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The History of the Delco-Remy Division (DR)
Keeping the Memory
Alive!
Start it, Light it,
Ignite it! (SLI)
This is
a history of the former and great component Delco-Remy Division of
General Motors that supplied electrical equipment for millions of its
vehicles up until 1994. For these cars and trucks, this began with
making sure the vehicle was in Park or Neutral, because if not the DR
Neutral Start Backup Switch (NSBU) would not let the vehicle start.
With that requirement met, the Delco Battery that when activated by DR
ignition switch pulled in a DR solenoid that energized a DR starting
motor to start the engine. To supply high tension to the spark plugs
a distributor with condenser and coil or later a High Energy Ignition
(HEI) would supply up to 20,000 volts. Once the vehicle got
going, the Delco-Remy alternator, known for a long time as a
Delcotron, would charge the Delco Battery and supply electrical power
different electrical components. If someone got in your way you
honked your Delco-Remy horn which was activated by a DR horn relay. When it was dark you turned on your
headlights and if necessary the upper beams with DR switches.
When it rained a Delco-Remy wiper switch would activate the windshield
wipers. If you needed to cool down or warm up and turned on the A/C or
heat a DR vacuum actuated controller in the system would open and
close the necessary vents to get the conditioned air to you. These are just
a few of the multitude of electrical components made by the
former Delco-Remy over its 98 year history.
Ted Vinson,
Delco-Remy Historian Emeritus, has just published "The Delco-Remy Story
1896-1994". This
limited edition book on DR is available at:
madisonchs@sbcglobal.net, or by calling (765)683-0052, or by mailing to,
P. O. Box 696, Anderson, IN 46015-0696 for $40.00. It is unknown
the shipping costs.
This book by Ted Vinson fills a void in the history of Delco-Remy in
that Ted has been able to provide facts and inside information that he
acquired during his 41year tenure at DR. The book is written in a
narrative fashion that includes an in-depth look at the Remy family,
along with added information on the early products and plants and
various events over the 98 years DR was in existence. Ted also
delves into the success of Delco-Remy and its eventual downfall, which
in my estimation pretty much hits the nail on the head. I totally
recommend one purchase a copy of this limited edition history on what
was at one time the premier components division of GM while they are
still available.
David D
Jackson 1-6-2012
Major revisions
added October 16, 2011: See
the Revision page for details.
Editor's
Note: This total website is estimated to be 30%
complete even after 19 months of work on it. The more I add, the
more I find to be added. New items and information will continue
to be posted as it becomes available and there is time
to update and add various pages.
Please check back for new information. David D Jackson 10-16-2011
The Plant One or Columbus Avenue Complex with
Plants 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 15 and 16 circa 1973. Today only Plant 15 and 16
survive. Plant 15 is now owned by S&S Steel. Plant 16 remains empty
and like most of the former GM property in town, is owned by the city of
Anderson. The Plant 1, 2, and 4 areas are now soccer fields.
Note in this photo that the color of the brick shows up in two shades of
red on the front of Plant One. The more brownish toned brick is part of the original 1919 construction and the red tint is from
the 1929 addition.
The Acre with Plants 3, 7, 10, 11, 17, 18, 19,
20 and water treatment plant circa 1973. Today only Plants 18, 19 and 20 still
exist. Plant 20 remains forlornly vacant behind a deteriorating
fence, while the west end of Plant 19 burned in a arson fire several years
ago after being purchased by AMACOR, a magnesium recycling facility.
Magnesium makes for one intense fire! Plant 18 after being vacant
since 2003 was purchased in 2008 by Hy-Tech Machining of Anderson for
$425,000, which also included 22 acres of land. Hy-Tech's original
intent was to utilize the lab area for its operations and tear down the
three story building. However, in early 2010 Families Forever began operating in the front through the old Plant 18 lobby entrance.
It took considerable time for me to get used to not seeing Plant 11 as I
drove south on Scatterfield Road across the railroad tracks. It
always dominated the west side of the road across from Plant 18.
When these two photos were taken in 1973
around 16,000 persons were employed by the by Delco-Remy in Anderson, or
at least that was the number I remember being stated at the time.
This corresponds with the Delco-Remy published number of 17,431 that
were employed at DR Anderson in 1965. It is hard to see in the
photos but the parking lots are filled with for the most part General
Motors cars, trucks, and vans. (The painted van craze was going on
at the time.) While it is our intent not to go into the reasons for
the demise of DR and GM, I have always wondered if the powers to be at GM
have ever realized that it had a huge built-in market for its vehicles in
the component divisions in Anderson, and Kokomo, IN; Dayton and Warren,
OH; Flint and Saginaw, MI; Rochester and Lockport, NY along with several
other locations. Employees in many cases were buying new GM cars
every year if not every couple of years creating a large market for its
vehicles. When GM decided it no longer needed the component
divisions through-out the Midwest, then the former employees and those
that would never be hired because those jobs did not exist anymore had no further need to
purchase GM vehicles. Just one of many reasons GM went bankrupt in
2009.
Website last updated
4-27-2012. |