This little film provides a great look inside the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Michigan and the science of vehicle testing in the 1950s. Lots of priceless gearhead stuff here, don’t miss it.
Located 60 miles west of Detroit, Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Grounds (CPG) is one of the most comprehensive automotive test facilities in the world. This short newsreel, produced while the facility was still under construction in 1952-54, provides a priceless glimpse inside.
With more than 3800 acres and over 100 miles of roadway within its fences, CPG offers every type of surface imaginable. However, the one that captures the imagination of enthusiasts is the 4.7-mile High Speed Oval with 35-degree banking. Repaved a few years ago, the big track has seen its share of race cars over the years, including hemi-powered Indy roadsters and the NASCAR winged aero warriors.
The video also provides some fascinating details on vehicle testing circa 1953. At around 1:40 we get a look at the big engineering garage, still in use, and at around 2:24, check out the neat handbuilt rig for measuring steering wheel effort. The engineers and technicians working back then would say we sure have life easy today, and they would be right.
Due to all the secretive operations going on there, CPG is not open to the public, naturally, and civilians are seldom invited inside. However, this video is the nest best thing to being there.
Great Film Have driven on that track with my 56 Chrysler 300B I was there with the 300 Club many years ago Mid 1970. that was a wonderful weekend!
That’s cool. You have the memories, do you still have the car? ; ]
Old films like this are great. This was made ten or eleven years before I was born, but my lifelong fascination with that era makes me feel as if I were there. I can see my grandfather dressed just like the guy on the phone calling in for a tire change. Ha! I think that the ‘homemade’ power steering wheel tester resembles a clutch plate. Cool stuff. ; ]