You Can No Longer Buy a New Car in Motown?

**econ expat** · November-21-09, 07:08 PM

Damn, I sure hope the Dalgleish building does not get stripped out.

Often overlooked, but I recall hearing this building, at Cass and Amsterdam, was one of the 1st Ford factories- became part of Cadillac when Henry Ford quit that partnership.
[[Edit) Reading the news links about Dalgleish closing- some stories mention the Cadillac factory was on the corner Cass/Amsterdam, but across the street)

And then that building was the Oldsmobile factory sales outlet for many years.

One of the last of the multi-story car dealers left around Detroit. Cars were moved up to the 2nd and 3rd floor driving up a ramp. There was no elevator for people. Either walk up the stairs, or get a 'shuttle ride' up the ramp on a golf cart.

Every time I visited that dealer I snook in and took the employee entrance to upstairs- cool 'elevator'- all it is is a moving belt with steps and grab handles. Jump onto the next 'step' that comes around, hang on, and jump off at your 'stop'.

**Jimaz** · November-21-09, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by econ expat

Every time I visited that dealer I snook in and took the employee entrance to upstairs- cool 'elevator'- all it is is a moving belt with steps and grab handles. Jump onto the next 'step' that comes around, hang on, and jump off at your 'stop'.

That's a paternoster, aka "toe chopper."

**econ expat** · November-21-09, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

That's a paternoster, aka "toe chopper."

Nope. That paternoster looks interesting though.

Dalgleish's 'elevator' is much more primitive.I'll try to describe it better:
-Open up the elevator area door
-face the moving conveyor belt and wait for a handhold and a 'step' to come up [[there are several on the belt)
-ride up the conveyor basically facing the belt and jump off at your stop.I heard there was some sort of a safety device that would stop the conveyor if someone missed the uppermost or lowermost floors. I was never brave enough to test it!

**Jimaz** · November-21-09, 09:33 PM

Well, I stand corrected then. It sure would be interesting to see the other version!

**Hornwrecker** · November-21-09, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by econ expat

Often overlooked, but I recall hearing this building, at Cass and Amsterdam, was one of the 1st Ford factories- became part of Cadillac when Henry Ford quit that partnership.[[Edit) Reading the news links about Dalgleish closing- some stories mention the Cadillac factory was on the corner Cass/Amsterdam, but across the street)

The first Cadillac plant was on the NW corner of Cass and Amsterdam, although it did have various buildings associated with it on all four blocks. Ford was a partner in the short lived Detroit Auto Co, which lasted about a year; he then opened his first factory on Mack Ave. Leland took over that bldg the following year to start Cadillac. Looking at the earliest aerial photo I could find, most of that area has been a parking lot for over 60 years. [[There was also a DPD firehouse right on that corner, Eng 17) The back part of the factory [[newest addition) on Amsterdam is still standing, used by Wescott.

The SE corner where Dalgleish is/was located was home to a Detroit United Rwy streetcar barn before.

**Bobl** · November-21-09, 10:40 PM

Many of us can no longer buy a new car, anywhere.
Bought my last one three years ago.

**econ expat** · November-22-09, 06:34 AM

Originally Posted by Hornwrecker

The SE corner where Dalgleish is/was located was home to a Detroit United Rwy streetcar barn before.

The Dalgleish building looks to be very old. If so, I doubt it was used for a streetcar barn. The building is not as big inside as it looks from the street. And there is no way to get a streetcar up onto the 2nd and 3rd floors, unless there used to be a huge elevator, there is no car elevator there now. The ramp is somewhat narrow, steep, and has curves. Dalgleish workers had a hard time getting the old 'finned' long wheel base Caddys upstairs, as well as modern pick ups and Escalades.Sometimes took alot of stop, back up, turn, then try again maneuvers.
A former coworker of mine was so obese his shuttle ride up the ramp on the golf cart drained that battery fast- the ramp is also somewhat steep.

**Hornwrecker** · November-22-09, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by econ expat

The Dalgleish building looks to be very old. If so, I doubt it was used for a streetcar barn.

The word "was" was meant to imply before the current bldg was constructed, i.e. prior to 1922. There also was a Cadillac warehouse and garage that also was on the current bldg's footprint, so it was probably leveled in 1921 when the factory was closed.

More info on the area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Ams...toric_District