Re: One Story Assembly Plant What If?

Posted by Mr.Pushbutton  On 2010/9/30 19:19:13

Packard V8-- Refer to my first response on this thread--the Utica engine plant was built by Packard to be a defense plant, it's cost was to be borne by the considerable defense work Packard did, that building was constructed for the J-47 jet engine manufacturing that Packard did under contract from the gub-ment. "Engine" Charlie Wilson was successful in getting the contracts away from everyone else and over to GM, his old employer. I believe that in the case of the J-47 it was retired and Packard did not get the contract for the replacement. As part of a larger plan to get out of the East Grand Boulevard plant, and with plans to build a modern assembly plant in Utica they decided to shift production of the engines, transmissions and (for '55) the rear end assemblies in this modern plant they owned and had no other use for.
The Connor plant was a serious screw up, I have friends who worked for the company at the time and they were all convinced that Nance was out to kill the company as fast as he could.
Packard planned on adding on to Connor, they knew that it was undersized and saw that there was room around the plant to build "when things get better".
In my first response I cite Chrysler as the one company that held on to its multi-story factories longer than others, at the time of the end of Dodge main (pronounced "Dodche Main" to the Stosh and Wadju's who worked there) Chrysler was also operating the former Briggs Mack ave. body plant and the massive Jefferson Ave. Assembly plant.
I watched them demolish Dodge main, I have slides I took of it and the Packard plant back then, 1981.