Kenosha Engine Plant closing next month, CAR SHOW

[Moparjim]

Looks like they finally set an official date in September for the Kenosha Plant to close. 100+ years of manufacturing history including Nash, AMC, Jeep, Chrysler, Renault, Daimler, and now Fiat.

I posted the details of the car show in the events section but felt the need to post it here as well. As a Wisconsin car guy I feel this is a must attend if you can make it, even if your not a Mopar/AMC guy its open to all makes and models and the history of the place is incredible. Like the Delphi plant in Oak Creek, I wouldn't be surprised if they just demolish the place so it may not be long before there's not even a trace of it left :crying

[WhatsADSM]

Truly sad :(

[GTSLOW]

Ya what a bummer, and what to move the location to an area near detriot?

[Moparjim]

The 2.7L and 3.5L still made at Kenosha are both done.

They are being replaced by the new "Phoenix" "World" V6s. They were originally going to build 3 new lines at existing plants - Trenton-MI, Saltillo-Mexico, and Kenosha-WI. Originally, the plan was for the first location to be Kenosha-WI but Michigan, Trenton, and the UAW all bought it out from under us and Trenton became the first location and Kenosha dropped to third. Our state government did virtually nothing to keep that plant/line built here... Then as Chrysler sales dropped, bankruptcy, etc. the new Kenosha line got cancelled since 2 locations will be able to produce the volume.

Looks like soon Harley will go as well, of all the manufacturers that I thought would tough it out in Milwaukee/Wisconsin that was the one... Our state and local government doesn't even close to competing with other states to keep or attract new manufacturing here.

[PureSound15]

Will this affect your job, Jim?

[Moparjim]

It sure did, I left to go to We Energies a year and a half ago or so. Once it became pretty clear the plant was closing I got the heck out. I never thought I would leave, but it became clear the plant was leaving me so I moved on. I could have held in there for some sort of buyout which a lot of people ended up getting, but getting a good job locally so I wouldn't have to relocate was more important to me. Staying with chrysler and transferring to a sunny location like Detroit or Toledo for a company that's on the ropes wasnt a sane option either.

[PureSound15]

Ohhhh ok. I didn't know you made the move, at least you got out in time.

[Russ Jerome]

Staying with chrysler and transferring to a sunny location like Detroit or Toledo for a company that's on the ropes wasnt a sane option either.

Like leaving Milwaukee to vacation in Gary IN!

That car show could potentialy bring out a lot of multi makes, always likes the old AMCs for some odd reason...cuz Im odd I guess.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs102.snc1/5010_1166847327973_1131605538_498356_5643232_n.jpg
Local Eagle wagon, 4.2 swapped out for 4.0efi along with a host of chassis upgrades, more jeep than eagle now.

[GTSLOW]

It sure did, I left to go to We Energies a year and a half ago or so. Once it became pretty clear the plant was closing I got the heck out. I never thought I would leave, but it became clear the plant was leaving me so I moved on. I could have held in there for some sort of buyout which a lot of people ended up getting, but getting a good job locally so I wouldn't have to relocate was more important to me. Staying with chrysler and transferring to a sunny location like Detroit or Toledo for a company that's on the ropes wasnt a sane option either.

That's good to hear!! Shoot I think we have 4 or 5 WE enegery employees on BCM now?

[Cryptic]

Delphi, Mopar, and soon Harley. Is the state out of their mind?

[Rocket Power]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs102.snc1/5010_1166847327973_1131605538_498356_5643232_n.jpg
Local Eagle wagon, 4.2 swapped out for 4.0efi along with a host of chassis upgrades, more jeep than eagle now.
I used to work at MGA Research in Burlington which is on the old AMC proving grounds.
We filmed a Mythbusters episode where they tried to split an 2 different Eagles in half with a plow. I kept one of the emblems off it:rolf

gr040vGUZcE

[Rocket Power]

Delphi, Mopar, and soon Harley. Is the state out of their mind?

Libs only look at business as thing to get tax money out of and don't understand that there is a limit to how much they'll pay before they just move to a cheaper area

[twicks69]

I wouldn't be surprised if they just demolish the place so it may not be long before there's not even a trace of it left :crying

Though I agree with you Jim on the fact that it is a shame that they are closing down the DCKEP, I do feel that there will be quite a bit of things remaining onsite even if they choose to demolish it like the Mankowski site down the street. Mainly environmental contamination that will be there for a LONG, LONG time.

It is a shame that they have been dragging their feet on the cleanup of KEP site for almost 20 years now, as all they are doing is steps to try and maintain the contamination on-site with out-of-date remediation systems that work only sporadically at 100% capacity.

That piece of property will be a wasteland for a long time to come and will be too expensive to clean up for alternative use projects. It will likely remain empty.

[GTSLOW]

What exactly is there that contaminated the place? :confused

[twicks69]

Chlorinated solvents, petroleum products and byproducts, cutting coolant, motor oil, etc.

Severe groundwater contamination throughout the property with areas of several feet of motor oil or gasoline floating on the water table.

You would be shocked to see what is actually there....

[JOHN 86GT]

A lot of old AMCs down in Kenowhere..

An ex AMC worker used to hang out at Andy's drive in the early 80's and had a 66 AMX prototype like this http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1966_american_motors_vignale_amx_prototype/

Story was he bought it from them (they were going to run it into the wall) and years later, they wanted it back. He would not sell it and they fired him.

He also had a pacer with 4 inches chopped off the top. (talk about a wide looking car)

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

It is kind of sad. Its the place where the great 4.0 straight six was built for a long long time, seems like that AMC six was around almost forever.
Built alot of cars and engine there. I know my Grandpa did about 30 years that among many other people I know/knew. They made a damn good living too and honestly the stories they told of there made it easy to understand why AMC went the way it did.
I remember this plant being called the Main Plant and then there was Lakefront Plant which was an old Simmons mattress factory. :thumbsup
I dont think this will sit and get junked up tho I would not mind exploring it.

[GTSLOW]

Chlorinated solvents, petroleum products and byproducts, cutting coolant, motor oil, etc.

Severe groundwater contamination throughout the property with areas of several feet of motor oil or gasoline floating on the water table.

You would be shocked to see what is actually there....

Ugh sounds just like the badger munitions in baraboo/sauk area.

[Moparjim]

Yeah the contamination is pretty bad - remember they were making stuff there in like 190X, back when if a bunch of coolant or oil or solvent leaked onto the floor, you shrugged your shoulders. Even into the 1970s and 1980s you could barely see 20 feet in the place I hear, from all the machine tool coolant mist and dust in the air, before things like mist collection systems and etc. were required and installed...

That's why I figure they will demo it, its too polluted to sell and too big and old for anyone to want to use. If the buildings stay up they have to heat them and maintain them at least minimally, so Im guessing they will demo it and the land will stay vacant.

[subliminal1284]

Im not so sure, from what I hear the land the old AMC plant was on was contaminated also but a developer offered the city tons of money to build condos there and clear the land for development and there are now condos where the AMC plant used to be.