Have you ever wondered just how your 65 Oldsmobile was assembled?  Ever wished you could have watched your Oldsmobile as it was being built?  Well, settle in we take a trip back in time to Lansing Michigan circa 1965 and visit the home plant of Oldsmobile.  These photos came from a booklet that was given to people that took a tour of the plants.  Needless to say this booklet is very rare and almost non-existant.

This is a photo of the Lansing assembly plant,  which at the time made F85/Cutlasses and full size Oldsmobiles.  As does Oldsmobile, the plant no longer exists.

First stop, the Rocket Engine Plant.  In the first photo you see the new Oldsmobile V-8.  Note the overhead conveyor used the loop on the intake to lift the engine.  At this point the engine has already been painted bronze, as the plug wires have been put on.  The starter, distributor, lower alternator mount and by-pass were installed before the paint process, so they got oversprayed as a result.

The photos used from the machining area were of the old style Olds engine, the 394.  But I imagine the process was the same for the new engine.

Valve assembly for the heads

Crankshaft balancing

Final test area.  Engines being broken in at 2,000 rpm for 13 minutes

Next up was the stamping plant, where the sheet metal body parts were produced

Hoods being stamped

Sheet metal finishing dept.

Fenders and hoods were loaded, unpainted, onto rail cars and shipped to their final assembly plants.  From the text all Olds sheet metal was stamped in Lansing.

Gas tanks were stamped also.  This was the dunk tank that checked for leaks.

Bumper Plant This was a press that stamped the bumpers out

Final Assembly Plant

According to the booklet, the frames were mounted upside down on a conveyor while the front and rear suspenions were installed.  The workers in the photo below are hanging the rear end.

Bolting the transmission to the engine

Bolting the engine to the frame

This worker is gave the front and rear suspension, the driveshaft, and the transmission a "durable and protective coating".  The water fall in the background kept the air clear of fumes.

Paint control room

Paint mixing room

Olds had a 202 foot long paint booth where the body parts were painted.  Workers sprayed paint without masks, suits, or gloves

Heated tunnel baked paint to a shine in a matter of minutes.  This photo was faked, because the car is already assembled.

Front clip was assembled on a circular conveyor

Then lowered from above to the now mated frame and body

Test Rollers.  This was used to simulate highway driving and test engine operation.

End of the line