Creative Industries building as it looks today

[Ghoste]

I was in the Detroit area last weekend so I thought I'd go by the address that Doug had kindly provided for the location of Creative Industries in 1969.  I have been past this building hundreds of times and I never even knew what it was.  It's very close to where Mancini Racing is located and even closer to where Gratiot Auto Supply was back when they were still around.

[Ghoste]

Another.

[Ghoste]

Coming to the back of the building. (sorry to post these all separate but I can't seem to make the multiple post feature work properly)

[Ghoste]

The back lot from the other side.

[Ghoste]

Last one.  I took quite a few more and some of the neighborhood but I think you get the idea.

[Brock Samson]

Thanks! those are great shots, what would be nice is to also see the old time back in the day shots too...
i can't get multiple shots to appear on a single post either,..  but that don't stop Chris G from bustin my balls about it. 
   

[Ghoste]

There are some pics of it back in the day on the site here someplace.   The car hauler thread in this forum I believe and another thread I can't recall.
Chris busts everyones balls.  I think it's a 70 thing. 

[hemigeno]

Great shots, Ghoste!  Thanks for posting them...

Are you guys clicking on the "more attachments" to open up additional attachment boxes?  I haven't ever had any problems posting multiple pictures that way.

[Ghoste]

Yeah, I am.  Sometimes it works, but most of the time it seems to kick out on me whenever I try it.  A lot of times I have to run preview before I can post as well or it kicks out too.  A glitch on my end I'm sure of it.
There are a bunch of those sort of buildings in the Detroit area but this one really shocked me just for the sheer number of times I had been past it. 

[Chris G.]

Chris busts everyones balls.  I think it's a 70 thing. 

How dare you. I know for a fact Brock can add multiple pics to his posts. He's just trying to catch your post count, let's just lay it on the table.  Although I do agree with Brock in saying it would be cool to see the pics side by side with the old ones.

ps- Here's your pics in the same post and the same size. 

[Ghoste]

Thanks Chris, now if you could just get my computer to allow the multiple pic thing, I'd be all set.

[Brock Samson]

No Chris,.  fact is I'm just incontinent.. 

[mikepmcs]

You might want to have that checked Dave.

[BigBlockSam]

looks like a big bakery . that's here by me.

[Chris G.]

Thanks Chris, now if you could just get my computer to allow the multiple pic thing, I'd be all set.

Send me your address, and I can be there within the hour. 

ps- Brock, seek medical attention my friend. 

[Fitz73Chrgr]

What was Creative Industries?  I'm guessing the company that did Daytona/Superbird conversions for Chrysler?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

See the below pic to add more than one attachment in a post.....click it up to 3 times to add 4 pics per post max,........

[daytonalo]

I thought I was the only one who rode the short bus !!!!!!!!!!! Welcome to the club !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mikepmcs]

What was Creative Industries?  I'm guessing the company that did Daytona/Superbird conversions for Chrysler?

Yes, I believe so.

[Ghoste]

Yes, Creative was the subcontractor who did the Daytona conversions for Dodge.  As for the more attachments option, I know how to do it, what I am saying is that when I try to use that option, my computer won't accept the option.  When I try to us it, as soon as I hit post, it will think about it for a while, then it comes back and basically tells me to go screw myself.  It doesn't happen ever time, but enough that I've given up and just send pics one at a time now.  For the number of pics I submit, it's only been a small inconvenience.

[BigBlockSam]

i hate it when that happens 

[69_500]

wow did you do the photoshop on that photo yourself there Chris? That looks like something I'd draw. And I don't even make good stick figures.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Ill take full credit for it

[Chris G.]

Ill take full credit for it

I can see Larry coming to pick you up from here. 

[69_500]

Gotta give credit where credit is due right.

If I had done that, you wouldnt have been able to tell those were arrows.

[Charger_Fan]

Ill take full credit for it

I can see Larry coming to pick you up from here. 

Being the flamboyant guy that Larry strikes me as, I bet his version of the short bus is similar to this.




Cool pics Ghoste, even if the were in separate posts.
Is that fenced area large enough to be the same as this pic, or is this a different holding area?

[mikepmcs]

WOW!!! Now, that is MINTY!!!

I'd like to have a driveway like that!!!

[nh_mopar_fan]

Didn't Creative do the Aspen Super Coupe and Volare kit cars as well?

[Ghoste]

It might be big enough (just) to cram those in there but if those two pics are of the back lot at Creative, they had them stuffed in there tight, tight, tight. 

[69_500]

They appear to be so close to each other that they would have had to DOH it out the windows. Not a whole lot of room to open doors on those.

[Ghoste]

What's a few door dings in a  rush job?

[Charger Aficionado]

It might be big enough (just) to cram those in there but if those two pics are of the back lot at Creative, they had them stuffed in there tight, tight, tight. 

I bet it was at the factory...  (the photos)...  Maybe when they did the count of 500 peices?  (Had them all together... 

[daytonalo]

Thanks , but it was a normal short bus !!!!!!!!!!

[hemigeno]

It might be big enough (just) to cram those in there but if those two pics are of the back lot at Creative, they had them stuffed in there tight, tight, tight. 

I bet it was at the factory...  (the photos)...  Maybe when they did the count of 500 peices?  (Had them all together... 

While that sounds plausible, I don't think that all 500 cars were ever together at one time, or even taken back to Hamtramck after the conversion was complete.  From all indications, the cars were shipped out directly from Creative Industries to the respective selling dealers.  On top of that, the first batch of cars shipped out in mid-August, and I personally don't think all the conversions were done by then.  The goal was to start converting the cars around June 1st, but I suspect they were a little behind schedule and didn't start to go full bore until a few days or weeks later.  Maybe someone else knows about how many cars per day they were able to get done, but it wasn't that many.  I'd wager that they were still converting cars right up until the last shipment went out just a few days before the September 13th Talladega race weekend started.  Otherwise, why would they have pushed everything down to the wire like that?

Creative's lot didn't have to be big enough to hold all 500 cars at one time, since the unconverted cars that wouldn't fit on their lot could have been shipped to Creative on an as-needed basis once the dealer shipments started.  That's all just my educated guess, though.  Also... to my knowledge there was never a physical count made of the cars themselves.

I'm pretty confident that the Daytonas-on-the-lot pictures were taken at Creative Industries, but no one can say with 100% certainty (even the aerowarriors.com page where those pictures came from couches it as "likely").  Someone standing on the roof of Creative's building could easily have taken those shots, and it makes the most sense by far.

[Ghoste]

Not to mention that I thought I read something once about bringing cars through the building more than once so the NASCAR inspector counted them twice?  Or is that just urban legend?
Creative was close enough to the Hamtramck assembly plant that it would have been easy to bring some over as needed and that would also provide empty trailers for outgoing shipments.  Only one possibility of many though.  Who knows?
There aren't that many cars in those pics, about 30 if you total both together.  You can cram 30 cars into a fairly small space if you need to.

[Ghoste]

I'm going to be going by there again in a couple of weeks so I'm going to make a point of getting some pics of the lot with something in there to provide a size comparison.

[DoubleDlover]

Well. If you look at the one charger about in the middle of the pics. You can see that the rear plug has just been installed and filler or primer still incircles it. Hasant been painted or wing installed yet. So. I dont think the factory would need that car back untill it was finished. And im sure it didnt get dane at the factory. So. Its probably at creative...

[Aero426]

It might be big enough (just) to cram those in there but if those two pics are of the back lot at Creative, they had them stuffed in there tight, tight, tight. 

I bet it was at the factory...  (the photos)...  Maybe when they did the count of 500 peices?  (Had them all together... 

There is nothing to suggest that the  photos were taken anywhere other than the roof at Creative.   It's obvious given the layout of the yard, and the hauler photos around the front side THAT WE KNOW were taken there.    It just makes sense.   Actually, if you look at the negative numbers on the original photos, I will bet the cars in the back and the haulers in the front are probably all out of the same sequence.   Those photos even if they were not published as press photos are typically marked on the back with a factory ID number. 

As mentioned, nobody has ever said that all the cars were present at one time to be counted.   There was really no reason to do this.     The car counts were more likely certified off paper lists sent to ACCUS,  the Automobile Competition Committee of the United States.   ACCUS handled the certification for all the sanctioning bodies whether it be USAC, NASCAR, ARCA, etc.   NASCAR relied on what ACCUS came up with.   Is it possible that a representative would visit Creative to see progress?  Yes.    Could NASCAR cross check the serial number list by randomly checking with dealers to see if the cars were really in stock?  Yes. 

[hemi-hampton]

Ghoste, So where in Detroit is this place, I live in Detroit, Know most of Detroit & even worked at Creative Industries (the Newer version known as Masco-tech, now MSX) at Lynch road & Mt. Elliot in Detroit Making Vipers & Prowlers, ect, ect But I still dont know where this place is? Let me know, I wonder how many times I drove by it & didn't even know it?  LEON.

[Ghoste]

On 10 Mile between 94 and Gratiot.  It's on the left side about halfway between the two as you are driving from the offramp to Gratiot.  I think Brittany is the side street?

[DC_1]

I love those old photos of the Daytonas and 500s in the lot. These are another fav pic of mine.

[hemi-hampton]

Ghoste, That sure is a real Coincedence, I work exactly a 1/2 mile away from there now, At a bodyshop on 9 1/2 mile (stephens) near Brittany. I'll check it out on my lunch break tomorrow with it being that close. I noticed that Brittany sign in your Picture & thought maybe by me but you saying near Mancini threw me off since thats about 8 miles north west of there in different city. LEON.

[Ghoste]

Yeah, but I live 50 miles away and that is the route I take to Mancinis so for me, it's right around the corner. 

[hemi-hampton]

Drove by there on Lunch break, Trying to imagine the back lot full of Daytona's. Sure wish I could time warp back. LEON.

[daytonalo]

WE CAN WORK THAT OUT FOR YOU !!!!!ACID OR MUSHROOMS !!!!!!!!!!

[Ghoste]

Imagine trying to park a loader out in front on Ten Mile today and get a bunch of those wild looking cars loaded up! 

[hemi-hampton]

Neither, How about Mescaline. Ghoste, I'm sure Traffic is much heavier nowadays plus it's like 4 lanes wide now. Bet it was only 2 before. LEON.

[Ghoste]

Well, I was only 7 in 1969 but I do recall it being less travelled.   I have family in Ferndale and Royal Oak so back in the day, when we were over for a visit, it wasn't uncommon for my dad to take me over for a quick stop at that now defunct but once famous speed shop on Gratiot.

[hemi-hampton]

Do you remember Custom Speed Interprise on Gratiot way back in the early 80's? LEON.

[tan top]

been checking you pictures  , intresting stuff  thanks for posting (ghoste)