All Things Buick

Friday, July 22, 2011

East Hamilton Avenue Gate.

Same view as shown below only the year is 1934.

This view is facing directly north up Division st, at the east Hamilton avenue entrance. I took this photo July 22, 2011.

link:

Buick Service And Parts

The exact same view as shown below. The cross street was called St. John street at that time. Factory #01 and the second main office on Hamilton avenue are visible in the background.

This west view is the intersection of James P. Cole blvd. and Hamilton avenue. This was the location of The Imperial Wheel Co which later became a Chevrolet assembly plant, then a Monroe assembly plant and eventually Buick Service and parts. This photo was taken on July 22, 2011.

links:

Site of the Old Imperial Wheel Company 2009.

Buick Service Department.

Imperial Wheel Company

Imperial Wheel Company Had Many Faces

North-End Of Factory #31

This is building #23 shown farther below.

1916

Here is a little bit different view of the photo below. This south view is showing an addition that was made to factory #11 as a heat treat facility on the north-end of factory #11. This was called building #23. This was built around 1918. It was demolished in 1936-37 and replaced with building #83 transmission plant and 83A transmission heat treat. July 1936 announcement.

At left is building #24 (originally 11t) "The T stood for TEST". This is the same view as the photo below. This was taken during construction in 1920. At the time, this was billed as: "New Block Test Plant" of the Buick Valve In Head Motors". This was also replaced by a new building #32. A lot of building and demolition has taken place over the years and I wonder what is next? This photo is from Don Bents book: A Place Called Buick.

Building #32 is now gone in this south-east view taken July 22, 2011 from Industrial avenue. The north section of the original (an addition added later) factory #11 engine plant is still intact and visible since the removal of most of the east end of factory #66. The last remaining part of the old crankshaft factory #66 east wing can be seen at right. Those angled roof trusses are the ones re-used from the first Buick factory on this north Flint site. These were originally on factory #01 built in 1906 alongside the Weston-Mott factory on Hamilton avenue. "I sure wish they would save those historic pieces". The third iron foundry at the north Flint site (factory #70/81) is the brown factory in the background, it's date of construction was 1926-1927.

link:

Engine Test Factory #11T / Bldg.#24

Last Remnant Of Factory #36

Artist rendering for the new Buick engine factory. Link for 1955 expansion. A 1966 engine advertisement with facts and figures.

East view from Wager avenue and Andrews street during construction. This photo and the one above and below are from Don Bents book: A Place Called Buick".

This north-west view just after construction is complete, shows the location of the last surviving part of factory #36. This is Stewart st. before the current overpass.

This south facing aerial view of the north Buick site in 1953 shows the steam lines crossing Stewart st. This is before the Stewart st. overpass was built over the C&O rail line. Factory #36 is in the foreground with the famous World War II aluminum plant across Stewart. That plant would later be re-numbered #10 the transmission plant. The new in 1953 Jet engine plant bldg. #43 factory #05 is at the right along Industrial ave. The original Buick aluminum foundry #03 is visible at the top. For some reason the skeleton of #03 is still standing as of July 22, 2011. Factory #05 is still all intact as of July 22, 2011.

All just vacant concrete now where factory #36 once stood. Factory #38 warehouse is also gone in the distance. North-east view taken from the Stewart street overpass. The date for both of these photos is July 22, 2011.

The last part still standing of the famed Buick engine plant. This north-east view is taken from Stewart street. This wall section is being used as a support for the old compressed air lines that come from building #22, which was originally a powerhouse for factory #10.

links:

December 25, 2010 Buick Demolition

Powertrain Flint North expected to end all production Friday, shutting down last plant at historic Buick City site

Factory #36 Engine Plant

Last Flint Buick engine Built 08-22-08

Celebrities At Buick

Factory #36 Final Assembly

Inside factory #36 Adcole

Inside factory #36

Factory #36 Construction 1951

Factory #36

Buick Northend

Buick North 1966 Overview

Factory #36 2008

Factory #36 Assembly

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Leith Street Revisited.

This is the same view as shown below, only this is before the 1920's. Factory #16 is at left, where the new #31 factory would be built. Factory #11 is at left beyond that. The tall factory in the distance at left is the old iron foundry #20. At the right of the street car is factory #12 sheet metal and beyond that is the old tool room factory #29 before it was raised to 3 floors. Industrial avenue is the cross road.

I took this photo in 2008. Original factory #31 is at left with old factory #11 trailing off in the distance.

This east facing view of Leith street shows the demolition taking place on old factory #11 which when combined with factory #66 and the new #31 (seen at left) axle plant; the combined factories simply became factory #31. The date of this photo is July 15, 2011.

Industrial Avenue Revisited.

Ghost image of Weston-Mott. Overlay on the current 2011 view.

Ghost image of factory #04. Overlay on the current 2011 view.

Same view as all the photos below looking north up Industrial avenue with Hamilton avenue crossing east to west. The year is 1906.

Same view as shown above and below. The date is April 3, 1934.

Same view as shown below. The year is 1947. Photo is from Don Bent's book: A Place Called Buick. Those girders were colored orange when first erected.

Same view as all others, only the year is about 1948. Photo is from Don Bent's book: A Place Called Buick.

July 15, 2011. This is looking north on Industrial avenue at the site of the old Weston-Mott factory. Hamilton avenue is the cross road.

links: Hamilton & Industrial Avenue 1915.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Division Street Revisited.

Hamilton avenue and Division street looking directly north on July 15, 2011. Since the demolition the wildlife has returned.

This is the Buick powerhouse; also known as factory #14 located at the intersection of Leith street and Division street. This view is facing north-east. The cooling pond for the water is shown in the foreground, running along Division street.

This looks like a group from the tank training school that was also located at Buick in Flint. This is in front of the main office on Hamilton avenue at the main entrance. This must have been some milestone, because of all the high ranking officials present. That looks like Harlow Curtice in the front row (5th from left). There is a Hellcat insignia in front.

A north-west view showing the security tower and the main office on Hamilton avenue. Factory #01 is seen at the right. I entered Buick here many times, including my first.

This north-east view shows a security tower being erected at the Hamilton avenue and Division street entrance. Factory #40 is seen at the left with the Pere Marquette dispatch office (light brick) at right. This must be previous to 1938 because that was the year that the old Imperial Wheel factory was demolished, and it is visible just behind the rail cars.

This view facing directly north shows the demolition of old factory #06. This would be 1946, the year my father hired in after returning from the Pacific theater. This photo taken from the main office shows factory #01 in the left foreground. Beyond that we see factory #62 which was actually old factory #07 and #10 that were combined with a roofed over area in-between thus creating factory #62. Factory #40 is shown at the right. The new factory #40 bldg. #16 will be built where #06 is located and would be the first factory I entered after I hired into Buick in 1972. The outside wall of old factory #07 would become the inside wall of the new factory #40. Factory #62 was the final assembly area for the M-18 tanks shown below.

Link: Complete 1946 Buick Magazine.

A nice view of the Hamilton Avenue entrance; shortly after World War II. Notice the guard towers which were present throughout the Buick complex in anticipation of the United States entry into the second World War. This north facing view has factory #01 at left, factory #06 middle and factory #40 at the right along the Pere Marquette rail line.

Another batch of M-18 "Hellcats" ready for their trip to Europe. The year is 1943. Buick factory #01 is at left with factory #06 trailing off to the north.

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