AO Smith Ionia Guard Shack and Security Badges

[67st102]

In a separate For Sale post - there is discussion about AO Smith security badging and guard shacks.  Per posting guidelines, I am attempting to clarify a few items mentioned in that posting -  through this separate discussion.

There is a prior comment in the other posting that contains interview information that pertains to an AO Smith employee who worked out of the Milwaukee AO Smith facility - NOT - the Ionia, MI facility.  The Ionia facility was the only division that converted the Mustangs into Shelbys.  While this was occurring, this plant and facility was making a lot of other products including fiberglass parts yet for the vette (but no longer the vette bodies).  So if the facility was producing so much more than Shelby conversions, than why would the badge designate just Shelby??   I just spoke with a friend and former AO Smith engineer from that time period who stated that employees were not identified by product or product line worked on.  This was a union facility and employees could be working on Shelbys one day and working on Corvette parts another day.

There was also only ONE guard shack at the Ionia AO Smith facility and it was basic at best - and located on one of the side streets.  See the two included photos.  This guard shack was on West Main street and only some of the employees would have passed by the shack on the way to a facility entrance from this side and location of the building.  Again, only one guard shack but multiple employee entrance locations.

The Ionia, MI facility also went through a number of name changes during its existence including: Ypsilanti Reed Furniture (1913-1948)  Mitchell-Bentley Corporation (1953-1964)  Dow Smith, AO Smith, General Tire (1971- ), Gencorp (last name before the factory was torn down in 1996).  That would be another flag to me regarding the prior mentioned interview when the individual says he worked at AO Smith for 38 years.  Yes - very believable for AO Smith Milwaukee employees and not questioning that - but not as much for a an AO Smith employee of Ionia.  The AO Smith name was for a small time period and one of many names used.

This is just my opinion, but I would therefore want proof or verification from a former Ionia AO Smith employee before accepting that this is the real deal. Ionia was a really really rural town back in the AO Smith time period and not sure that the badge fits the time period and location.  My opinion only

[Side-Oilers]

If someone can prove to me that the badge I'm selling is not authentic, I will remove the ads immediately.

I bought it in good faith, circa 2013-14, and it had been discussed on the SAAC Forum at the time of that eBay auction.

At that time, no one said anything about it possibly not being the real deal. (I wouldn't have bought it.)

I'm not an authority on badges. Nor do I know as much as some of the guys on here, about the inner-workings of A. O. Smith and its employees.

Show me that it's not genuine and I will quickly, happily, withdraw it.  It can stay right where it is, in my Shelby display case.
Van

[Coralsnake]

Thanks Lowell good information. You probably could have left the keys in those cars in Ionia in 68/69 and not worried about them be stolen!

I think the company name changes and the fact they built many other things in that plant are very telling.

[shelbydoug]

Thanks Lowell good information. You probably could have left the keys in those cars in Ionia in 68/69 and not worried about them be stolen!

I think the company name changes and the fact they built many other things in that plant are very telling.

I get the idea pretty much that being flexible as to what you can do is a positive but personally but industrially being able to go from modifying production vehicles to switch into making hot water heaters is really a stretch for me and I suppose shows my limits of flexibility?

Flexible is one thing but this is more like being a xenomorph, being silly putty, and turning into a puddle on the floor? Very unexpected by me that a company could do that?

[67st102]

Hot Water heaters were an AO Smith product of Milwaukee.  I have never heard the former Ionia employees mentioning anything about hot water heater production in the Ionia plant.  Ionia's specialty was automotive related products from the Mitchell Bentley days forward and also fiberglass technology - therefore the Corvette and Shelby related production.

I can not say if the badge is authentic or not - I do not know.   If I were the individual interested in purchasing though, I would just want to do more homework to make sure what I was purchasing was in fact authentic and researching stuff like this can be really fun and lead to learning other things.  That is just me.  If it could be verified as the real deal then think how much better one might feel about the purchase vs always wondering if in fact it may be something different. 

I just wanted to maybe clarify some items from the other post and help clarify a more accurate picture of the Ionia operations from back in the day. When information and assumptions about the history of the Ionia plant get mixed up, that is what I am more passionate about.   

[propayne]

In period A.O. Smith ad that promotes different aspects of their business.

This was a two page spread that was in Fortune Magazine and attached is the left page.

FWIW I have a copy of the 1968 A.O. Smith Annual Report and there is maybe a sentence or two mentioning the Shelby contract.

- Phillip

[propayne]

Here is the right hand page.

- Phillip

[Special Ed]

We had 2 blue 60' harvestores silos assembled on our farm in 1969  made by a o smith and if i remember correctly they were about $20.000  apiece and we had to pay $ to have them taken down to save wasted tax $ on the farm since we havent had any cattle in a long time. Dad could have bought 8 new shelbys in 1969 for us 10 kids on the farm instead  imagine that!!

[430dragpack]

We had 2 blue 60' harvestores silos assembled on our farm in 1969  made by a o smith and if i remember correctly they were about $20.000  apiece and we had to pay $ to have them taken down to save wasted tax $ on the farm since we havent had any cattle in a long time. Dad could have bought 8 new shelbys in 1969 for us 10 kids on the farm instead  imagine that!!

I still have a 40' one, thought about having a big Mustang running horse emblem painted on it!

[ChicagoChris]

The good old days when America MADE things.

[WT6066-2600]

In period A.O. Smith ad that promotes different aspects of their business.

This was a two page spread that was in Fortune Magazine and attached is the left page.

FWIW I have a copy of the 1968 A.O. Smith Annual Report and there is maybe a sentence or two mentioning the Shelby contract.

- Phillip

Hey CoralSnake,

Looks like the above Fortune Magazine two page is circa 68(?) and the pictured green fastback has ten spokes on it.

Some type of promo picture and not a production car?

[Coralsnake]

Pretty sure that is the blue 1967 engineering car (67 brakes/67 ten spokes)

http://www.thecoralsnake.com/prototype.html