I found this old photo in a GM engineering book and it shows a teardown at the Proving Grounds. This was done after a 25,000 mile durability run and could be inspected by GM engineers. Every piece could be inspected.
@bill-hupp15 years ago
Looking at the tables lenghtwise, it seems each row is for 1 car, for instance you only see 1 block in each row. What a setup!
@pete-banchoff15 years ago
Yeah Bill, it's a complete car per row and each part could be inspected by GM engineers and suppliers. It's very organized with nuts and bolts in bowls by the part. When I saw this picture I thought what a great way to dissect a car and check for problems. This was from the mid 50's or so. My wife's family worked at the Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. As a matter of fact, the photographer for our wedding did the crash test photography for the Proving Grounds. No Lie!Pete
@bill-hupp15 years ago
A crash test photographer for your wedding? Isn't that just asking for trouble? (nudge nudge)
@pete-banchoff15 years ago
Hey, 30 years... not too bad! He worked fairly cheap and did a great job. We got married in late Feb and the parking lots were a sheet of ice. Cars were sliding into each other which probably made him feel right at home.Pete
@johnny-mallonee15 years ago
Hey Pete,can you put the camera in reverse and put that one in row 3 back together please
@pete-banchoff15 years ago
They come apart easier than putting them back together. It would be fun to try though, wouldn't it?lol Can you see what year those cars are? The book was done in 1957 and I think the books were handed out in house, not sold to the public.Pete
@pete-banchoff15 years ago
A couple of pieces of information... According to my wife, this was known as "The Garage" at the Milford proving grounds and was MASSIVE. Each model of GM car was durability tested and tore down and set up on tables. Each and every division. The place was so clean you could eat off the floor and she remembers going to open houses in the 50's and 60's and seeing these cars torn apart. She is quite sure they were reassembled and sold to employees. She bought a 1973 Chevelle Laguana 350 4bbl that was a test car and she thought it was a teardown, but not 100% sure. She had to take it back to the proving grounds twice after she bought it for testing and it took 2 weeks each time. She says to this day it was the best running car she ever drove.
Looking at the tables lenghtwise, it seems each row is for 1 car, for instance you only see 1 block in each row. What a setup!
Yeah Bill, it's a complete car per row and each part could be inspected by GM engineers and suppliers. It's very organized with nuts and bolts in bowls by the part. When I saw this picture I thought what a great way to dissect a car and check for problems. This was from the mid 50's or so. My wife's family worked at the Proving Grounds in Milford, Michigan. As a matter of fact, the photographer for our wedding did the crash test photography for the Proving Grounds. No Lie!Pete
A crash test photographer for your wedding? Isn't that just asking for trouble? (nudge nudge)
Hey, 30 years... not too bad! He worked fairly cheap and did a great job. We got married in late Feb and the parking lots were a sheet of ice. Cars were sliding into each other which probably made him feel right at home.Pete
Hey Pete,can you put the camera in reverse and put that one in row 3 back together please
They come apart easier than putting them back together. It would be fun to try though, wouldn't it?lol Can you see what year those cars are? The book was done in 1957 and I think the books were handed out in house, not sold to the public.Pete
A couple of pieces of information... According to my wife, this was known as "The Garage" at the Milford proving grounds and was MASSIVE. Each model of GM car was durability tested and tore down and set up on tables. Each and every division. The place was so clean you could eat off the floor and she remembers going to open houses in the 50's and 60's and seeing these cars torn apart. She is quite sure they were reassembled and sold to employees. She bought a 1973 Chevelle Laguana 350 4bbl that was a test car and she thought it was a teardown, but not 100% sure. She had to take it back to the proving grounds twice after she bought it for testing and it took 2 weeks each time. She says to this day it was the best running car she ever drove.