-Willow Run in 1964, building the Corvair and Chevy II.

I thought The Citations were built at Tarrytown.

[KurtS]

I know they were built in WR. I don't know if Tarrytown also built X-bodies.

[JohnZ]

I thought The Citations were built at Tarrytown.

We built the Citation "X"-body at Willow Run, Tarrytown, and Oklahoma City (each plant also built either the Buick Skylark,, Pontiac Phoenix, or Oldsmobile Omega).  Tarrytown was the only plant that didn't have a full immersion/dip ELPO prime system - they just sprayed primer, and their "X"-cars rusted out first.  :-(

[1968RSZ28]

We built the Citation "X"-body at Willow Run, Tarrytown, and Oklahoma City (each plant also built either the Buick Skylark,, Pontiac Phoenix, or Oldsmobile whateveritwas).

Oldsmobile Omega!  



Paul

[JohnZ]

We built the Citation "X"-body at Willow Run, Tarrytown, and Oklahoma City (each plant also built either the Buick Skylark,, Pontiac Phoenix, or Oldsmobile whateveritwas).

Oldsmobile Omega!  





Paul

Thanks - I edited my original post.  :-)

[KurtS]

I had a Phoenix ($450!) and a Citation.  Great cars, IMO. And living in the north, FWD was a big benefit as was the room in a 4-door hatch. 
I always wanted one of the X11 or Phoenix SX versions - they were fast in their day.

[william]

I bought an '81 Citation new and had Ziebart undercoating put on it. All that did was delay the inevitable; by the time I unloaded it in '87 even the hood had rust holes. Went from bad to worse as I then bought a used '85 Pontiac 6000 STE, the worst POS I ever owned. In two years I replaced the steering rack twice, fuel pump, oil pump, coil, ignition module, rear calipers. I never did fix the power antenna or power locks. Even the radio blew out. Had the A/C recharged several times. I'd like to think they have improved the quality but my BIL's 2003 Impala isn't much better.

GM chased away a lot of customers with the junk they built in those days.