This is sort of related to Studebaker directly, sort of not. Close enough. This thread has nothing to do with Studebaker International, we are still operating out of Studebaker's Chippewa Ave. plant and have no intention of moving anytime soon.
I've always mentioned when I lead a tour of SI that the Chippewa Plant has always been home to two companies: Studebaker and AM General. AM General formed when Studebaker closed in South Bend and American Motors merged with Kaiser Jeep. AM General purchased the Chippewa Plant in 1964 and Plant 8 in late 1972. Plant 8 was originally Studebaker's parts and service headquarters but was used by AM General to produce postal jeeps until the late '80s or early '90s, I don't remember exactly when that plant closed. The Chippewa Plant was the "big truck" plant where M35-A2 and later M35-A3 deuce and a half military trucks were built. The last M35-A3 rolled off the line in 1991. Ever since then, nothing of any magnitude has been manufactured in the Chippewa Plant. The production equipment was removed, but AM General didn't move out. Instead the plant became to them what Plant 8 was to Studebaker: a parts warehouse. Since the '90s if the military broke a part on a deuce or a Humvee, the replacement part would be shipped from the Chippewa Plant. Well, I just heard the other day that at the end of this year AM General will be completely moved out of the plant and I believe all of their parts and service will be based out of their Mishawaka plant. As I said, there are two companies that really used the Chippewa Plant. Studebaker and AM General (and Curtiss-Wright for a time, but Studebaker still had a presence even when CW was building engines post WWII). Every year AM General has been gradually down sizing and I've always wondered if something was up. I really hope AM General can hang on and keep getting military or some kind of production contracts. They have been in the news lately that production has been down and recently lost a military contract to Oshkosh. I know that we accept late model Avantis as being the closest thing anybody can buy as far as a "new Studebaker", but AM General is sort of our other cousin in producing things with wheels. Studebaker produced M35-A1 trucks, AM made M35-A2 trucks which the only difference between the two are the engine. At least SI is still alive and doing well in the ol' plant.
I've always mentioned when I lead a tour of SI that the Chippewa Plant has always been home to two companies: Studebaker and AM General. AM General formed when Studebaker closed in South Bend and American Motors merged with Kaiser Jeep. AM General purchased the Chippewa Plant in 1964 and Plant 8 in late 1972. Plant 8 was originally Studebaker's parts and service headquarters but was used by AM General to produce postal jeeps until the late '80s or early '90s, I don't remember exactly when that plant closed. The Chippewa Plant was the "big truck" plant where M35-A2 and later M35-A3 deuce and a half military trucks were built. The last M35-A3 rolled off the line in 1991. Ever since then, nothing of any magnitude has been manufactured in the Chippewa Plant. The production equipment was removed, but AM General didn't move out. Instead the plant became to them what Plant 8 was to Studebaker: a parts warehouse. Since the '90s if the military broke a part on a deuce or a Humvee, the replacement part would be shipped from the Chippewa Plant. Well, I just heard the other day that at the end of this year AM General will be completely moved out of the plant and I believe all of their parts and service will be based out of their Mishawaka plant. As I said, there are two companies that really used the Chippewa Plant. Studebaker and AM General (and Curtiss-Wright for a time, but Studebaker still had a presence even when CW was building engines post WWII). Every year AM General has been gradually down sizing and I've always wondered if something was up. I really hope AM General can hang on and keep getting military or some kind of production contracts. They have been in the news lately that production has been down and recently lost a military contract to Oshkosh. I know that we accept late model Avantis as being the closest thing anybody can buy as far as a "new Studebaker", but AM General is sort of our other cousin in producing things with wheels. Studebaker produced M35-A1 trucks, AM made M35-A2 trucks which the only difference between the two are the engine. At least SI is still alive and doing well in the ol' plant.
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