I'm german and I just bought a 1990 Chevrolet Caprice a few days ago, it's an export model which was bought new by a dutch man in 1990. It was built in the Lakewood plant according to the VIN (plant code A).
My 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS was built there.I still have it and drove it in the Mooresville, NC Veterans Day Parade Last Saturday.It is still in great condition I bought it in August 1965 at Timmers Chevrolet on Whitehall Street. I still have all the paper work, etc. It is a numbers matching car in original condition. You guys did a great job building this 396 4 speed.
Great video! VIN# on that last Caprice is 1G1BU54E5LA160883 so yes just over 60,000 built at Lakewood. Would love to have one of those last 9C1 police cars built. The Norwood, OH plant had a raffle for the last Camaro in Aug '87. The worker who won it got to walk with that car down the line and shake the hands of every worker who did something to that car.
i hope to someday visit the remains of the plant with my 1976 c10 she was built there as was my uncles 1978 c10 shortbed.thanks to those of you who had a hand in building these amazing pieces of history.
It's strange seeing actual human beings working the lines like in the old days.. Those old square body Caprices were by far some of the best, toughest cars ever built. I owned many of them in my young years..
Fast forward 31 years and I’m working security at this site. It’s now a gravel lot where utility trucks are parked when not in use. All that remains of the plant are the two gray metal buildings at the north end of the property near the RxR tracks. Across the rest of the site there are foundations, broken railings, overgrown railroad tracks and an old outbuilding at the top of some stairs that descend to Sawtell Avenue. You can still find a couple of cement walls with parking written on them too. I’ve worked here numerous times over the last few months and only today learned what this place used to be. The surrounding neighborhood has seriously deteriorated over the years. It’s really sad to see it. They say this place will soon be turned into a film production site, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
The actual building is currently slated for demolition. I am on the crew working interior demo. Demo to begin Q1 of 2022. It is quite a marvel to behold inside though. Unbelievably large, 80 acres (3m/sqft) per floor, has 2 floors on most of the building and up to 5 on some others. It's going to take a while to demo. Took a drone video of the plant the other day, before the demo started. Hopefully I will get a few more while demo is in progress. ruclips.net/video/LblBEw-qjuQ/видео.html Here is a video, I did not take, of the interior when the electricity was still working and it was bring used for storage. It is darker, dirties and wetter then this currently ruclips.net/video/cJshVrZaZNs/видео.html
@@investinfamily the original video here, and the plant site I work at now is in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s cool to see there is another in Kansas though. The plant in Atlanta was torn down many years ago.
@@nolefan87 thanks for the clarification here - for a moment I was wondering if I should run over there (Lakewood) for a quick unexpected “last look” now! lol thanks again!
My Daddy A.P. Aldredge worked in this plant for 15 years. He passed away in 1973. Thank you for sharing this video. I know he thought a lot of the guys he worked with.
In the video at 4:45, there is a gray haired man on the left of the line taking pictures with a still camera. This Albert McGaha who lived next door to me as I grew up. He first worked on the Fisher Body side of the factory until they merged. He passed away around April of 2020.
Thanks, for this video my Daddy retired from there 1959-1982 Lyle Denny Dennison was on the Fisher Body side! Lots of memories... he's now gone to a better place to live... RIP Daddy & Lakewood GM
Grew up in Lakewood, end of an era, a community, and a way of life. I used to love to see all the new cars out front and even went through an open house when I was four years old. It was something else.
My medium gray metallic Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham was built there 1988 too... It has currently only 26.250 miles. What a great impressive video of good old America. Best regards from Germany to the workers on plant, thanks for building my car! Mo
I just found this today, July 10, 2012. The "Pickle" transferred into the Delco-Remy Plant in Albany, Ga. after Lakewood closed but I never heard this story from him. By the way--James is a great person
@zilch94 Yeah I got transfered to Doraville Parts, and they closed also and tore down the building, and then I finished my retirement at the Doraville Assembly plant with 32 years of service combined. Now the Doraville plant is closed and will be torn down before long. It is very sad to see them destroyed.
This is amazing, I live right in front of what was this factory, right in front of the entrance. It has been used as a shipping and loading dock for semi-trucks throughout the years and it is currently vacant.
We have had since new 1990 a Caprice STW, that was assabled over there. Lake Wood. We still have it. In Lake Wood assembly were assembled the Export versions to Europe. Ours is one. Was sold here in Kuopio, Finland ad new to my family. In only my use it was since 1997. I used it in Finland and many other European countries. I still have it, and it is in good condition. It was nice to see where and by whom the car was made!
Lakewood wasn’t the only plant to give away the last vehicle, Janesville Assembly gave away its last Tahoe for a raffle benefiting local United way, I believe Oshawa gave away its last truck as well.
Thank you for posting this video. I live in Grant Park and occasionally drive past the old plant site. Before watching this I didn't know and had always wondered what stood at this site. An auto assembly plant explains the large size. I wonder if James still has the car. I'd love to own a piece of local history,
I came looking for Lakewood history because the GMC of my grandfathers I am restoring was built here. Whoever worked the C/K production line in 1977, thanks. Your hands were probably on it.
@DanR1245 We usually start building the new model around August so we built the 1990 model about the same as we did other models. The 1990 started being built around August of 1989. They was not that much of a model change (mostly cosmetic) from a 1989 to a 1990 model. When we closed down, the 1991 model was built at the Arlingron Plant. We was hoping that we could have got the 1991 model year but it just did not pan out. At the end of the year we was mostly building police,and fleet cars
Awesome video. Thanks for posting. I have an 89 Caprice built in Lakewood. Based on my VIN and the VINs of Caprices built in Arlington I've seen, it seems a lot more were built in Arlington than in Lakewood-- my guess is about 64000 Caprices in Lakewood vs 125000+ in Arlington in 1989. Is that true? Also I didn't know they built 1990s in Lakewood until Aug 1990--- I thought the 1990 model year was cut short since the 91s were all new. I would have loved to have that last '90 Caprice!
My beloved 1968 Chevelle Malibu was assembler in this plant. I’d love to talk to anyone that had their hands on her for her first “birth”. It’s undergoing a frame off restoration right now.
Hey mike congrats on your chevelle..i love the 68s and 9s..i live in jackson ga and know several retired lakewood assembly gm workers..i eat breakfast every morn with 1 or 2 of them they tell me fascinating storries from all those years back.
Joe, maybe some of them have pictures of the plant running chevelles through? I also wonder what the dash installation procedure was, or was that done at another factory at fisher body?
Always loved that generation of Caprices. When the new 1991's came out I thought they were the ugliest Caprices ever made. All bloated up with horrible lines. Looked like a whale on wheels.
I'm german and I just bought a 1990 Chevrolet Caprice a few days ago, it's an export model which was bought new by a dutch man in 1990. It was built in the Lakewood plant according to the VIN (plant code A).
My 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS was built there.I still have it and drove it in the Mooresville, NC Veterans Day Parade Last Saturday.It is still in great condition I bought it in August 1965 at Timmers Chevrolet on Whitehall Street. I still have all the paper work, etc. It is a numbers matching car in original condition. You guys did a great job building this 396 4 speed.
Please post a picture of it!! I would love to see it!!!
Go to My 1965 Chevrolet Super Sport post on youtube. I have a 4 minute video of it on there. Leave a comment when you watch it.
imho 1965 is one of the most beautifully designed full-size Chevrolets ever! thanks!
Great video! VIN# on that last Caprice is 1G1BU54E5LA160883 so yes just over 60,000 built at Lakewood. Would love to have one of those last 9C1 police cars built.
The Norwood, OH plant had a raffle for the last Camaro in Aug '87. The worker who won it got to walk with that car down the line and shake the hands of every worker who did something to that car.
i hope to someday visit the remains of the plant with my 1976 c10 she was built there as was my uncles 1978 c10 shortbed.thanks to those of you who had a hand in building these amazing pieces of history.
It's strange seeing actual human beings working the lines like in the old days.. Those old square body Caprices were by far some of the best, toughest cars ever built. I owned many of them in my young years..
Fast forward 31 years and I’m working security at this site. It’s now a gravel lot where utility trucks are parked when not in use. All that remains of the plant are the two gray metal buildings at the north end of the property near the RxR tracks. Across the rest of the site there are foundations, broken railings, overgrown railroad tracks and an old outbuilding at the top of some stairs that descend to Sawtell Avenue. You can still find a couple of cement walls with parking written on them too. I’ve worked here numerous times over the last few months and only today learned what this place used to be. The surrounding neighborhood has seriously deteriorated over the years. It’s really sad to see it. They say this place will soon be turned into a film production site, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Thanks for your reply I really loved working at that plant I was there for over 20 years!!
The actual building is currently slated for demolition. I am on the crew working interior demo. Demo to begin Q1 of 2022. It is quite a marvel to behold inside though. Unbelievably large, 80 acres (3m/sqft) per floor, has 2 floors on most of the building and up to 5 on some others. It's going to take a while to demo.
Took a drone video of the plant the other day, before the demo started. Hopefully I will get a few more while demo is in progress.
ruclips.net/video/LblBEw-qjuQ/видео.html
Here is a video, I did not take, of the interior when the electricity was still working and it was bring used for storage. It is darker, dirties and wetter then this currently
ruclips.net/video/cJshVrZaZNs/видео.html
@@investinfamily the original video here, and the plant site I work at now is in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s cool to see there is another in Kansas though. The plant in Atlanta was torn down many years ago.
@@nolefan87 thanks for the clarification here - for a moment I was wondering if I should run over there (Lakewood) for a quick unexpected “last look” now! lol thanks again!
@@nolefan87 oh dang. No way! Didn't realize there were two! Awesome, sorry for the confusion!
My Daddy A.P. Aldredge worked in this plant for 15 years. He passed away in 1973. Thank you for sharing this video. I know he thought a lot of the guys he worked with.
My dad worked there, as well.
In the video at 4:45, there is a gray haired man on the left of the line taking pictures with a still camera. This Albert McGaha who lived next door to me as I grew up. He first worked on the Fisher Body side of the factory until they merged. He passed away around April of 2020.
I remember Albert!!
80-90B-body, Last GM car worth having, incredible reliability/durability
Thanks, for this video my Daddy retired from there 1959-1982 Lyle Denny Dennison was on the Fisher Body side! Lots of memories... he's now gone to a better place to live... RIP Daddy & Lakewood GM
He may have worked with my dad. He worked at GM at the Fisher Body side during the 60s and 70s
I also had 2 Caprices 1984 and a 1987.The 84 had over 300,000 miles on it.
Grew up in Lakewood, end of an era, a community, and a way of life. I used to love to see all the new cars out front and even went through an open house when I was four years old. It was something else.
I drive by there from time to time,its sad.It also sucks that The Ford Plant in Happeville,[My home town],closed!
My medium gray metallic Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham was built there 1988 too... It has currently only 26.250 miles.
What a great impressive video of good old America.
Best regards from Germany to the workers on plant, thanks for building my car! Mo
Thank You for posting the video! I worked @ Chrysler Fenton,Missouri Plant #1 South auto's & vans. "Retired" 2007
I just found this today, July 10, 2012. The "Pickle" transferred into the Delco-Remy Plant in Albany, Ga. after Lakewood closed but I never heard this story from him. By the way--James is a great person
Do you still talk to him? I want his 90 caprice
@zilch94 Yeah I got transfered to Doraville Parts, and they closed also and tore down the building, and then I finished my retirement at the Doraville Assembly plant with 32 years of service combined. Now the Doraville plant is closed and will be torn down before long. It is very sad to see them destroyed.
This is amazing, I live right in front of what was this factory, right in front of the entrance. It has been used as a shipping and loading dock for semi-trucks throughout the years and it is currently vacant.
We have had since new 1990 a Caprice STW, that was assabled over there. Lake Wood. We still have it. In Lake Wood assembly were assembled the Export versions to Europe. Ours is one. Was sold here in Kuopio, Finland ad new to my family.
In only my use it was since 1997. I used it in Finland and many other European countries. I still have it, and it is in good condition.
It was nice to see where and by whom the car was made!
Lakewood wasn’t the only plant to give away the last vehicle, Janesville Assembly gave away its last Tahoe for a raffle benefiting local United way, I believe Oshawa gave away its last truck as well.
Thank you for posting this video. I live in Grant Park and occasionally drive past the old plant site. Before watching this I didn't know and had always wondered what stood at this site. An auto assembly plant explains the large size.
I wonder if James still has the car. I'd love to own a piece of local history,
I came looking for Lakewood history because the GMC of my grandfathers I am restoring was built here. Whoever worked the C/K production line in 1977, thanks. Your hands were probably on it.
jason3fc I quite possibly “hung” the muffler, if your truck was built on the night shift! 😉.
@@leeandbobby I just now saw this! So cool to know. You probably did!
@@jason3fc awesome! thanks for your reply - hope your restoration work has gone well!
My father was there on that day worked 38.7 Years at that plant!
thanks to all of you my 1977 chevrolet Malibu is still original and running great 40 years later .
Norwood gave the last Camaro to a worker that was 8-27-87
I worked there 1973-74. Anyone remember the foreman's Snow and Hendrix? Hendrix went on to Doraville and made my life miserable there too so I quit.
I wonder where that Caprice is. Probably some young Cat has it with 26's on it...lol
Wayne if it weren't for you, all these memories would be lost. Good Job! Come see us!!! Hokey
@DanR1245 We usually start building the new model around August so we built the 1990 model about the same as we did other models. The 1990 started being built around August of 1989. They was not that much of a model change (mostly cosmetic) from a 1989 to a 1990 model. When we closed down, the 1991 model was built at the Arlingron Plant. We was hoping that we could have got the 1991 model year but it just did not pan out. At the end of the year we was mostly building police,and fleet cars
Nice videos, my dad David L Johnson worked there for about 30 years. I remember going there for open house and eating hotdogs wrapped in foil.
Awesome video. Thanks for posting. I have an 89 Caprice built in Lakewood. Based on my VIN and the VINs of Caprices built in Arlington I've seen, it seems a lot more were built in Arlington than in Lakewood-- my guess is about 64000 Caprices in Lakewood vs 125000+ in Arlington in 1989. Is that true? Also I didn't know they built 1990s in Lakewood until Aug 1990--- I thought the 1990 model year was cut short since the 91s were all new.
I would have loved to have that last '90 Caprice!
Awesome!!
My beloved 1968 Chevelle Malibu was assembler in this plant. I’d love to talk to anyone that had their hands on her for her first “birth”. It’s undergoing a frame off restoration right now.
Hey mike congrats on your chevelle..i love the 68s and 9s..i live in jackson ga and know several retired lakewood assembly gm workers..i eat breakfast every morn with 1 or 2 of them they tell me fascinating storries from all those years back.
Joe, maybe some of them have pictures of the plant running chevelles through? I also wonder what the dash installation procedure was, or was that done at another factory at fisher body?
I can see what all info the guys i see will know about it..one guy knows a good bit that i know he would know any questions u got when i see him..
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Compared to today's assembly plants, these look grungy and dirty.
Always loved that generation of Caprices. When the new 1991's came out I thought they were the ugliest Caprices ever made. All bloated up with horrible lines. Looked like a whale on wheels.
Before it was demolished this plant had deteriorated to a horrible state in a short time
The wonderful Bush economy.........
Now we have the potato head economy. Full of illegals and open boarders.