The last Uplander.

"Rainbow" (rainbeaux) 11/30/2016 at 09:01 • Filed to: None

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The GM plant in Doraville, GA, where the Uplander was built up to September 26, 2008, was abandoned at around the same time the van ended production. It was torn down a year or so ago, but one relic still remains.

According to Wikipedia, the last completed vehicle at the plant was a 2009, Canadian version, short-wheelbase Pontiac Montana SV6, in Liquid Silver Metallic, with a roof rack. However, this mysterious beige van could have rolled off right behind that one. We may never know why it never did.

(I personally know a photographer who was escorted through the facility before it was torn down. There were actually a lot more vans abandoned on the line, but this one was the furthest along. Not sure why it got removed from the building and left like that, though.)

Here are some other pictures of the stuff that was just abandoned on the line:

There apparently was also a completed van in a conference room. I’m assuming it was an early prototype repurposed as decoration, but she didn’t take a picture of it so I guess we’ll never know.

But anyway, I just find it so baffling that GM would just close their plant so abruptly without even finishing the cars they had started.

Pixel > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 09:04

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But anyway, I just find it so baffling that GM would just close their plant so abruptly without even finishing the cars they had started.

I wonder if once they decided to end production they built them until they ran out of some vital component, then once no more could be built without ordering more in, they just shut the line down.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Pixel 11/30/2016 at 09:05

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Alternatively, it could have been cheaper to just stop at the end of a shift than complete the cars with the next shifts as fewer and fewer people on it would be actually working on cars they can sell.

Echo51 > Pixel 11/30/2016 at 09:07

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This, or as a “stop bleeding money NOW” approach, with stopping it immediately. I assume they still own the place, however, since it’s all not been sold for scrap. Probably cheapest to cease all production and let it sit untill a brighter time/need for the gear or buildings

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 09:07

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Good news is the world was spared at least a few horrible looking mini vans.

Funktheduck > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 09:20

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There was a GM plant in Doraville?

The only thing I know about Doraville is there used to almost always be a speed trap on 285 at the exit for Doraville.

E92M3 > Funktheduck 11/30/2016 at 09:26

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The plant was right beside 285. Lol Couldn’t help but see it. Nalley is building new car dealerships where it used to be.

Sometimes Ford would rent the billboard right besides the plant to advertise Fords just to mess with GM.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 11/30/2016 at 09:33

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I’ve also heard they have one of the worst battery placements. I’m sure a few mechanics are singing their demise.

Svend > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 09:41

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MGRover at Longbridge was just the same. So many painted bodys sat ready and so many still going through the production line.

I recall about ten years or so ago they found a whole load of Austin Maestros sat in a factory space fully built ready to go and a warehouse in Abingdon full of bronze gold MGB convertibles, rubber bumpers, four spoke steel wheels and god awful Stagecoach fabric upholstered seats.

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > BaconSandwich is tasty. 11/30/2016 at 09:42

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Nothing compared to the nightmare of just doing plugs and wires. I have a decent bruise from doing my grosslander’s basics at 60,000miles last weekend. Thing still threw a CEL yesterday. You can pick them up as cheap utility vehicles since most people hate them.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. 11/30/2016 at 09:47

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That is there one redeeming quality. A friend of mine just picked one up for 1100 bucks with just 110,009 mikes on it because his employer replaced all there Uplanders with The Chevy Cityconnecttinyvan or what ever it’s called.

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 11/30/2016 at 09:54

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Pretty sure if people are relatively handy with OBD2, tools and have a strong stomache, they are one of the best values for hauling up to 4x8 sheets. Just have to expect it to have a CEL and/or TPMS light on at any given time.

404 - User No Longer Available > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 11/30/2016 at 10:05

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They still live on in China to die another day.

Buick GL8 First Land.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 10:10

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I’m confused as to why they didn’t sell the excess inventory or scrap it. OEM door panels for collision repair. Apparently complete chassis plus who knows what else is there.

Funktheduck > E92M3 11/30/2016 at 10:12

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I guess I probably saw it and never thought much of it. Then again, I’m so focused on the cars around me avoiding being hit that I don’t notice much else outside of that.

E90M3 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 11/30/2016 at 10:14

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They did and were a pain in the ass to change. My mom had a 2001 Olds Silhouette for 13 years. I hated that vile thing.  

E90M3 > E92M3 11/30/2016 at 10:18

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I remember that, I always thought it was ironic that there was a Ford billboard right next to a GM plant. If you go back to google maps, you can make out a super blurry Ford billboard from 2007.

VW Max > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 10:23

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Ferdinand is good van

Michael_N > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 11:58

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Does anyone else find looking at a car and knowing what factory it came from to be fascinating? Or is it just my fetish?

To look at my dilapidated GTV6 and know it came from the Milan factory.

To look at a Jensen Interceptor or Healey and know it came from Kelvin’s Way in West Bromich.

To look at a TVR and know it came from Blackpool in what is now an indoor ice rink.

And so on and so forth.

Rainbow > Funktheduck 11/30/2016 at 12:04

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Yeah, Doraville is basically just a MARTA stop with lots of scary buildings around it. Apparently, it also used to be the city that produced the only vehicle sold in America whose name begins with a U.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 13:36

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The Exploraville?

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 13:39

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Those pictures seem almost post apocalyptic. Things just frozen in time.

E92M3 > Funktheduck 11/30/2016 at 13:50

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To be fair, there’s a lot going on there. People merging from PIB, and people darting around trying to exit to I-85. Sometimes you could see cars loaded on the trains, on the track going over 285.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Funktheduck 11/30/2016 at 14:46

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Well, it was kind of hard to miss on 285 going eastbound between PIB and Buford Highway.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Michael_N 11/30/2016 at 14:50

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Or to drive a GM full size pickup that came from Flint. At least according to the VIN and the door sticker plastered on there by a member of the UAW Local 598.

lone_liberal > Michael_N 11/30/2016 at 15:05

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I like to know where my cars were built. I know that my Camaro was born in Van Nuys, California and I know the Mustang that I had was from Ford’s Flat Rock, MI plant. My wife’s G37 is from Tochigi, Japan. I don’t have a clue where my Mercury Mariner was built since I just can’t bring myself to care.

LongbowMkII > Michael_N 11/30/2016 at 18:57

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My dad liked knowing that the Impala SS was built in Arlington when we lived in the Dallas suburbs.

S65 > Michael_N 11/30/2016 at 19:11

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WAIT WHAT

RacinBob > Rainbow 11/30/2016 at 19:23

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Though not totally reliable, mine has been a terrific tow vehicle. It’s 3.9 combined with a 4 speed and a beam rear axle is just made for towing long hours at 70+ mph...

Too bad that by 2008, it was an answer for a problem that nobody was looking to solve.

LongbowMkII > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/30/2016 at 19:24

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At least a start a unique spec series.

Spec Uplander. Stripped out vans bashing into each other, spewing coolant all over the place. Awwwww yeahhhh

pip bip - choose Corrour > Svend 12/01/2016 at 04:28

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huh?

Michael_N > S65 12/01/2016 at 06:34

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Which part?

Svend > pip bip - choose Corrour 12/01/2016 at 14:41

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Seems unsold cars were put inside a warehouse and the Maestros and MGBs forgotten about.

All the Maestros were red and the MGBs all convertibles in bronze gold.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Michael_N 12/06/2016 at 01:52

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No, I do this too. I ran a Marti Report on my ranger, found out in was built in St. Paul Minnesota on Wednesday August 25th, 1993.

Michael_N > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 12/06/2016 at 12:23

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Marti Report?

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Michael_N 12/06/2016 at 13:54

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Its a Ford thing. Ford doesn’t give out build info Willy Nilly through dealers, so i had to pay $48 to a Martiauto.com (the only dealer licensed to give out info from fords records) to get the info in a report

Michael_N > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 12/06/2016 at 14:05

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Gotcha. Thank you!

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Michael_N 12/06/2016 at 15:04

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Why? Do you have a Ford?

Michael_N > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 12/07/2016 at 13:10

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No, just curious and hadn’t heard of Marti reports.