Looking for History on the Hamtramck Mi plant.

[Ohiowoodchuck]

I was discussing some of this topic with a member on another forum the other day and I was wondering if anybody has any knowledge of what would of happened to the original Plymouth Cuda metal stamping dies for most of the parts and if anyone has any knowledge of what was actually built by a supplier and which supplier it could of been. The reason I asked was for 8 years I worked at a metal stamping plant in ohio that made parts for the big 3. This was in early 2000's and I was out back looking at the die boneyard. I remember finding some stamping dies for some 70's model Ford and Chrysler's. I can remember we were required to keep the tooling and the welders for so many years after production, for service parts.  I worked in maintenance so I can remember bringing the welders and tooling for the 1st generation dodge trucks and hooking them up. Chrysler would put in a order for around 800 service parts. I just have a hard time believing they would of been destroyed. I believe they would of been shipped to another facility incase service parts would be needed. I just dont feel they would of tore the whole plant down with the machinery and all the tooling still inside. I could could go on and on about metal stamping and parts etc but hopefully somebody has some information or knows someone who worked on the cuda assembly line in the day.

[cuda hunter]

Ya beat me to a post here @Ohiowoodchuck

I love hearing about this historical information from those who have lived it.  Thanks for the information so far woodchuck. 

Some information here.  https://www.hamtramck-historical.com/archives.shtml

and here   https://www.allpar.com/corporate/dodge-main.html   still reading some of this one. 

Surely someone on here must have some kind of information about these stamping dye's. 

[jlemler]

Here is a nice website

http://www.dodgemotorcar.com/

Go to the factory section.  The have a lot of nice pictures of the Dodge Main as it was called.

There was a great book written about 5 or so years ago called, "Punching Out'".  I was about companies who were hiring transient workers to dismantle the huge presses in the abandoned Detroit factories and shipping them south of the border.  If doubt if any of the dies are even around anymore. 

[Ohiowoodchuck]

I could be wrong on this but here goes. I work with a guy he is close to 70 now but in his garage is new fenders new hood and a new grille for a 70's challenger. They are directly from plymouth/chrysler. He bought them if I remember around the late 80's at the local dealership. Do you think the parts inventory would of about been gone by then or do you think they were having service parts made. I'd almost bet they still exist setting outside rusting somewhere. I'll get a picture of the place I use to work at, all the late 70's early 80' s tooling dies are still sitting outside. They are property of chrysler, ford etc so it's up to them to scrap them and not the supplier I worked for.

[1972V21Cuda]

From what I've read in the past, Chrysler destroyed all the stamps and dies back during the Bankruptcy Era.

[Ohiowoodchuck]

From what I've read in the past, Chrysler destroyed all the stamps and dies back during the Bankruptcy Era.

can you remember or can you find a link to that articke.