Ford Wixom Assembly Plant

The Ford Wixom Assembly Plant is a former Ford Motor Company automobile assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan, United States.
The Wixom assembly plant was one of Ford's largest and oldest manufacturing sites. It opened April 15, 1957, and was ultimately expanded to encompass 4.7 million square feet, and replaced the former Lincoln Motor Company Plant located at 6200 West Warren Avenue (at Livernois).[1] Over the plant's 50 years of operation it produced 6,648,806 automobiles.[2] The last car produced was a white chocolate Lincoln Town Car which rolled off the line at 12:55pm on May 31, 2007.[3]
During its long history, the plant was mainly used for the manufacture of Lincolns and the Ford Thunderbird. The Lincoln Town Car and the Ford GT were also produced there. Production of the Lincoln LS ended in early April 2006[4] and production of the Ford GT stopped on September 21,[5] leaving the Town Car as the plant's final product.
Wixom was the most profitable plant in the industry during the 1980s when Cadillac downsized its lineup and lost ground to Lincoln. Due to Lincoln's falling sales, Ford announced on January 23, 2006 that the Wixom plant would be idled in 2007 as part of The Way Forward. Some analysts argued that the plant might not be closed. A report in The Oakland Press stated, "The fate of the Wixom plant, however, will depend on the shape of Ford's future product plan, which seems to be currently in flux." Michigan governor, Jennifer Granholm, reportedly offered $115 million in tax cuts to keep the plant open. The plant was nonetheless idled in 2007, and by mid-June 2008, while Ford was able to find buyers for other idled plants, Wixom remained unsold.[6]
A couple of alternative energy uses were announced, but none came to fruition. In 2012, Ford began tearing down the old plant. The next year the Baidas family, owners and operators of General RV Center, sought and were awarded[7] mixed use zoning permits for a portion of the old Wixom property. In 2014 the family broke ground on 33 acres of the old Ford Wixom property to build a new corporate headquarters and RV Dealership. A Menards outlet has also been built on the site.
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[@johnogara3029]

Amazing technology right there

[@joeysworldsewer]

I was born and raised near Wixom. Both of my grandparents worked for Ford. They visited this plant since its inception as engineers traveling from Ford Headquarters. By a sheer stroke of irony my parents settled down near Wixom in the late 90s. Up until I was 7 I will ALWAYS remember I96 and Wixom Road to be Wixom Assembly, full of Panther and Fox Body Lincolns, Mercuries and Fords. This plant produced legendary cars that US Presidents and foreign statesmen rode in. Kennedy was assasinated in a Lincoln made in Wixom. This plant was idled during the Way Forward plan, like Hapeville GA was. It breaks my heart as someone who grew up and remembered the lots full of new Ford cars to be the site of a few big box stores. "Assembly Park" will never mean the same to people as Wixom Assembly did to those who worked for Ford, who lived nearby, of supported the plant as a supplier or even a restaurateur, catering to employees on their lunch hour. RIP Ford Wixom Assembly (1957-2007). 6,648,000 cars produced. 60 years of operation.

[@USNVA-yn6cp]

where my 94 Towncar was born!! luv this car sooo much

[@starxlr7863]

Some of the best cars were built at this exact plant. Here in this video is showing the 2002 Thunderbird and Lincoln Town Car, Continental and LS models. All of which are excellent cars. Great video!!!

[@chamberizer]

I passed by this plant many times. I had heard in the 1970's they would hire people & fire them just before their 90 days. After 90 days they would have been in the union. I think people that got permanent jobs had connections? I did work at a company in the late 70's that made the ovens to bake the paint.

[@mja72]

The birthplace of the gorgeous 60's Lincolns and Thunderbirds.

[@Quad8track]

Sad to see this place go. Most of the cars I've owned were built here. Glad I got the chance to see the building in 2009 before it was torn down.

[@mikesamra9126]

Most of my cars were built at the Loraine Ohio assembly but my Mercury Capri and my 2003 Lincoln Town car were built in Wixom.

[@joeysworldsewer]

I was raised near Wixom. Now a Menards and a home goods store are in its place.

[@toddbob55]

Ford built some of the best cars Dad had a Grand Marquis it was such a great car

[@colinj5291]

Those engines are monstrous

[@superbird2814]

I always wondered why the Town Car was built in Wixom instead of St. Thomas with the other panther cars.

[@paulstewartcrane]

Thanks jack the knife .

[@markk3652]

I owned a 1973 Lincoln Continental 2 door, and a 1995 Lincoln Towncar Signature Spinnaker that were built at the Wixom plant. They were magnificent cars, and I truly enjoyed owning them.

[@markk3652]

@Amplass 333 73 Continental coupe. Doors as big as airplane wings.

[@original79cougar]

Gone now. All leveled. A new General RV Center and a Menards were built down by the I-96 end of the plant.

[@cartierchronicles2000]

I wish I could find all the archives to these videos just simply amazing I can't find none

[@styldsteel1]

With the engines being installed it's a good idea to change the spark plugs now. Oh wait...

[@iknow7345]

Good times

[@josephhenson828]

What happened America..

[@bobross9321]

Politicians were paid good money to let imports flood this country!!! Treasonous bastards, all of them!

[@joeysworldsewer]

Thats a god damned good question

[@cristestolvads1602]

I congratulate factories such as an airplane car, automobile or computer chip engine or any other factory that is the woman works like the man now one goes to the street and what there is is a homosexuality in the mechanics that all his man I have noticed this for 8 years and today I am 35 and one of the most absurd things that I have observed in auto mechanics workshops such as lifters

[@nathanroberson]

I doubt Ford will make it through the computerization of transport. GM will fail for sure. GM didn’t know enough to no be swindled by a fake Electric car company. Any of you have a Nokia phone. They where on top before the 1st IPhone. I grew up Lansing. It sad to see only Michigans defense contractors able have the ability to innovate. I doubt any of the leaders of the Detroit automotive manufacturers know multiple computer languages. Leaving them incapable to lead the companies in the right direction or attract the right people that can make it happen. China will sell more cars than Detroit to Americans in just a few years.

[@joeysworldsewer]

Ford will make it, no doubt in my mind.

[@bruceburns1672]

Is it me , but this plant looks so slow and third world , no company uniforms no hairnets sloppy clothes , all unsafe .

[@Quad8track]

It's just you. Premium car plants have slower assembly lines and more hands on production and attention to detail. These were their expensive cars as you can see; Lincoln Town Car, Ford Thunderbird, Ford GT and Lincoln LS. These sell in smaller numbers than the cookie-cutter econobox Focus, Civic, Corolla etc which have fast pace, full scale robot production.

[@victorialouden1912]

Bruce Burns it was slow because of the shit cars there building there

[@bobross9321]

Victoria, bull crap! The T-Bird is built with quality.

[@joeysworldsewer]

​@@victorialouden1912you're an idiot

[@athaliacudini4914]

ford is truly disgusting to me after they left it sitting abandoned. you could at least have human decency to demolish it and recycle the parts, i remember abandoned 2010 Lincoln MKZ's sitting in a grass lot for about 2 years until lord knows what they did with them. honestly no wonder I drive a chevy now-a-days. Its now a RV center, a Menards (sporting goods/home store), an At Home store (home decor) and an aldi (extremely affordable food like costco). im sort of glad its gone, ford has let all their modern cars go to shit, especially this new ecosport looks like it belongs in 2005, and its still not affordable. lincoln virtually sells nothing, while buick is having record sales. its not just about the cars though, as you can tell, i heard chevy (gm) tore down its factory and built a little memorial park in the far corner near the road before selling the park to the government and the land to a company, while ford just lets theirs sit there for about 5 years. disgusting, im glad gm is the highest american (possibly worldwide) car company on fortune 500.

[@sundancer3700]

Shows what you know Athalia, Ford sold the plant and the buyer/developer from NY was waiting for a buyer before tearing it down. The plant was empty, cleared out by the UAW per their contract for closed plants. I never saw one car sitting in the transport area as you stated, all the cars were gone right after the plant closed. Go enjoy your crap Chevy product

[@joeysworldsewer]

​@@sundancer3700a J3W YORKER