Very large addition being added to Flint assembly.

revrnd · October 1

15 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

I doubt it, GM is already using the HD trucks profitability to prop up the spectacular losses on EV's.

Saw this 'click bait' article yesterday when I opened Chrome on my phone:

https://unionrayo.com/us/gm-cease-1600-workers/

I have never heard of the website, so I'll take some of it with a grain of salt. You have to wonder about GM's mindset of this full speed ahead on EVs considering what other automakers are doing. I never heard how far along Ford was w/ the retooling of their Oakville Ontario assembly plant for EVs when they switched the program to Super Dutys.

Im afraid GM will wind up being dependent on vehicles NOBODY wants...

Edited October 1 by revrnd

64BAwagon · October 1

Look up the history of the turbine cars. They have a good display at the Heritage center about it. GM went all in and almost ended themselves because of it.

revrnd · October 1

1 hour ago, 64BAwagon said:

Look up the history of the turbine cars. They have a good display at the Heritage center about it. GM went all in and almost ended themselves because of it.

We hear/read of other alternative powerplants from the other automakers, but nothing from GM. I have read online (again take it w/ a grain of salt) that the recent wave of salaried layoffs was from the Ultium(sp?) section. Was their work completed or IS GM scaling back work on that side?

I know back in the 80s a lot of the drawings for the GMT400 tooling were done by outside firms, not internally.

EDIT: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/10/gms-own-turbine-car-program/

Edited October 1 by revrnd

Z45 · October 1

16 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

I doubt it, GM is already using the HD trucks profitability to prop up the spectacular losses on EV's.

Never say never. Current party in power remains in power, all bets are off. The Chinese are building a (controversial) mega EV battery plant in Michigan just 2 hr from Flint.

https://www.voanews.com/a/michigan-town-fails-to-block-chinese-ev-factory/7620452.html

Edited October 1 by Z45

revrnd · October 1

3 minutes ago, Z45 said:

Never say never. Current party in power remains it power, all bets are off. The Chinese are building a (controversial) mega EV battery plant in Michigan.

https://www.bridgemi.com/business-watch/michigan-has-spent-1b-ev-battery-plants-so-far-theyve-created-200-jobs

See how much Canada has spent luring battery production...

64BAwagon · October 1

1 hour ago, Z45 said:

Never say never. Current party in power remains in power, all bets are off. The Chinese are building a (controversial) mega EV battery plant in Michigan just 2 hr from Flint.

https://www.voanews.com/a/michigan-town-fails-to-block-chinese-ev-factory/7620452.html

Thanks to our Marxist/corporatist Governor.

64BAwagon · October 1

1 hour ago, revrnd said:

We hear/read of other alternative powerplants from the other automakers, but nothing from GM. I have read online (again take it w/ a grain of salt) that the recent wave of salaried layoffs was from the Ultium(sp?) section. Was their work completed or IS GM scaling back work on that side?

I know back in the 80s a lot of the drawings for the GMT400 tooling were done by outside firms, not internally.

EDIT: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/10/gms-own-turbine-car-program/

they had a hydrogen cell lab at Kettering (the old GMI) years ago but that fell by the wayside.

I have heard different things about the cuts but nothing I could repeat

revrnd · October 7

Curious as to the model mix at Flint. Do they just build HDs or are 1/2 tons built there as well? I think both are built @ Ft Wayne (Ive had 3/4 tons from both plants over the years). I seem to recall there being a Flint #1 & Flint #2 designation. Were they 2 different plants or 2 lines under 1 roof? Correct me if Im wrong but wasnt 1 for MD truck assy? Im not sure what was built in Pontiac in later years before pickup production ended. Oshawa Truck had an auxiliary line up until the late 70s for school bus chassis assy.

There was some 'fanfare/PR hype' about the 'new' Oshawa Assembly (as they call it) building LD & HD pickups.

Edited October 7 by revrnd

64BAwagon · October 7

I will break this down as best I can. This is my understanding of the mix based on what I have been told and my history in Pontiac.

The Flint plant is building the 2500 and 3500 trucks in multiple configurations, I believe single, double and crew. The 2500/3500 pickups are built in crew cab primarily right now.

There is no longer any medium production in Flint. Those are produced in a collaborative with International.

Fort Wayne is double cab 1500's right now and the 1500 crews I understand are built in Silao Mexico and maybe ? Arlington TX.

Oshawa builds I believe just the 2500/3500 crew and no other.

The Pontiac complex had quite a few plants that produced pretty much every conceivable GM truck from RTS busses to Astro class 8's to RV's along with every pickup configuration and the S10 blazer, GMCS15 Jimmy and Olds Bravada in Plant 1. Their engineering center was there also. It was a sprawling complex and has all but disappeared and been torn down.

newdude · October 7

3 minutes ago, 64BAwagon said:

I will break this down as best I can. This is my understanding of the mix based on what I have been told and my history in Pontiac.

The Flint plant is building the 2500 and 3500 trucks in multiple configurations, I believe single, double and crew. The 2500/3500 pickups are built in crew cab primarily right now.

There is no longer any medium production in Flint. Those are produced in a collaborative with International.

Fort Wayne is double cab 1500's right now and the 1500 crews I understand are built in Silao Mexico and maybe ? Arlington TX.

Oshawa builds I believe just the 2500/3500 crew and no other.

The Pontiac complex had quite a few plants that produced pretty much every conceivable GM truck from RTS busses to Astro class 8's to RV's along with every pickup configuration and the S10 blazer, GMCS15 Jimmy and Olds Bravada in Plant 1. Their engineering center was there also. It was a sprawling complex and has all but disappeared and been torn down.

1500 crews are rolling out of 2 or 3 plants. Silao, Ft. Wayne and Oshawa. I've seen a good number of the 2024 1500 crews built in Oshawa lately. HDs at Oshawa are SRW crew cab. Dually are Flint.

Oshawa I think does just Silverado too, at least according to GM's website: Oshawa Assembly | General Motors Canada (gm.ca)

Edited October 7 by newdude

64BAwagon · October 7

I know things have changed and it hard to keep up. Last I heard was Ft Wayne didnt build crews but obviously that has changed. I had heard that Oshawa had built flexibility into their lines so the 1500 builds there make sense. I was told the big addition in progress at Flint was for the body shop so that may also bring some future changes. I know they focus on crew cabs there likely due to the higher values. I forgot about Oshawa building just Chevys. This could all change tomorrow, who knows.

Z45 · October 8

Quote

“It’s part of a $788 million investment that General Motors announced last summer that will allow this site to produce the next generation of fill-sized, heavy-duty internal combustion engine vehicles,” Pung said. “We can really start to see what the investment is bringing to us.”

Watch video at the link below, some new trucks shown...

https://www.wnem.com/2024/08/29/gm-flint-assembly-celebrates-body-shop-expansion/

Edited October 8 by Z45

revrnd · October 8

12 minutes ago, Z45 said:

Watch video at the link below, some new trucks shown...

https://www.wnem.com/2024/08/29/gm-flint-assembly-celebrates-body-shop-expansion/

Is 'plant executive director' the new name for plant manager?

Z45 · October 8

17 hours ago, 64BAwagon said:

I will break this down as best I can. This is my understanding of the mix based on what I have been told and my history in Pontiac.

The Flint plant is building the 2500 and 3500 trucks in multiple configurations, I believe single, double and crew. The 2500/3500 pickups are built in crew cab primarily right now.

There is no longer any medium production in Flint. Those are produced in a collaborative with International.

Fort Wayne is double cab 1500's right now and the 1500 crews I understand are built in Silao Mexico and maybe ? Arlington TX.

Oshawa builds I believe just the 2500/3500 crew and no other.

The Pontiac complex had quite a few plants that produced pretty much every conceivable GM truck from RTS busses to Astro class 8's to RV's along with every pickup configuration and the S10 blazer, GMCS15 Jimmy and Olds Bravada in Plant 1. Their engineering center was there also. It was a sprawling complex and has all but disappeared and been torn down.

Oshawa built LD and HD Silverado's, per their web site

https://www.gm.ca/en/home/company/canada/oshawa.html