Friday, January 11, 2008

Early Buick Test Track

The photo (at the top) is a drawing from a Buick magazine of the first Buick test track, from a 1916 publication. This is the future site of the train shed #02, looking southwest with the forge shop #03 (at right) then #06 and #01 off to the left.

 The photo is of Division street. You will notice the former Mott factory #4 which later became Buick factory #34 and was built in 1909. You can see just a glimpse of the Imperial Wheel factory at the right. You are looking north east across the Pere Marquette tracks. This auto looks like it's maybe a finished chassis. So it would not be heading for the test track. At that time the body's were added after testing on the track, (to make sure the running gear was performing correctly) and to keep from damaging the body or fenders on the dirt track. 



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