2815 Recent purcahse of a mark ii have a few questions

[Roger Zimmermann]

So, I called Lowell Domholdt ....and had never heard the term "bodies in white".

The term "body in white" is usual in vehicle manufacturing. This is a complete body, sealed and primed but unpainted.

[Pat Marshall]

I've been going back through the Forum and have found "bodies in white" mentioned several times, including in threads that I have made postings. DOH!

I could not find the picture that Barry referenced nor the name of a 2nd body manufacturer.

Barry, I would like to take you up on your offer to visit the archives. Lowell isn't going to be able to make that trip in the forseeable future. Possibly You and I can set something up after the spring thaw?

Travelling to Detroit on route US 23 and I-75 can be pretty ferocious this time of year.

[Barry Wolk]

That's why they make airplanes.

[Barry Wolk]

I did a little research and I think they may have been made at the Ionia Mfg. plant before it burned and was replaced with the plant next door that built the rest of the Mark IIs. Coachbuilt.com says that the company was acquired in '53 by M-B, but that doesn't jibe with the production dates.

I'm beginning to remember more about the letter. It spoke of being very concerned that the smaller firm wouldn't be able to keep up with production as they had already lagged in delivery. I seem to distinctly remember that there was a complaint about a car that had one door an inch longer than the other.

I'm wondering if M-B made the prototypes with Continental's dies and then got them back. Possibly they shopped for a builder and got a better price than M-B and let the initial production contract to them, but pulled it when they didn't perform and transferred the dies back to M-B.

I just recently read that there was a die material change that saved them $600 a car. This may have been the turning point.

[Pat Marshall]

Check out the history for 2289 owned by Don Mitchell pres of Mitchell Bentley. There's a story about the company and the mark II

[Barry Wolk]

Does anyone here remember the story about 3 bodies being left over at M-B?

[Barry Wolk]

Someone just posted this on the H.A.M.B. in response to my request for body info. These were wood body bucks.

Looks like they miniaturized Roger next to his wood model.

[Shawn Newcomb]

Only from a mention in one of your old posts on the subject.