807 Comments for Studebaker Stamping Plant

Location : One of the balconies in 78 dock.

Location : 78 dock

Location : 78 dock

Location : 78 dock

Location : East wall of 83 dock.

WOW, has this become the Active Tool Blog site ? Mike Garvonic, Nicole Floyd, Len and Joe Staller ? The die shop was sold by Tower (Ignoring an employee offer to buy it) to a plastics company. It burned to the ground a short time later - circa Y2K. Matt, you talk about Joe & Len in the past tense. Have they passed ? :-( I still have contact with Tom Glaza and Mike G. Well, its been a year or few...

Actually, when Henry Drettmann built Active Tool, all of his Die shops had wood blocks for the floor to protect the large slabs of steel when they are dropped even an inch.

I worked there for a few hours on their network in the late 1999's - before Tower Automotive purchased Active Tool from the Henry Drettmann family - The grand kids just wanted cash, and the "real" automotive companies were offering more money (BUDD) but some was stocks. They would not have closed Sebewaing after a single slump in revenue as they understand that automotive is a 18 - 24 month cycle.

It was a hazardous place if you were not very careful.

Actually, when Henry Drettmann built Active Tool, all of his Die shops had wood blocks for the floor to protect the large slabs of steel when they are dropped even an inch.

I worked there for a few hours on their network in the late 1999's - before Tower Automotive purchased Active Tool from the Henry Drettmann family - The grand kids just wanted cash, and the "real" automotive companies were offering more money (BUDD) but some was stocks. They would not have closed Sebewaing after a single slump in revenue as they understand that automotive is a 18 - 24 month cycle.

I took the same pic those were only for storage

I imagine they are all gone now?

That is the last section of the overhead body conveyor.. Bodies were assembled in the large four story plant that is close to the Railroad. Until 1953, they were trucked three or four at a time from the body plant to the Assembly area. After 1953, they made the one and a half city block trip in the conveyor. A section of the conveyor ran through the top floor of buildings 53/58, across Sample Street, and entered the Stamping/Assembly buiding as pictured.

Dont forget that studebakers also made like red cross carriages back in the old days..., a great webpage to read is as follows,
http://www.stude100.com/stu/Pg1/pg1.php , enjoy. I remember Studebaker very well as both my grandfathers worked there, as well as my wifes grandfather. Growing up my, bedroom faced part of the old studebaker plants, i would wakeup on the weekends and watch the police train their dogs in the big open fields, also i am a sheetmetal worker and I had done all the metalwork on the studie museum. including fabrication and installation of coping and clip etc. on the exterior.
http://en.wikipedia.or...baker-museum-new.jpg
cheers to this webpage creater and you fine folks that visit.

these engines are hercules multifuel engines that were removed from army deuce and a halfs that am general was doing at the time 1995 and1996 repowering to caterpillar engines the reason i know i was in school for the civilian hummer in mishiwaka and were told there we would see them being tested at am general test track when there doing our training am general were reurbing the trucks for the military all part of the studeabaker legacy.

Clearly Diesel Engines, no need for a carburetter. The Right side has a Diesel pump, and the left looks like a Turbine supercharger (turbo). Sad about the work done for no use. COOL PICS!!!