Owosso book on 1950's era Woody Station Wagons by Buick, Mercury, Dodge and Packard

Michigan's Station Wagon King - The Don R. Mitchell story by author Don Nemets. This 148 page paperback book outlines the history of the life of the highly successful Corunna, Michigan businessman, Don R. Mitchell. As the uncrowned "King" of station wagons, Don produced and provided vehicle bodies for most major American car manufacturers of the 1950's.
Included in the book is information about the Mitchell Packard Panther, a prototype two door convertible of which only 4 were hand built. Mitchell also built the following bodies: PRODUCTION ESTIMATES

Ionia and Owosso Plants

1938 and 1939.....15 prototype station wagon bodies built

1942.....327 wooden station wagon bodies built for Buick

1946....2,500 station wagon bodies built for Pontiac

1946.....900 station wagon bodies built for Chevrolet

Oct. 1 to 6, 1946....."Ionia Body" on display at General Motors building Detroit

1947.....554 station wagon bodies built for Chevrolet

1946 through 1948....18,791 station wagon bodies built for Pontiac

1949 through 1953....12,791 station wagon bodies built for Buick

1950......Glaspar...fiberglass....predecessor to the Chevrolet Corvette

1953....last year for wood trimmed station wagon bodies

1953....first to put gold plated trim on cars...Kaiser Golden Dragon

1953.....Bamboo vinyl tops....Kaiser Dragon

1953.....503 Nash-Healey - some body parts

1954.....Dodge Granada concept car....first all fiberglass car

1954.....Packard "Mitchell Panther"...4 concept cars built

1954......8,000 bucket seats sold to Dodge truck (first bucket seats in trucks)

1954 through 1964......139,344 all metal station wagon bodies built for Buick

1957 through 1964......143,696 all metal station wagon bodies built for Olsmobile

1955 through 1958.......83,335 all metal station wagonbodies built for Mercury

1955 through 1957.......Owosso plant builds Continental Mark II bodies

1959 Edsel trim

1959 through 1964....all Corvette bodies

Copies are available from Don Nemets 2061 E. Corunna Ave. Owosso, MI 48867 USA for $28 includes shipping to U.S. address.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• dodge
• buick
• mercury
• packard
• stationwagon
• wagon
• automobile
• bodies
• car
• corvette
• lincoln
• ionia
• owosso
• michigan
• mitchell