Walter Reuther Moment Of Silence.

I believe this is the Wilmington, Delaware assembly plant judging by the convertible that employee Robert Hall is looking at. My brother ordered a new convertible that year and as I recall they were only assembled in the Wilmington plant. Very rare was the instance of the line shutting down for a moment of silence. I can personally think of only one time in my years at Buick. It was for an employee killed in the factory. The date of this photo was May 16, 1970. Reuther died May 9th.

Still Even More Buick Workers.

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Pat Bowers and Cleadus Lanter ready to install a bumper.

Scott Weidner working on engine dress.

Mark Williams (back) Bob Weber and Dennis Haney on the paint line in factory #44.

Dennis Willett taking a break.

Even More Buick Workers.

One of the ever present plant tours.

Slat line in factory #04.

Vern Bailey tears down and rebuilds an engine for a test run. This is probably factory #36.

Sam Brown (left) and Wadell Fletcher spot weld the inner fender brace in factory #12.

Barbara Mitchell in the paint booth located in factory #44.

More Buick Workers.

Work on the bumper line. The workers are Pat Bowers (left) and Ken Patty.

This is a G-body (Regal) fender being inspected by Roy Tyler.

Buick Workers

On the paint line in factory #44. The workers are Bill Willoughby on left and Wade Chapman. I worked with Bill in the materials group.

Worker Charles MacArthur with a load of wheels.

A B-body (Electra, LeSabre) fender being installed. The worker is Rick Muschiana.

This is factory #12 showing the G-body (Regal) front fenders before being trimmed of the excess flash after stamping. The employees are John Derosia at left and K.C. Drake. This is 1983.

Hamilton & Industrial Avenue 1915.

This is the next photo that was taken that day. Here is #29 in this series. Buick grows with Flint 1916 story.













This view facing east up Hamilton Avenue at the intersection of Industrial Avenue shows Weston-Mott at the left and Buick factory #01 just beyond the large tree. The original office building is in front of #01. Beyond that is the Imperial Wheel Company. This would be late 1915 judging by the Buick sign located next to the office. It reads "Buick Six's Exclusively for 1916". so this would be after the September model change, since 1916 was the first year of the (exclusive use) of the six cylinder Buick engine and the card is postmarked 1915. June 1915 six announcement.


link:
Main Office Building First & Second
Weston Mott & Industrial Bank
Weston Mott 1906-1909
Weston Mott 1909
Buick winter
Weston-Mott Company
Inside Weston-Mott
Weston-Mott 1923
Factory #10 and #07 during construction. Plus Industrial and Hamilton
Weston-Mott Employees
Industrial and Hamilton Showing Oak Park Subdivision
Weston-Mott Officers
Hamilton and Industrial
The Oak Park Industrial Complex 1907
Buick 1920
Industrial and Hamilton
Early views of Buick & Weston-Mott.






Click on this story for the original.

Industrial and Hamilton Avenue 1915.

Factory #04 Assembly 1983

This is the second floor of factory #04. This is probably near the center of the factory judging by the bins holding tires. The cars in the foreground (traveling to the right) have yet to be through body scheduling. The car in the left background (traveling to the left) is a Regal (already through scheduling) heading for factory #40. Body receiving was all done in factory #04 at this time. The materials group #88 was in charge of body receiving. The body's in the foreground are still on the carriers that carried them through the Fisher body factory on south Saginaw st. The tires and wheels in the bins were just extras that were occasionally needed.

 link:

Tire / Wheel Installation 1976

Factory #20

 This story on the new Buick foundry #20 is from the trade journal "The Foundry" June 1917.  August 1917 story.

This post card shows the (then new) Buick foundry located at the corner of Leith st. and Division st. This north facing view shows the foundry on the left with the die and pattern shop #15 on the right. This new foundry which took the place of the old Michigan Motor Castings factory on Industrial Ave was built in 1916. This factory was demolished between 1931-1932 being replaced by factory #70 built directly north of this spot. Building #85, which was built later (on this site) was the Engineering building where I hired in during 1972.

 link:

Buick 1932

Factory #15 1997

Factory #15 Die And Pattern Shop

Factory #20 Foundry

Buick Factory Designations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Factory #40 1983

This view facing north on the second floor slat line about 100 feet south of the body drop shows the same job I did in 1976 in factory #04.

 link:

Factory #40/bldg 16 1978

Factory #40 1980.

Factory #04 Second Floor Pit

Buick Dealers

The factory #03 Drop Forge is in the background.

You can see the rail loading dock that Buick used in 1916 in the right background.

Instead of a banner on factory #06 the factory is now painted "BUICK MOTOR COMPANY PIONEER BUILDER VALVE-IN-HEAD MOTOR CARS".

I tried buying, but was outbid by a dealer. Above is shown some other closeup photos.

This photo which is reminiscent of the Walter Chrysler photo showing 5,000 Buick workers was taken 3 years later on June 21,1916. The photo above is the whole panorama.

 link:

5,000 Buick Employees

Weston-Mott Employees

Walter Chrysler Photo 5,000 Buick Employees