GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

[Dino L.]

Did anyone on the discussion board work downtown Detroit at HQ? The reason I ask, what dealer was used to place new corvette car orders for HQ employees if you worked at the headquarters? I am looking for dealerships that were around the corner from HQ....My car was ordered from Taylor Dawson Chevrolet which was on 9711 Grand river Ave...this is about 10 minutes from the old GM HQ building.....

[Tom H.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I am not sure exactly where Duntov's office was, but I know the 72 Chevelle I have was puchased new by him at Penske in Southfield, MI.

I would think employees could order or buy a car from any dealer they chose.

[William C.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

That is correct for Purchases of cars under the Class "A" plan, However there were a couple of other avenues, one being fleet purchases for the general fleet(s) and purchases via different departments (engineering etc) for vehicles to be used by those groups. There may be more, but the bottom line is there was no "one" buyer for all of Chevrolet if you look at all the various means for a car to have arrived in company service, or to have been owned by an employee.

[Dino L.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I spoke today with an old time Detroiter and he told me that in the 50's and 60's that Grand River Ave and Livernois was the area in Detroit where there was a concentration of car dealers...however post Detroit riots in 1967 most of them had closed and moved to the burbs.....anyone remember Dawson Taylor Chevrolet....this dealership was very close to the Fischer bldg and GM HQ?

[Ronald L.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I would 'guess' the Mr Duntov worked most of the time at Chevrolet Engineering at the GM tech center in Warren. For sure a trip to the old GM HQ building occured from time to time.

GM executives drove cars that were ordered internally, but when owner ship transferred from GM to the individual, a dealer transfer was required.

Anyone could have ordered the car from that dealer.

Do web search to get an idea...here is one:

http://www.detroitmemories.com/DMProject/dealerships.html

[Steven B.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I spoke today with an old time Detroiter and he told me that in the 50's and 60's that Grand River Ave and Livernois was the area in Detroit where there was a concentration of car dealers...however post Detroit riots in 1967 most of them had closed and moved to the burbs.....anyone remember Dawson Taylor Chevrolet....this dealership was very close to the Fischer bldg and GM HQ?

I remember Dawson-Taylor. I used to go to Detroit with buddies to look at cars, especially Corvettes, in the 60's. IIRC D-T sponsored a Corvette club at one time.

Steve

[Herbert H.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I am an old time Detroiter. Where was Dawson-Taylor? Woodward or Grand River. I use to buy a lot of Chevy parts at the dealer on 7Mile near Hubbell. Anybody recall the name of that dealer? Was that Hanley-Dawson?

Herb Harlton

[Scott S.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

My 1966 427/425 came from Hanley Dawson on 7 mile Road, Detroit on April 26, 1966.
4.11 posi non radio Street Racer. Delivered only weeks before the "Black Day in July" race riots.
Scott

[John D.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I would 'guess' the Mr Duntov worked most of the time at Chevrolet Engineering at the GM tech center in Warren. For sure a trip to the old GM HQ building occured from time to time

I would imagine he also spent a lot of time at the Milford Proving Grounds...Southfield is almost in between the two..

[Ronald L.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

Later on he moved to the east side. For sure he got out there to play, but being the Chief Engineer meant you had to reign in all the engineers, body, engine, etc and deal with the staff stuff, let alone co. politics.

[Bill M.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

My 1966 427/425 came from Hanley Dawson on 7 mile Road, Detroit on April 26, 1966.
4.11 posi non radio Street Racer. Delivered only weeks before the "Black Day in July" race riots.
Scott

The 1967 Detroit riot was a civil disturbance in Detroit, Michigan, that began in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 23, 1967.

[George J.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

I am an old time Detroiter. Where was Dawson-Taylor? Woodward or Grand River. I use to buy a lot of Chevy parts at the dealer on 7Mile near Hubbell. Anybody recall the name of that dealer? Was that Hanley-Dawson?

Herb Harlton

Herb,
Dawson Taylor was on Grand River, just northwest of Olympia by a few blocks. I posted some information in the Dealer Info section. I have had contact with Dawson's son, and my father knew Dawson, himself, but only in a casual way. Dawson Taylor was the Corvette dealer in the day. Supposedly the DeLorenzo L88 was also delivered there. According to his son, they constructed a separate showroom for Corvettes, it was that lucrative for them.
I am trying to piece together information to try and find my car's original owner, so if you have more information, please let me know. Mine is a '65 fuel injected car.

George
31887

[George J.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

My 1966 427/425 came from Hanley Dawson on 7 mile Road, Detroit on April 26, 1966.
4.11 posi non radio Street Racer. Delivered only weeks before the "Black Day in July" race riots.
Scott

Scott,
do you know your car's original owner? He may have known my car, since it was a small community, back then.

George
31887

[Dick W.]

Re: GM or Chevy Headquarters in Detroit 60's

The 1967 Detroit riot was a civil disturbance in Detroit, Michigan, that began in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 23, 1967.

Some night! I was a couple of blocks from where it started delivering chicken to the old Standard Poultry Co. Got outta there before it became the big mess it turned in to.