Former Viper plant to be history center
A 51-year-old Detroit plant, the former production home of the iconic Dodge Viper, will get a second life as a meeting and display space that will showcase Fiat Chrysler Automobile's concept and historic vehicle collection.
The move puts the company's nearly 400 concept and historic vehicle collection under one roof. The former Conner Avenue Assembly Plant has been renamed the Conner Center.
In addition, FCA announced an auction of Viper memorabilia to benefit United Way for Southeastern Michigan. More than 1,800 Viper items, including signed hoods, prints and posters, are up for bid now through April 13 online at auction.unitedwaysem.org.
FCA said the Conner Center, tucked in a Detroit neighborhood just south of the famed 8 Mile Road, will have space to exhibit 85 of the nearly 400 concept and historic vehicles that will now be stored on-site under one roof. Previously, the company's extensive collection was housed in several locations.
"With a storied history of its own, the Conner Avenue facility is an ideal location to showcase the vehicles that have sustained the company for more than 92 years," said Brandt Rosenbusch, manager, Historical Services. "We are proud of our history and have been working diligently in the daily care and restoration of these important vehicles. This move will allow us to house all of our collection under one roof and have the space to share that history with our employees."
Approximately 77,000 of the plant's nearly 400,000 square-feet of floor space will be dedicated to displaying vehicles like the 1902 Rambler, the oldest in the collection, to one of the most significant, the 1924 Chrysler Touring. Conner's administrative offices will be converted into nearly 22,000 square-feet of meeting space that can accommodate gatherings of various sizes. It is expected that the facility, built in 1966, could also open its doors to the public in the future. The building should be available for use by internal groups and departments in the second quarter of 2018.
After the company's Historical Services group selected the items that would be kept for display or archival purposes, more than 1,800 items remained, including eight signed hoods; more than 500 pieces of art, prints, signs and posters; and an assortment of Viper merchandise from key chains to apparel to coffee mugs - that are now available for auction.