An Important Packard Plant Relic Finds the Perfect Home

General Motors, Ford, and the various incarnations of the Chrysler Corp. have their historical landmarks dotting the landscape of southeast Michigan, but it's a lot harder to find evidence of the many other startup automakers from 100 years ago that didn't survive the longevity sweepstakes.

Packard, which started in Ohio in 1899, moved to Detroit 1903, and quickly cemented its place among the world's most premier brands, sadly came up short, shutting down in the 1950s. Its massive manufacturing plant on Detroit's east side now is finally being torn down after decades of ruin-porn scorn.

But part of Packard lives on 27 miles north in Shelby Township, where the Packard Proving Grounds opened in 1928 with a 2.5-mile high-speed oval and other engineering equipment to test new models before bringing them to market. Famed architect Albert Kahn designed the buildings, which had fallen into disrepair but have been fastidiously restored with donations and grants through the non-profit Packard Motor Car Foundation.

For its 96th birthday last week, the Packard Proving Grounds welcomed local cruisers for cake and ice cream, and the "tank building" (which is also undergoing some restoration) was opened so visitors could see an important piece of Packard history: The large stone entryway that employees walked through before clocking in for their shifts at the Detroit assembly plant on East Grand Boulevard.

As the assembly plant has been gradually dismantled, the stone archway was salvaged and placed in storage many years ago, with plans to reassemble it at the proving grounds. That day has finally come, as the archway has been reconstructed on the east wall inside the tank building, so called because of the World War II testing done in this sturdy, brick and steel warehouse and on the large test track and acreage out back. (All that land, except for the PPG buildings, is now residential homes.)

When the tank building is open, it's definitely worth stepping inside to see a rotating collection of pristine Packards, as well as the Miss America speedboat—powered with FOUR Packard engines—that Gar Wood piloted to a record-setting 125 mph on the Detroit River in 1932. The new archway will be cleaned up in the coming months, and the graffiti removed.

The Packard Proving Grounds were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, and the large, open reception hall is a popular venue for weddings.

This reconstructed stone archway inside the tank building at the Packard Proving Grounds dates to the early 1900s and served as the employee entrance to the Packard manufacturing plant in Detroit. The new archway will be cleaned up in the coming months, and the graffiti removed.

This seven-passenger Third Series 1925 Packard saw an increase from 54 hp to 60 hp from its inline six-cylinder engine. Nearly 16,000 were built, and this one brand new was $2,785.

These first three Packards in the tank building were featured at the recent 1931 Packard Salon, held at the Packard Proving Grounds.

1931 Packard 840 Individual Custom, owned by Dr. Mark Smucker of Goshen, Indiana.

1931 Packard 833 Custom Deluxe Sport Phaeton on loan from the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio.

1940 120 Packard four-door donated by Robert S. Powell from Jacksonville, Florida. Packard built 28,138 of these models, and this one was priced new at $1,166.

This 1947 Packard Series 2126 donated by Herbert Lasky of Ashmore, Illinois, was one of 1,554 built, sold new for $4,332, and was a top-of-the-line Henney long-wheelbase variant.

This 1937 Packard Super-8 Convertible Coupe has a 135-hp inline eight-cylinder engine connected to a three-speed manual transmission. It sold brand new for $2,830, while the average price for a Ford or Chevrolet was $750. Eight years after the Great Depression began, Packard built 122,593 vehicles in Detroit in 1937—its zenith production year.

The tank building, seen here behind the more ornate Albert Khan buildings at the Packard Proving Grounds, was built by Chrysler during World War II for tank testing.

Water tower has been restored with fresh paint.

1938 Packard 1607 Series sedan.

1938 Packard 1607 Series sedan.

William Alberton of Sunset Hills, Missouri, donated this 1956 Packard Series 5670 executive sedan that was one of 1,784 models built as Packard production was winding down for good. It sold brand new for. $3,465.

This 1954 Packard Caribbean has a color-keyed interior, power windows, power seat, and electric antenna. It was one of 400 built, sold new for $6,100, and was donated by Russ and Chris Murphy of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

1931 Packard 833 Custom Deluxe Sport Phaeton on loan from the National Packard Museum in Warren, Ohio.

The 2.5-mile test track is gone from the Packard Proving Grounds, but the observation tower remains. On June 14, 1928, after winning that year's Indianapolis 500, race car driver Leon Duray drove his Miller Special to a record lap speed of 148.7 mph at the track, with its 31-degree banked curves.

Gar Wood piloted this Miss America speedboat—powered with FOUR Packard engines—to a record-setting 125 mph on the Detroit River in 1932.

Crosscut wooden planks were laid on edge for the floor of the Packard assembly plant, to absorb motor oil and other manufacturing fluids.

The famous marketing tagline that help launch the brand.

Classic cars roll through the gates for last week's "cruise-in" and birthday party.

1954 Kaiser Darrin at the Packard Proving Grounds.

1954 Kaiser Darrin with its ingenious doors that slid forward into the front fenders.

1954 Kaiser Darrin.

1963 Ford Falcon.

1927 Essex Super Six in great condition.

1927 Essex Super Six with oak rims.

1927 Essex Super Six runs smooth with its straight six-cylinder engine.

1939 Chevrolet.

Every car show needs a VW bus.

1955 Mercury Montclair, with the tank building in the background at the Packard Proving Grounds.