Flint Wagon Works of Flint, Michigan, manufactured wagons from the early 1880s. One of the world's most successful horse-drawn vehicle makers they formed with their Flint neighbors a core of the American automobile industry. In 1905 Flint was promoting itself as Flint the Vehicle City. The former site is now located in the neighborhood of Flint known as "Carriagetown".
Flint Wagon Works brought the automotive industry to Flint by buying David Dunbar Buick's Detroit business and moving it to Flint.
Overburdened with debt and litigation Flint Wagon Works shareholders sold their business to William C. Durant as of October 12, 1911. Durant took the useful parts of the business and began to manufacture Little automobiles. Sales were hindered by poor quality product and their unappealing brandname and Durant put Little into Chevrolet in 1913. After GM assumed operations, it became the manufacturing location of what later became Chevrolet Flint Manufacturing.
Founding
Wagons — Flint's Big Three
Their business became the second of Flint's "Big Three" wagon builders following William A. Paterson's founded by Paterson in 1869. The third new business was founded in the mid 1880s, William C. Durant's Flint Road Cart Company later renamed Durant-Dort Carriage Company.[3] Their main competitor was the South Bend, Indiana, Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company.[2] The following numbers were reported in April 1904:
- Flint Wagon Works capacity not reported but output was reported to be wagons 75 percent and farm wagons 25 percent
- William A. Paterson reported capacity 30,000 vehicles annually, current output 75 percent carriages and 25 percent spring wagons
- Durant-Dort Carriage Company reported capacity 70,000 vehicles annually, current output types not disclosed)[4]
Automobiles
Buick
Believing buyers of their farm wagons would be interested in buying many more Buick stationary engines[5] Flint Wagon Works bought existing supplier David Buick's business, Buick Motor Company, in September 1903 for its stationary and marine engines and its plans to manufacture automobile motors and transmissions.[6] Flint Wagon Works built a suitable new building on the opposite side of West Kearsley Street. Some cars were built with these engines and sold with the brand name Whiting-Buick (after chairman James H Whiting). The first production Buick cars were built in that building in 1904.[3] Flint Wagon Works dissolved the old Buick Motor Company and incorporated a wholly new entity, The Buick Motor Company, on January 29, 1904. Its initial capital stock of $37,500 in shares of $10 each was owned by: David Buick, 1,500; James H. Whiting 610 (and 978 as trustee = 1,588); George L. Walker 590; and William S. Ballenger 72. James H Whiting to be manager. Reported as 40 percent to David Buick and 60 percent to Flint Wagon Works stockholders.
Terminal difficulties
Flint Wagon Works was in severe financial difficulties by the beginning of 1911. Some months following that offer Durant paid them just $10 and bought Flint Wagon Works from its shareholders along with all its assets and liabilities. Wagon manufacture continued.
Spin-offs
Little Motor Car Company
Durant used those assets of Flint Wagon Works that were still useful to manufacture Little cars. William H. Little's Little Motor Car Company was incorporated on October 19, 1911, by Charles M. Begole, William S. Ballenger Sr, William H. Little (1876-1922), and Durant with a capital of $1,200,000. A.B.C. (Alexander Brownell Cullen) Hardy (1869-1946) was appointed to manage the Little plant.
The same week Durant's other project, Chevrolet Motor Co of Detroit was incorporated with $100,000 capital stock. Its incorporators were: Louis Chevrolet, William H Little and Durant's business confidant and son-in-law, Dr Edwin R Campbell.[11]
See also
- Flint Automobile Company
References
- Chevy in the Hole Before Chevrolet Buick Factory History, November 25, 2012^
- George Humphrey Maines, ''Men ... a city ... and Buick ..., 1903-1953''^
- Flint, 1890-1960, Genesee County Historical Society. Publisher: Arcadia, Charleston, SC 2004. ISBN 0738532452 9780738532455^