SOLD OUT Sept 2023
This is a bit of a 'round the campfire" ramble..but it's about a book.. we should have a few left only.. can get more if needed.. but for every GM historian or Camaro & Firebird owner.. you'll get a lot out of it.. and a bit of more personal blurb here about some things we did back in the late 80 & 90's with other like minded Aussies..) - DC
Not sure how many people have seen a book out about the GM Plant in Norwood Ohio.. one of the oldest and industrially toughest plants in the USA.. but as it built so many different vehicles over the years.. the interest is probably here for this bit of 'review" scribble about it... .it included many years of the earlier F body .. the 57 chevy's etc.. Anybody interested in Automotive /industrial history will get time out of this 300 plus page production.
The book was written by former GM employees and Norwood historians.. has some really interesting facts & heaps more in the book, including pictures of the crushing of approximately 1,100 of partially built..1972 model builds of the Camaro & Firebirds... in late 72 while reopening the strike torn plant... and preparing for a new model needs came the introduction of new U.S. Federal laws to do with impact bumpers, fire safety, Emissions & more... but .. ..due to the 6 month strike at the plant.. many partially completed vehicles were stuck on this ghost like period when the plant was in industrial lock down. Some bodies were donated to auto tech centers & other places of learning..... but due to the mountains of legal & paperwork and checks needed .. in the end it was cheaper to crush most. SOME.. survived and were shipped out as 72 models.. mixed in with the 4 days supply.. which had been frozen in the storage of 6 months during the strike... making some saved only by the fact they were at the end of the production line.. and petrol could go into them.. the rest.. gone...
Fifteen years later.. the Ohio plant.. was killed off in 1987.. much of its production moved to places like LA's Van Nuys Plant - (now a shopping mall after it closed in 1992 and production moved to Canada).
Back in 89 - I had the good fortune .. to arrange as part of a U.S. tour group.. an extensive walk though visit of the then 3rd gen Camaro Firebird "F body" plant just north of Hollywood somewhat....800 odd cars a day were built there.... all pre sold.. 2 shifts.... 14 Aussies will not forget that tour.... very few tours ever, ever conducted as the expensive to operate plant also had the 2nd worst quality ratings of any US GM Plant for many years.
Industrially out of interest... to those that frequent California... GM alone had 4 car plants in CA in the decade 82-92.... .... today there are NO big plants in CA of any measure..... hi taxes, high enviromental costs, useless kingdom of democrats & greenies.....higher wages & plant costs & as some may say simpl a deep rooted anti industry state government.....
But back then and its NOT that long ago. Interestingly for travelers to CA.... two plants were ALSO up around San Fransisco.. 15 minutes away from SFO airport...."Southlands" - again now a shopping precinct just across from the San Mateo-Haywoods Bay bridge..( leading to some really great wrecking yards in that area in those & the later decades...) and the town of "Fremont" about 40 miles down the road on the edge of San Jose.. which was developing as Silicone Valley... The early GTO was also built at the then GM plant.. and still exists partially today..successfully building Tesla electric cars..
Dave Clee
