GM Willow Run plant in its last days

General Motors is closing its Willow Run manufacturing plant on Dec. 23, 2010. At 5 million square feet, it's one of the largest buildings in the world. 42,000 people made B-24 bombers at the Ypsilanti Township, Michigan facility during World War II. Here's what it looks like today. Produced by AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey.

[@TehShizno]

My father was one of the last 320 workers. RIP to a gentleman, scholar, and the best dad a guy could ask for. Here's to all that worked at Willow run throughout history.

[@catherinemoore2188]

My Dad too

[@hoss73ford]

I used to deliver parts supplies to this plant infrequently from 2004 to 2008. The receiving docks were in back, right outside the Ypsilanti airport. You could tell it was the old B24 factory with the wide doors (which they would leave open in the summer months) as that part had been untouched from when it was built. So awesome to be inside such a big piece of history.

[@pimpompoom93726]

I worked out on the floor at Willow run as a process engineer for Hydramatic in the early 1990's. Great experience! The hanger doors were still functional and they used to raise them on hot days to get a little airflow through the plant. It's entirely empty now.

[@RayDAider1]

@gojoe283 Sorry, your Corvair was built next door at the GM assembly plant. My father worked there. I worked at the plant in this video from 1977 to 2008 and they only built Hydra-Matic transmissions there, since 1953.

[@pimpompoom93726]

Mostly true, they assembled Colt M-16 rifles during the height of the Vietnam war at Willow Run. Not a lot of folks remember that.

[@BreakItDown1x]

Actually, wood block flooring was/is very common on older shop floors. It's ergonomic, treatable, cost-effective and absorbs oil or grease spills, and can be easily removed and replaced when soiled.

[@clamato422]

BreakItDown1x Dropping machined parts on concrete is expensive.

[@patromano4]

So sad to see this happen. Such a place of history and memories.

[@r.cbailey3936]

Yes I heart in General Motors in 1975 stator for 30 years parts of the plan were made out of wooden blocks glue down is black tar for the high low drive on and when it used to rain heavy the floors wood gets flooded and pop up blocks everywhere.. we were mandatory door safety glasses but you had to wipe your glasses off every 15 minutes because of her so much Miss in the air from all sprayers. They had so many sprayers and fans blowing Mist through the whole plant when you went home you smell like transmission fluid all your clothes and shoes hats hey that smell. But I'm not complaining have a good life there a lot of friends would do it all over again

[@vlauxa]

it's surreal knowing this place was being used in 2010

[@twinstu50]

Here's some good news regarding this building. The Yankee Air Museum, YAM, was scheduled to sign off a purchasing agreement by the middle of May, 2014. The East Bay section of the plant, of 150,000 sq/ft which incorporates the still functioning hangar doors, is to be the future residence of the YAM. Some of the exhibits will include the Willow Run built Consolidated B-24M, 44-48781, currently named Louisiana Bell II, presently on display at the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base Louisiana another, will be the YAM's airworthy B-17G, N3193G, Yankee Lady. It is almost certain to be the only significant Second World War-era factory structure to be saved for the future. Source of the above information:-, the British monthly magazine, Aeroplane, July 2014 edition, full page 7, Richard Mallory Allnutt.

[@hoss73ford]

well at least history won't be leaving it entirely. I hope since your post that the hangars have been saved for the YAM

[@r.cbailey3936]

Yes I worked at General Motors Willow Run High Dramatics 30 years pressroom Bob Stubbs Foreman shift Foreman Doty. Second-shift Foreman Whitey Shafer 2nd shift woman Howard miss all my brothers and sisters had a great time working for going to Motors..

[@ryuhayabusa4365]

1.25 mile long isles is a very incorrect number. I don't think people truly realize how long an entire mile is. I mapped out the distance of the plant and even used a GPS and Google earth as well for further data and the plants length is about 0.60 miles long, a 1/4 mile wide and at the two L shaped ends and the width of the majority of it is a little less than 1/4 mile. That is still over 4 full neighborhood blocks long which is a tad bit over half a mile long. In the average sports car it would still take you about 20 seconds pedal to the metal to make though the plant end to end. The total area of the plant is about 1.7 miles. I drive by it almost every day and have been to the closed off gated entrance they've already begun tearing it down in some spots. It's sad the entire plant can't be saved, but I guess nostalgia is too costly when no revenue is coming in.

[@catherinemoore2188]

My Dad, and brother worked there double digit years..

[@r.cbailey3936]

RC Bailey work in the pressroom 30 years used to run the 4,000 press

[@johncelsi9618]

The plant was built by Ford for the production of the B-24 bomber during WW2. It was sold to GM in 1953.

[@gojoe283]

My 1969 Corvair was hand-built in that plant (on of the last ones)...very sad. But the Vair is still alive and well thank G-d, running strong with 62,000 original miles...

[@rodneybrand8521]

So...does anybody think this was to break the UAW ??? FORD closed 10 plants including mine in Atlanta... 06..

[@chrisfisichella6659]

It must have been nice to work there.

[@drfalcon4102]

before GM got it, Kiaser-Frazer built cars there also

[@Doctorj63]

My dad built bombers there during WWII and later flew on the Pacific.

[@Downhome8129]

I have a 1971 Nova that was built in that plant, at lease that is the ID on the serial plate

[@victorialouden1912]

Doug Thomas Sr that was the Novas home plant up to 72 Norwood and willow run built Novas most 72 big block novas were produced at Norwood and willow run

[@victorialouden1912]

Doug Thomas Sr I live in Norwood OHIO

[@pimpompoom93726]

This is the Hydramatic transmission plant, the vehicle plant was further up Michigan avenue. Two different plants.

[@epasternak4206]

@@pimpompoom93726 is was across the street, I worked in that place from 04 to 07 , corvairs built in that factory too.

[@surferbri5346]

I worked the last day at Ford assembly in Lorain, still hurts

[@525wireman]

This is the most poorly edited video I've ever seen! Simply terrible!

[@crissy214]

UAW, your sure got to be proud

[@chrisstromberg6527]

For decades, delusional auto industry executives ignored global economic forces, attempts at regulation, and consumer needs and tastes, refusing to evolve their business until it was far too late. I know so many people like you, that just hate other Americans, because they have something you don't!

[@hoss73ford]

+Chris Stromberg I'm not going to start an argument over unions as I was never a member, but my girlfriend is a retired auto worker. Before that, her dad did the same (31 years) He was able to support a wife and 5 kids and mom didn't have to work if she didn't want to and they still had money left over for a vacation every year and a few things. There is no way a middle class family earning the average wage can do that now with only one parent working and even with just 2-3 children.

[@pimpompoom93726]

@@chrisstromberg6527 The rapid increase in the price of fuel in the late 1970's made Detroit big cars uncompetitive. It cost Billions to retool to build smaller, more fuel efficient cars. That change in the marketplace wasn't evolutionary, it was abrupt. Considering the challenge it's amazing that most of the big Detroit automakers are still around.

[@carlthornton3076]

Very Good!... #46 ✝ {5-24-2022}

[@marc639]

Sad day

[@daneldridge]

They will soon be like Montgomery Wards.

[@toddwilford1870]

I used to salt the parking lots there

[@marc639]

America always destroys the past

[@jekey39]

It's a holdin company now not gm

[@GivathBrenner]

The GM/UAW workers did a good job making vehicles and parts. Capitalism screwed them.

[@pimpompoom93726]

Wasn't capitalism, that was an old and inefficient plant with tons of fixed costs.

[@rawdog268]

boo hoo