This historical video tells the story of Ionia Body, a key supplier to the Motor City—from Buick station wagon bodies to Shelby Mustangs. Here’s some fascinating auto lore, please enjoy.
If you’ve never heard of Ionia, Michigan, you can be forgiven. The town of 11,000 lies around 120 miles northwest of Detroit, hidden away in the countryside between Lansing and Grand Rapids. And unless you’re a serious gearhead, there’s a good chance you’re never heard of the city’s noteworthy industry, the Ionia Manufacturing Company.
Under a variety of names and owners, including Ypsilanti Reed, Mitchell, Mitchell-Bentley, and A.O. Smith, the Ionia works produced automobile bodies, components, and finished vehicles for virtually all the Detroit automakers. Between 1949 and 1964, all Buick station wagon bodies were made here, more than 140,000 of them, and Olds and Pontiac wagon bodies, too. Corvette and Continental Mark II bodies were also built at Ionia, and the factory also served as the final assembly plant for Shelby Mustangs from 1968 through 1970. Countless components manufactured at Ionia, before the factory was finally shuttered and demolished in 1996, included seats for World War II Jeeps and fiberglass tops for the first-generation Blazer.
This excellent documentary, produced by Vantage Point Visual in collaboration with the Ionia County Historical Society and students from the Television and Digital Media Production program at Ferris State University, tells the Ionia Body story from the point of view of the community, where the factory was once its lifeblood. It’s a classic tale of small-town America, and the city is understandably proud of the plant’s rich history. Please enjoy the video.
Most enjoyable! We all knew that Ford Motor Company was the first to produce station wagons entirely in house beginning in 1929, but how many knew that in later years the Ionia Body Company produced wagon bodies for Ford along with several other brands? Kind of impressive how the IBC evolved from making wood bodies to steel to fiberglass,
remaining in business and competitive despite changes in the the auto industry. Some rare photos in this story also. The military Jeep on the production line is a vehicle we seldom see in photos, or restored and displayed at shows, yet other than in vintage Jeep sales literature, this is the only photo I’ve seen of that particular body style – of which there are many examples of Dodges. The “coolest” picture though, has to be the bucket seat and special upholstered interior of the ’59 Buick wagon- WOW -presumably built for Mr. Mitchell, standing in the same photo.
Thanks, as always, for sharing this and all the entertaining and informative history you find and relate.
Somewhat bittersweet but enjoyable story; a true reflection of the plight of Midwest industry. The Akron connection to General Tire was a surprise. Thanks for sharing.
I was surprised to lean that not all GM cars were body by Fisher. It seems amazing that the company would send out so much of its work. And I never dreamed that Shelby Mustangs were not built by Shelby or Ford. That’s incredible! as the TV show used to say.
Again a sad story. The small town US manufacturing transferred to large factory China or Korea etc.
I had a vague idea about this plant, I knew of the woodies etc but did not realise they were still doing wagon bodies in the 70s.
Diversification was seemingly the thing that made the operation last as long but it seems that type of manufacture now has gone in the western world.
I agree. The plight of all of our small town factories being shuttered and production moved to third world countries is symbolic of the downturn our country has underwent in the last 40 years. We were once the manufacturing giant of the world, now, we have taxed and over regulated our businesses and jobs out of the country. Small factories like this were the lifeblood of our communities providing jobs for millions that now have nowhere to go, creating a dependent society for many of them, waiting on the very Government that put most of them out of business to now provide their substance. Very sad turn of events indeed.
Great video, only you left out the part about what caused it’s demise. It was sold to a conglomerate that sold off all the equipment . I heard it was one of Mitt Romney’s company’s. I worked there for 23 years , raised three wonderful children. I never found another job with as good of an income but, I have enjoyed working outdoors. There are a lot of good memories of that factory. I met my wife there and many lifelong friends. Thank-you for the memories.