1936 BIG Changes at Chevrolet Stamping

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GM bought this plant in 1930 from Martin-Parry Corporation and made it the Chevrolet Commercial Body Div. at the time I think it may have been a "Division" of GM as it was dedicated to stamping the pick-up truck bodies and other truck body parts. The ONLY plant doing this at the time.

1930
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Another view.





This was a "mill type" building built circa 1906. Wooden structure with brick veneer. With in 6 years GM realized it was not what was needed. So something happened which is historically interesting.

A new plant was constructed at the same time that the old plant was being torn down. Hence as a new section was completed the machinery/presses were moved into the new portion. Hence the old building was replaced with all new without losing a day of production.

The new building was an Albert Kahn and Associates design. With it's own powerhouse. Water cooling towers were on the roof to cool the water from the resistance spot welding machines. This building was built up higher also because the old building in 1913 was flooded by White River and production was stopped at the time.

The new completed building circa 1936. It consisted of High Bays with overhead cranes and then a lower roofline as well that all the windows opened up.





I fellow co-worker hired in when this was completed in 1936. His production hourly pay scale was 75 cents an hour. He worked at the company over 40 years and retired as a Millwright. He once told me... "Randy when I hired in at 75 cents an hour during the depression... Heck... I thought I was going to get rich".

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This hit the local newspaper a couple days before I started working at the Stamping Plant.







Personnel Department was swarming with those wanting jobs. Twaz a beehive of activity for days. We stood in line for hours and hours but it all paid off in the end when we eventually punched the time clock.