The Rust Belt and the Salt Belt may sound similar, and you might even hear them used interchangeably, but they are distinct names that any automotive professional or enthusiast should know. Take a few seconds to get the real story on these terms.
In the last days of AMC, two employees brought a video camera into the Kenosha, Wisconsin plant to document the end of an era. Billy and Danny take a thorough tour of the old AMC buildings and production line, which was producing its last L-body Plymouth Horizons and Dodge Omnis, along with larger M-bodies.
This time capsule might have been lost if not for a chance encounter at an auto parts store. Video uploader Craig Strzyzewski says that he “obtained this video on a DVD given to me by friends of [Billy and Danny] when I worked in a Milwaukee auto body parts store in 2008. I had it for years, then decided to post it for history. The entire plant grounds are leveled and gone for many years and have been replaced by a marina and condos.” The tour is long, grainy, and a bit unintelligible at times, but it’s a neat look into a pivotal time in automotive history.
There’s pride in the work, too. About an hour into the video, the employees check out a quality control chart that shows Kenosha’s hourly workers outperforming two automated plants in production of L-body cars. Later, they wonder what will happen to Kenosha and where they’ll find new jobs, finally asking a few other employees for some parting words.
Although Chrysler shuttered the last of its powertrain operations in Kenosha in 2010, local residents haven’t forgotten AMC’s role in their city’s history. The Kenosha Homecoming Car Show is billed as the world’s largest gathering of AMC vehicles, and any Kenosha-made car can attend.
As for Billy and Danny? Strzyzewski comments that he was able to find them after posting the video. “Both retired with pensions, and are doing very well.”
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The Rust Belt and the Salt Belt may sound similar, and you might even hear them used interchangeably, but they are distinct names that any automotive professional or enthusiast should know. Take a few seconds to get the real story on these terms.
Auto repair pros probably know the expression “buy once, cry once,” and for some tools, techs should buy the best they can afford.
An engine exhibits a knocking noise. During a cylinder power balance test, the noise abates. Which technician has the correct diagnosis?
We’ve all heard the question that starts like this. So will you lend tools?
A playlist of videos from a recent trip to a Dorman contributor’s personal shop.
Before you toss those zip tie scraps in the trash, consider saving them for plastic repair jobs. In many cases, the plastic used in zip ties will bond with common automotive plastics with the help of a soldering iron.
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