Chrysler Factory Employee Badgesby Rob ElliottCalgary, AlbertaIhave collected several badges from these plants: Chrysler Corporation of Canada Limited; Chrysler Motors California; ChryslerCorporation, <strong>Plymouth</strong> Division; Chrysler, New Castle, Indiana; Chrysler Jefferson Avenue Plant, Detroit.<strong>Plymouth</strong> Motor Corporation, employee #78-165This was the first factory badge that I bought. I was working in Sandusky,Michigan, in 1990. On Sundays I would venture into Detroit. While wanderingthrough a flea market, my eye caught this employee badge. Other tableshad Ford and GM badges but this was theonly Chrysler or <strong>Plymouth</strong> badge I couldfind. The same flea market yielded a pair ofForward Look cufflinks. These started mycollection of Chrysler employee badges andForward Look items.The badge backs are typically unmarked;the <strong>Plymouth</strong> Motor Corporation, <strong>Plymouth</strong>Detroit Assembly Plant and Dodge Truckhave BASTIAN BROTHERS, ROCHESTER, N.Y.,stamped on the badge back. The AutomotiveBody Division pin has WHITEHEAD HOAG, NEWARK, N.J., PATENT AUG 2 2(?) (The lastdate digit is not visible.) The later <strong>Plymouth</strong> and Dodge plastic badges have instructionsas where to wear the badge and a return address. The engine division badgeback is blank.Early <strong>Plymouth</strong> badgeA brief chronologyOnas a 1926 model, was manufactured at Highland Park. In 1928 the6, 1925, Walter Chrysler bought Maxwell shares to form theChrysler Corporation. The Chrysler Four, introduced in July of 1925OnJuneChrysler Four was named <strong>Plymouth</strong>.The first production <strong>Plymouth</strong> was built June 11, 1928, as a Model Q, inHighland Park. By the end of 1928, 58,000 cars had been shipped to over 5,000Chrysler dealerships. Chrysler acquired Dodge Brothers on July 31, 1928.The Model Q ceased production on February 4, 1929, at 66,097 units. TheLynch Road plant started <strong>Plymouth</strong> production on December 28, 1929.Chrysler building construction started in 1929. In March, 1930, <strong>Plymouth</strong> MotorCorporation became a division of Chrysler Corporation, and Dodge and DeSoto dealerswere permitted to sell <strong>Plymouth</strong> cars.Walter Percy Chrysler died on August18, 1940, at 65 years of age.Chrysler Corporation of Canada, Limited, started production at the existingMaxwell-Chalmers plant in Windsor, Ontario, in June 1925 with 181 employees.The Jefferson Plant started producing DeSotos in June 1933.The New Castle, Indiana, Plant, a former Maxwell plant, started productionAugust13, 1907. This plant was one of the six original plants of the 1925 ChryslerCorporation.Los Angeles, California, assembly plant started <strong>Plymouth</strong> production on June15,1933. Chrysler acquired the Dodge Brothers and Graham Brothers assembly plant inStockton, California.Mound Road Engine Division started production of the <strong>Plymouth</strong> V8 in 1955.<strong>Plymouth</strong> Division badgeDATES AND PRODUCTION NUMBERS ARE SOURCED FROMChrysler: The life and times of an automotive genius BY VINCENT CURCIOAND FROM THE allpar.com WEBSITE.Chrysler Automotive Body Division badge-22-
Chrysler Canada badgeTwo higher numbered <strong>Plymouth</strong> Division badgesIndividual plant badgesCalifornia plant badgeNew Castle, Indiana, plant badgeJefferson Avenue (Detroit) plant badgePlant employee badges from the 1960sDodge Truck plant badgefront and rear<strong>Plymouth</strong> Detroit assembly plant badgefront and rearMound Road Engine plant badgeForward Look money clip [BELOW]-23-
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