At the recent Meadowbrook Concours my father spent 30 minutes talking with
GM's new Chairman Bob Lutz. You all know that Mr. Lutz (a true car nut)
turned Chrysler (especially Dodge) around. He asked Mr. Lutz what his plans
were for America's oldest marque. Unfortunately, while Mr. Lutz
acknowledged Oldsmobile's heritage he was none too enthusiastic about its
future.
So it's not just Britain that's losing historic names anymore.
Scott Christie
"Michael Proper"
<proper.mike@accentle To: "Bob Douglas"
<b_s_d@ureach.com>, "Bill
asing.com> Blue"
<dablue@worldnet.att.net>, "Marc James
Sent by: Small"
<msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
owner-alpines@autox.t cc: "Jarrid Gross"
<JGross@econolite.com>,
eam.net <bmounce@bellatlantic.net>,
"Ben Mies"
<bmtbm1@mindspring.com>,
<alpines@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Olds and
legacy of dead marques
09/20/01 11:45 AM (was Picking Nits Big Time)
Please respond to
"Michael Proper"
Being from Lansing myself, Olds is a big loss to out community even though
several years back they changed the old production lines here to the B.O.C.
nameplate. (Buick , Olds, Cadillac). A few years ago 2-3 Olds moved its
world headquarters from Downtown Lansing in the Burbs of Detroit. It was at
that point most people here in the area knew that the olds Name was gone
forever. At least in our hearts. Sad to see it go .
Mike Proper
67 SV
Lansing, Mi.
F.Y.I. --- Dodge was also Born Here in Lansing. And I watched as the Old
Dimond REO plant went up in a fire back in the 70's. Man those 55 Gallon
Barrels of whatever they were sure went skyward when they blew.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Douglas" <b_s_d@ureach.com>
To: "Bill Blue" <dablue@worldnet.att.net>; "Marc James Small"
<msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Cc: "Jarrid Gross" <JGross@econolite.com>; <bmounce@bellatlantic.net>; "Ben
Mies" <bmtbm1@mindspring.com>; <alpines@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2001 12:09 PM
Subject: Olds and legacy of dead marques (was Picking Nits Big Time)
> No Archive
>
> No Sunbeam content
>
> For those interested in this sort of trivia....
>
> The Olds Motor Works was founded in 1899 by Ransom Olds with
> the financial backing of Samuel Smith. Smith, who made his
> money in Copper and lumber, was given 95% of the stock for his
> $199,600 contribution to the $200,000 paid-up capital. The
> production run for the curved dash buggy, aka "Merry
> Oldsmobile", was 1901-600, 1902-2500, 1903-4000, 1904-5000.
> It proved to be too small, light, and underpowered for the
> emerging American family market, but it's claim to fame was
> that it was the first car to be produced in large quantities
> over several years.
>
> As a significantly minor stock holder, Olds left the company
> over a disagreement with Smith's belief that the buggy needed
> to be dropped in favor of a heavier tourer. A group of Lansing
> businessmen soon put Olds back into the industry with the Reo
> Motor Car Company.
>
> With Oldmobile now going away, it's interesting to note that
> the founders of other dead marques Maxwell-Briscoe (Jonathan
> Maxwell), Humpmobil (Robert Hupp), and Hudson (Roy Chapin and
> Howard Coffin) also spent a portion of their early years in the
> business with Olds at the Olds Motor Works.
>
> Regards, Bob Douglas
>
> Source: "The American Automobile" by technology and science
> historian John B. Rae
>
>
> ________________________________________________
> Get your own "800" number
> Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more
> http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag
>
>
> ---- On Wed, 19 Sep 2001, Bill Blue (dablue@worldnet.att.net)
> wrote:
>
> > I should hope that I am right! I caught a little piece about
> Durant on
> > The
> > History Channel this past wekend. Cheating ALWAYS helps.
> > Bill
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