Where were TGPs built?

[ACTdryice]

Where were the TGPs built ? The prototype and the production car? Same place?

thanks

[White93z34]

The cars themselves... Fairfax, Kansas I would assume ASC was located nearby for the modification and completion of them.

[Crazy K]

Good question on where ASC worked on them. They could have trucked them across the country easily for the price mark up they got. They had a facility in detriot, i believe, but did they have others?

 

in theory they were raw shells shipped to ASC without drivetrains or the custom touches including the ground effects... but does anyone have that info?

[redgrandprix]

i talked to a guy awhile back that used to make grand prixs and he said they would try and sneak peeks into the asc building in fairfax

[Euro]

Wonder if there are pictures floating around out there somewhere, like the ones out there of all the GN's awaiting their "X" 's

 

http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~rowilson/asc.htm

[mfewtrail]

Wonder if there are pictures floating around out there somewhere, like the ones out there of all the GN's awaiting their "X" 's

 

http://my.ohio.voyager.net/~rowilson/asc.htm

 

 

No doubt someone a picture similar w/ TGP's in it. Whether we'll ever see it is another story. There's a member of the forum that worked for ASC back then IIRC. I don't recall his username, but I don't think he's been active in a few years.

[mfewtrail]

Looking online, ASC has a headquarters in Warren, MI. I'm not sure if Jeff or anyone else specifically typed out where the cars were worked on by ASC. It would be much easier to say for sure if he still had his info up on his old website. I came across this on the TGPForums.

 

 

"IM looking for the car with the VIN 1G5WT54V5LF257152

 

this is acctually the Vin if the Press kit car from the new york times.

 

OPTIONS are Leather and power SunRoof and CD player

 

oh and the Crappy Cali emistions

 

car was Deliverd to

 

CUrrent Product Engineering

30200 Mount Rd

Warren MI 48090

Dock 15 Service Development"

 

That was a post by Jeorge.

 

 

TGP window stickers say "Final assembly ASC Incorporated Kansas City, Fairfax Kansas for what it's worth.

[mfewtrail]

From the pike's peak car OLD for sale ad info.

 

"1988 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX MC LAREN TURBO PROTOTYPE ID# 1D42318 THIS UNIQUE VEHICLE BEGAN LIFE AS PART OF THE HIGH-PERFORMANCE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX TURBO PROJECT FROM 1988 – 1990. ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED AS AN SE MODEL, IT WAS DELIVERED BY PONTIAC TO THE ASC/MCLAREN FACILITY NEAR PONTIAC’S GRAND PRIX PLANT IN FAIFAX, KANSAS IN 1988"

[Euro]

Definitely interesting! Haven't had much luck searching for a facility in Kansas, either.

[White93z34]

I was reading somewhere that GM opened Fairfax 2 around 1986 and moved production there so I could believe that for a few years ASC leased or had access to the old plant and they just moved the cars over there for final assembly considering the entire run was around ~5000-7000 cars total so no use building or opening a whole plant for that few cars... this is just my speculation though.

[Euro]

I read that too, don't remember where though. I was just reading the history of the Fairfax plant, had no idea it was an airport around WWII, and after it became a plant for GM. I'm learning just so much today at work

[mfewtrail]

"As with the infamous work to make the fantastic 1987 Buick Regal GNX (and 2 GNX Police Pursuit cars); Pontiac enlisted the expertise of ASC/McLaren Specialty Products, made up of ASC (so named at the time: American Sunroof Corporation) and drivetrain partner McLaren Performance Engines (so named at the time) to take a fully loaded Grand Prix SE to the next level, and into production status. The plant responsible for putting together all the pieces that made the conversion was constructed faster than any other ASC plant in history, and was ready to start production in November of 1988, with first sales said to start in January/March of 1989. "

 

 

That was from Jim/turbograndprix.com. Considering what he typed about ASC, it seems they did build their own plant.

 

 

Even though this isn't TGP related, it shows the inside of the ASC plant that did the GN's. Pretty neat:

[Turbo v-sick]

Here is a scan of the invoice for my 1989 TGP. I myself have spent way too many hours researching TGP's and their history. I find it odd that I can locate and purchase the 1988 and 1991 Daytona pace cars but can not find any leads on the 89-90 what so ever...

[mfewtrail]

That invoice confirms what the window stickers show. Kansas City was the location of the ASC plant. With all the damn name changes and years gone by, it's tough to know what exactly to type in to search for that plant.

[Euro]

Yeah really. I've found a couple of recent photos of the 3017 Dodge Rd address, but nothing else. Kind of neat to see the picture of the building now, and day dream about all of what that building held at one point

[White93z34]

It would make sense that its there as its a short distance from in the same complex as the Fairfax assembly plant.

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=3017+Dodge+Road,+Kansas+City,+KS&hl=en&ll=39.141038,-94.618163&spn=0.00233,0.003074&sll=39.140354,-94.617133&sspn=0.00659,0.012295&t=h&hnear=3017+Dodge+Rd,+Kansas+City,+Kansas+66115&z=19

 

Google Earth has a satellite photo of it from 1991 but not much can be taken away from that.

 

If there was someone in the KC area they could perhaps comb newspaper microfiche from 1987-1989 and see if there is any mention of it.

Edited November 6, 2013 by White93z34