Thursday, November 3, 2011

Happy 100th Birthday Chevrolet.


This is me and my 1966 Caprice (built in Flint) in 2010. I need to take it for a ride soon before the snow flies  I have completely restored this car from top to bottom. "It is a matching numbers car". Since it had low miles, I only freshened the 396 cu. in. engine with new rings and bearings, plus stainless valves and hardened valve seats. It has an all original black interior with bucket seats plus the gauge package. Those are the original 14 inch wheels. I did go with stainless steel fuel and brake lines. I also added a rear stabilizer. It now has a Poly-graphite front suspension, which maybe I wish I had not done (stiffer ride). I also put higher rate coil springs in the rear and new original spec. coils up front. I have the complete restoration photos on myspace at: photos Cars I have owned: 1961 Chevrolet 4 door Biscayne, 1961 Chevrolet 2 door Impala, 1962 Chevrolet 2 door Impala, 1963 Chevrolet Nova, 1963 Chevrolet Impala convertible, 1966 Ford Galaxy convertible, 1968 Chevrolet Caprice, 1972 Buick LeSabre, 1972 Chevrolet Suburban, 1974 Chevrolet Caprice, 1975 Buick regal, 1976 Buick Regal, 1978 Buick LeSabre T-type, 1981 Chevrolet Chevette, 1982 Chevrolet Cavalier wagon, 1982 Pontiac Phoenix, 1987 Cavalier 2 door, 1987 Buick LeSabre, 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix, 1995 Chevy ext. cab Silverado truck (still have), 1966 Chevrolet Caprice (still have), 2001 Buick Park Avenue (still have). This is not the exact order but pretty close. I may have forgotten one or two but this is about it.
My sister bought one of these new Camaro's a few months back. Her car is solid red with a smaller V8.
A 1955 at the Buick Gallery in Flint, Michigan. My father had a 4 door in this two tone only the bottom color was turquoise and his only had the old "stove-bolt" six.
A 1947 convertible at the Buick Gallery in Flint, Michigan.
This is the car shown below. It is a General Motors milestone car.
A 67 Caprice at the Buick Gallery in Flint, Michigan.                                                          

                                                    

A 1962 4 door Impala at the Buick Gallery in Flint, Michigan. I had one of these (my favorite car) only mine was a two door with a 283 cu. in. and cast iron Powerglide and was red with a white top and red interior. "It met an awful end".
The 265 cu. in. V8 at the Buick Gallery in Flint, Michigan. "I sure worked on a lot of these back in the day".
A 1931 at the Buick Research Gallery in Flint, Michigan.
The 1920 490 at the Buick Research Gallery in Flint, Michigan.  Link here: new 1920 Buick.
The Classic six at the Buick Research Gallery in Flint, Michigan. This is the only survivor in the U.S. The other is in Canada. "This is the car that Louis Chevrolet himself designed". Durant's plans to fill the void left from Buick discontinuing the model 10 and also to compete with Ford's model T did not include a car of this size, or price.  A 1962 advertisement with a 1911 Chevrolet.


Louis Chevrolet.
Louis Chevrolet.
Louis Chevrolet.
Louis Chevrolet.
War work at Chevrolet.
War work at Chevrolet.
War work at Chevrolet.
Engine work at Chevrolet in 1918
This photo, that is often identified as showing Buick body's being built, is in actuality Fisher body plant 2-a. Notice the natural light entering the building along the whole length of the roof. The body plant  had the same skylight as the assembly plant 2 only it was located in an opening in the second floor.
This is the same view as shown below, only farther up the bluff, and earlier in time.
This photo from the Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan is looking north up Wilcox st which would later be re-named Chevrolet Avenue.

The photo (above this diagram), which I have not posted before, was taken from in front of factory 6 (facing west across the Flint river) and is showing factory 2 assembly. That is the powerhouse 11 at the left. My Grandfather and I both worked at this location. I was there in 1973-1974 and he was there during the sit down strike in 1937. I never worked in factory 2 but did work in 4, 5, 6 and 9. Believe me when I say: This was, "Chevy In The Hole" in more ways than one, "emphasis on the hole". It was called the hole because of the valley it was in, but those that worked there had a little bit different meaning for "the hole". I much preferred working at Buick.
The yellow arrow shows the location and direction of the photograph shown above.
Factory designations of Chevy in the hole. Links:

Chevrolet Memorabilia.

Sit-Down Strike marker defaced

Flint Photos Supplied From The Weaver Family

My Cars

Original Buick Factory In Flint Michigan

My Family at General Motors

1920 Chevy in the hole


Links:

Chevrolet Memorabilia.

Sit-Down Strike marker defaced

Flint Photos Supplied From The Weaver Family

My Cars

Original Buick Factory In Flint Michigan

My Family at General Motors

1920 Chevy in the hole

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to an American icon. I only wish it were a happy birthday for Flint.

Bring on 1967!!!

*****100,000,000*****

Anonymous said...

The Acura CL performance chips are specially made to augment this car’s performance. With the incredible Acura CL chips the tenacity of this model visibly comes to play. With the speed with which the power chips of the Acura CL makes possible, without a doubt this is the best car.

Tari Ledsome said...

Wow, you owned a lot of different cars from the 60s to 2001. I guess you've finally settled down with your Caprice now. Anyway, I also want to go to the Chevrolet museum to discover how this great car company began and how it stayed strong for a century.

Gerry Godin said...

I think they have so many Chevrolet's on exhibit at The Buick Research Gallery "because of the 100 anniversary".