History of AM General.


(1)1903 - Standard Wheel Company, Terre Haute, Indiana, expanded its bicycle operation to include the overland Automotive Division to manufacture motor vehicles. The Overland "Runabout" was introduced.

(2)1908 - John North Willys purchased the Overland Automotive Company, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pope-Toledo automobile manufacturing plant was purchased and all automotive operations were moved to Toledo, Ohio.

(3)1912 - Willys-Overland Company was formed, producing the famous Willys-Knight series of vehicles and later the "Whippet.,,

(4)1936 - Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. was formed as a result of a Depression-era bankruptcy reorganization.

(5)April 1953 - Willys-Overland Motors, Inc. (facilities, plants and other physical assets) was purchased by Henry J. Kaiser interests, and Willys Motors, Inc. was formed.

(6)March 1963 - Willys Motors, Inc. name was changed to Kaiser-Jeep Corporation.

(7)March 3. 1964 - As the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana went out of business, Kaiser-Jeep entered into a novation agreement with Studebaker to assume a contract for the manufacture of military trucks. The Chippewa Avenue Studebaker Plant was purchased.

(8)February 5. 1970 - Kaiser-Jeep Corporation was purchased by American Motors Corporation.

(9)March 26, 1970 - KAiser-Jeep Corporation name was changed to Jeep Corporation. Jeep Corporation operated a Commercial Products Division with facilities at Toledo, Ohio, and a General Products Division with facilities at South Bend, Mishawaka and Indianapolis, Indiana.

(10)May 14, 1970 - Jeep Corporation General Products Division corporate offices were moved from Toledo, Ohio to Wayne, Michigan.

(11)March 31, 1971 - Jeep Corporation General Products Division facilities and business were spun off and a separate wholly-owned subsidiary of American Motors was formed and named AM General Corporation.

(12)February 23, 1979 - AM General Corporation corporate offices were moved from Wayne to Detroit (American Motors AMTEK Building).

(13)September 20, 1983 - AM General Corporation was sold by American Motors to The LTV Corporation, becoming a subsidiary of LTV Aerospace and Defense Company and doing business as LTV Aerospace & Defense Company, AM General Division.

(14)August 20, 1984 - AM General Division corporate offices were moved from the American Motors AMTEK Building to new facilities off Plymouth Road in Livonia, Michigan.

(15)October 1. 1986 - AM General corporate offices were moved to the existing manufacturing facility on Chippewa Avenue in South Bend, Indiana, with the Engineering facility remaining in Livonia, Michigan.

(16)Novemenber 1, 1986 - AM General working name was changed to LTV Missiles & Electronics Group, AM General Division, as a result of a reorganization of LTV Corporation.

(17)February 1, 1990 - AM General working name was changed to LTV Aerospace and Defense Company, AM General Corporation, as a result of a reorganization of LTV Corporation.

(18)February 9. 1990 - AM General corporate offices were moved to a new, leased building on Niles Avenue in downtown South Bend as a result of the closure of the Chippewa Avenue manufacturing facility.

(19)April 30, 1992 - AM General Corporation was sold by LTV Corporation to the Renco Group, Inc.