807 Comments for Studebaker Stamping Plant

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I remember the wood block flooring well. In the 70's, I worked in the Link-Belt chain plant in Indianapolis. Flooring on the workroom was creosoted wood block over concrete. It works well, supports steel and rubber-tire wheel traffic, heavy loads, etc. The weakness was water - a leak that stands for awhile makes the blocks swell up. The buckled area pops out the blocks, must be frequently maintained. When the old abandoned plant catches fire, the blocks help fuel an inferno that is very difficult to stop.

These are all the same engines that went into the M35 Deuce and a half military vehicle. Awful engines that probably aren't worth saving.

My dad was Jake Hewitt. He was a tool and diemaker for a lot of years. He worked at active since I was a little kid. He worked in tryout.

I was an apprentice for six weeks in the summer of 74. Walter Ludlow was our leader on the bench. I was assigned to work under Gus Hermann and another very nice gentleman (Fred?).

I was laid off, and wasn't called back until years later. By then, I had gone in another direction, and wasn't interested in pursuing the trade. Great memories of active though.

Great photo!

I believe this is one of the old buildings of the old South Bend, Indiana plant! Years ago, a few friends and I decided to explore one of the them. We climbed into a broken window. Inside there was a mint condition Avanti! The cops came because of a silent alarm I presume but, we got away! Adventures we have as kids lol

My name is Bill, i worked at Active Homes Corp in Marlette Mi, from 2969 to 1980, and yes, it was owned bye Henry Drettmann, i use to drive truck for Active now and then, and went to Detroit often, and when i was on my way back to Marlette if it was a Thursday afternoon, they would send me over to the warehouse on Dequinder av, to pickup the payroll, that way the semi truck didn't half to stop on M53 on his way to Elkton, when i wasn't on the road for them i worked in the warehouse in the Marlette plant, four miles south of Marlette on M53, well like has been said , he was a thrift man to say the least, he would walk around the plant, and pick up nails on the floor that couldn't be used again from a nailgun, but he would cheuw out the forman for wasting good nails, but i guess that is how he got where he was at that time, i was layed off in 1980, and moved away from Marlette, and when they called me back i didn't go back, i saw the hand writing on the wall, they soon closed up, i herd the employs tried to run the home business, but i guess it didn't work out. i often wondered what happened to my small retirement, but after reading some of the comments here, i see it was probably ripped off bye someone, i don't know, and will probably never know.

I was in the industrial painting and sandblasting business from the 1970’s until 1989.
I maintained Atlas Tool, Hercules Tool and Die, Distel, The Budd company, and many others. I have fond memories of all these places and the people who owned and worked there.
Active Tool and the entire Drettmann family including his son Bud ,daughter Marylin, and his grandsons were; if not unique, certainly memorable.
Henry lived into his mid 90’s and worked almost to the very end. From nothing he built an empire. He was a perfect example of what a humble immigrant of modest means posed with a fire and determination could accomplish.

this engines its still availeble?
i am insterted to buy it

My grandfather Gottfried "Fritz" Fischer and my dad Dale Fischer both worked at Active. I remember the Drettman name and another, Walter Langelow (?) mentioned alot. Dad left for GM but grandpa retired from there in early 70s.

Funny - machines stamp bits of cars into life, then another, very similar machine crushes them at the end.

Does anyone know how to reach Matt Staller? My grandfather was Josef Staller (Schratzenstaller). My uncle was Joe Staller mentioned above. Both worked at the same tool and die shop. Josef's brother was Leonard Staller. Did Active do any work during WW2? I am trying to piece together some history since I know Josef did tool and die work for the black widow fighter.

A lost history. My father, Emrik Kallman, was the chief accountant at Active through WWII until his retirement in the 90s. Amazingly, Active allowed a phased retirement -- 4 days a week to 2.5 days, to full retirement over many months. Dad is still alive, 97 years old, not balancing ledgers any more. I would sometimes come down to the Freud office with him on Saturday. Made Mom nuts that he did work on Saturday. Dad's father, an immigrant from Sweden, was a tool and die guy, and his brother a high-end machinist. Henry Drettman was a force of nature, and his impulsive purchases of state-of-the-art equipment gave Dad ulcers, according to my mother. But Active was his life, and it got me and my 2 sisters through college.

Location : 78 dock

Location : balcony 78 dock