Re: How'd they do it?
Posted by Leeedy On 2014/3/31 14:04:21
Quote:
Ahh... you are most welcome (BTW... that's "Leeedy" with 3 e's)!
RE: your M-B reference link... Perhaps you do not know that your reference link goes to a page for which, frankly, I supplied much of the information. I have been keeping up with Mitchell-Bentley since the 1950s when I lived in Michigan. I have attached a photo of my 1950s company prospectus (the cover opens both left and right) and a special Mitchell-Bentley perpetual calendar given to top automotive customers back in the 1950s. Of course I have more of this kind of stuff. So I know about them the same way I know about Packard... and I know about Creative Industries of Detroit.
RE: the M-B collection of cars... Yes, I am well aware of the M-B museum that once existed. While I know what happened to a few of the cars (like their Balboa clone and "whatzit" so-called "Mitchell Panther"-it wasn't), I have no idea what happened to the rest. And while M-B claimed to have done the Panthers in total, they actually only trimmed them out. Creative Industries of Detroit did the rest-as clearly stated in the Spring, 1984 issue of The Packard Cormorant magazine which contained the first accurate and complete history on these cars.
RE: the Packard plant, tours, etc... Yes. When we were there I was frankly reluctant for anyone to get off of the busses. But it was what it was. And anyone who was listening may recall that I asked extreme caution regarding the section of the building at the corner of Concord and East Grand Blvd. I could see that the wall was already buckling near the top at that time. I took photos of the bulge and predicted it would not last to the winter. Sounds like I was right. And frankly, two friends (former employees at Creative who occasionally visit the Packard Plant) told me that scrappers had somehow performed the miracle of removing some steel reinforcements for the roof and top floor (how'd they do that?). So I am not at all surprised to hear that Concord is now barricaded. A lot of insanity and greed continues at the site... and that is very sad.
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RogerDetroit wrote:
Hello Leedy:
Thanks for setting the record straight and keeping everyone focused on the facts.
For anyone interested in Mitchell-Bentley you can read more here and also see some wonderful photos of their work with Packard and others.http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/m/mitchell_bentley/mitchell_bentley.htm
As that article mentions, William F. Mitchell used to have a private car collection on company property in Owosso, MI - this was 91 miles away from EGB and at a time before the freeways. Anyway, in the mid and late 1990s I organized two tours to the collection for Motor City Packards and I learned something new each time I went.
Leedy; Again, thanks. I was at EGB earlier today giving a tour to a friend visiting from out of town. The building as deteriorated even more since your bus tour last summer during the 2013 PAC National. Concord Street is now blocked off north of EGB (nearly to Harper Rd.) because of the risk of debris falling from the top floor.
Ahh... you are most welcome (BTW... that's "Leeedy" with 3 e's)!
RE: your M-B reference link... Perhaps you do not know that your reference link goes to a page for which, frankly, I supplied much of the information. I have been keeping up with Mitchell-Bentley since the 1950s when I lived in Michigan. I have attached a photo of my 1950s company prospectus (the cover opens both left and right) and a special Mitchell-Bentley perpetual calendar given to top automotive customers back in the 1950s. Of course I have more of this kind of stuff. So I know about them the same way I know about Packard... and I know about Creative Industries of Detroit.
RE: the M-B collection of cars... Yes, I am well aware of the M-B museum that once existed. While I know what happened to a few of the cars (like their Balboa clone and "whatzit" so-called "Mitchell Panther"-it wasn't), I have no idea what happened to the rest. And while M-B claimed to have done the Panthers in total, they actually only trimmed them out. Creative Industries of Detroit did the rest-as clearly stated in the Spring, 1984 issue of The Packard Cormorant magazine which contained the first accurate and complete history on these cars.
RE: the Packard plant, tours, etc... Yes. When we were there I was frankly reluctant for anyone to get off of the busses. But it was what it was. And anyone who was listening may recall that I asked extreme caution regarding the section of the building at the corner of Concord and East Grand Blvd. I could see that the wall was already buckling near the top at that time. I took photos of the bulge and predicted it would not last to the winter. Sounds like I was right. And frankly, two friends (former employees at Creative who occasionally visit the Packard Plant) told me that scrappers had somehow performed the miracle of removing some steel reinforcements for the roof and top floor (how'd they do that?). So I am not at all surprised to hear that Concord is now barricaded. A lot of insanity and greed continues at the site... and that is very sad.
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