FCA US is to convert the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant, last used to build the Dodge Viper, into an internal meeting and display space that will house the automaker's concept and historic vehicle collection.
Renamed Conner Center, the former factory, in a Detroit neighbourhood just south of 8 Mile Road, will have space to exhibit 85 of the nearly 400 concept and historic vehicles that will now be stored onsite under one roof. Previously, the extensive collection was housed in several locations.
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"With a storied history of its own, the Conner Avenue facility is an ideal location to showcase the vehicles that have sustained the company for more than 92 years," said Brandt Rosenbusch, FCA's manager, historical services.
"We are proud of our history and have been working diligently in the daily care and restoration of these important vehicles. This move will allow us to house all of our collection under one roof and have the space to share that history with our employees."
Approximately 77,000 of the plant's nearly 400,000 square feet of floor space will be dedicated to displaying vehicles like the 1902 Rambler, the oldest in the collection, to one of the most significant, the 1924 Chrysler Touring. Conner's administrative offices will be converted into nearly 22,000 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate gatherings of various sizes. It is expected that the facility, built in 1966, could also open its doors to the public in the future. The building should be available for use by internal groups and departments in the second quarter of 2018.
Production of the Viper ended on 31 August, 2017, and with that, the decommissioning of the plant began. As the assembly line was dismantled, office furniture removed and rooms cleaned out in preparation to repurpose the facility into meeting and display space, hundreds of pieces of Viper memorabilia, as well as a few items related to the Plymouth Prowler, were identified and salvaged. The decision was made to auction these items off to benefit the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.
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By GlobalData"We found things like signed sketches, photos and posters, not to mention all of the items that were part of the operations of the plant," said Mike Tonietto, former Conner Avenue assembly plant manager and auction coordinator.
"As more and more items were discovered, the question became what do we do with them. Rather than store them somewhere where they would never be seen or, worse yet, disposed of, we decided to auction them off.
"We know there are lots of Viper – and a few Prowler – owners, fans and even employees around the world who will want to own a piece of automotive history," said Tonietto.
"This is a great way to share some one of a kind pieces involving these iconic vehicles while at the same time supporting an organisation that does so much good in the community."
Around 1,800 items – including eight signed hoods; more than 500 pieces of art, prints, signage and posters; and an assortment of Viper merchandise from key chains to apparel to coffee mugs – will be available for auction.
One of the many available pieces of art is a sketch of the Viper GTS with portraits of the three former Chrysler executives responsible for its development – Bob Lutz, president and CEO; Tom Gale, vice president – product design and international operations; and Francois Castaing, vice president – vehicle engineering and general manager of powertrain operations.
