Flint Artifacts: 1968 A.C. Spark Plug Decal

Flint Postcards: A.C. Spark Plug

The Final Act of an Industrial Icon

It's official. 

The final 287 jobs at Delphi Flint East have been shipped off to Mexico, bringing to a close the eventful and illustrious manufacturing history that took place on a stretch of N. Dort Highway in Flint.

The site began as a Dort Motor Company plant; became the world headquarters of A.C. Spark Plug; and, at various points, fell under the auspices of General Motors, Delco Systems, and Delphi. As Jeremy Allen of The Flint Journal explains, the site's confusing history was peppered with bankruptcies and strikes:

On June 11, 1998, Flint East followed in the footsteps of Flint Metal Fab, taking part in one of the longest strikes in GM history. The 54-day strike for which Flint East was a part almost stalled operations for the entire company within two weeks.

On July 28, GM agreed to the investment to Flint Metal Fab and to keep Flint East open until at least 2000.The union agreed to cooperate on efforts to increase productivity at both plants. The strike cost GM an estimated US$2.8 billion.

It's a confusing, chaotic trajectory, but the bottom line is that the place many Flintoids knew simply as Plant 43 is no more.

Flint Artifacts: A.C. Spark Plug Advertisement

Flint Paintings: Birth of an A.C. Spark Plug

Some eBay auctions are more compelling than others. Right now you can bid on this original oil, painted by one Bill Bowman in 1964, entitled "Birth of an A.C. Spark Plug." FYI, the minimum bid is $45,000. The painting immediately brought to mind Crowbar Charlie Koziol, the grandfather of media artist and cinematographer  Eric Koziol. In an earlier profile of Eric, I wrote:

Eric traces his interest in film and video back to Flint. His grandfather, Charlie Koziol, was a master mechanic at AC Spark Plug known as “Crowbar Charlie” for his ability to fix the massive machinery at the plant. But Charlie also loved shooting film, starting with a Super 8 before moving on to 16 mm and, eventually, video. Charlie used to show 16mm films outdoors in Ballenger Park, and he set up the P.A. and lighting system for the polka bands at the Polish Legion of American Veterans summer fests. He introduced his grandson to the equipment, and Eric quickly put it to use in a project for an American history class at Power’s High School.

Yes, Flint Still Has Automotive Jobs that Can Move to Mexico

This is an unwelcome blast from the past...Flint losing automotive industry jobs to Mexico.

Shaun Byron of The Flint Journal reports:

It was announced Tuesday, Feb. 5, that Flint East, which has undergone multiple name and ownership changes in its history, will close November 2013.

Local UAW officials say they were told the work is being taken to Mexico following the end of an agreement that was already extended beyond its deadline.

Home Decor Courtesy of A.C. Spark Plug

Tom Torri worked at A.C. from 1960 until 1987 in an engineering test lab, systems and programming, and product development. He then transferred to Delco Electronics in Kokomo, Indiana, and worked in advanced product engineering — where he helped develop the first LCD displays on the control panels — and eventually in product reliability. Tom retired in 2000, but he still has plenty of A.C. memorabilia around the house. The A.C. lamp was a give-away to employees. The A.C. decanter came with Jim Beam and employees had to buy them.

A.C. Spark Plug/Delphi Demolition

Flint Artifacts: A.C. Spark Plug Decal

Flint Photos: A.C. Spark Plug Machine Gun Manufacturing in 1941

Flint Artifacts: A.C. Spark Plug Employee Badge

Flint Photos: 1941 A.C. Spark Plug Worker

Flint Artifacts: AC Spark Plug Tie Clips

Flint Artifacts: AC Oil Filter Mug

Flint Artifacts: A.C. Spark Plug Parking Lot Tags

UPDATE: I thought these were just simple parking tags, but anonymous gives us the real story:

Dort Hwy. parking lot tags - A time honored tradition to recognize loyalty, length of service and salary level (and to keep the troops in line). When hiring in, everyone started out in the east lot, off Averill Ave. It was a long, twice daily, walk thru the factory to get to and from your work area on Dort Hwy. The Dort Hwy south lot was a first stop on your way to parking lot gold. It could be attained if you kept your nose clean and advanced in rank just enough to qualify as being one of the established herd. After years of struggle and hardship, the lucky ones finally had enough salary and length of service points to qualify for a north lot pass, right next to the main gate on Dort Hwy. Of course someone had to retire or die, before you could realize your parking dream. The north Dort Hwy parking lot was only superseded by garage parking, under the main office building, which was reserved for the uncoded executives. If and when you earned a north lot pass, you walked with your head just a little higher (and tended to go out for lunch; just to watch that gate go up and down).

Monza GT Sparks the Imagination — AC Sparks the Action

The Flint List

A friend just asked me to run down the list of every auto-related factory that has closed in Flint, along with approximate locations. I got a little nervous because I feel like that's a list I should be able to just rattle off, along with the roster of the '84 Tigers and every party store in town that wouldn't card you in the eighties, but I'm pretty sure I came up short:

Buick City
Chevy in the Hole
Fisher Body
A.C. Spark Plug

What am I missing here? Fisher Body had more than one plant, right? Fisher Body 1 was the site of the Sit-Down Strike, but how many other Fishers were there? Or was it all one big plant with different sections? And Delphi's Flint East Plant was just AC with a different name, right? And are there plants and factories that are closed and still standing, or has everything been torn down? Somebody help me out here. It's clear that you're expected to know this depressing list if you're from Flint.

Flint Artifacts: AC Spark Plug Beer Stein

A.C. Model Shop Memories

LarryPrune said...

My father and grandfather both retired from A.C. Spark Plug. My grandfather was an experimental metal model maker in the model shop. They were making coasters and Frisbees in the injection molding machines, and cutting bottle openers from a block of aircraft aluminum on some type of CNC machine. I have a spark plug keychain, as well as various plastic coasters, and a bottle opener made in the model shop during the 75th anniversary open house. I was in elementary school at the time. I recently drove by, and the engineering/model shop is the only building left between Averill and Dort.

Flint Artifacts: A.C. Spark Plug Tie Pin