We've been working hard gathering exclusive Norwood footage and interviews for almost 4 years and now it's finally time to put the pieces together. Watch our IndieGoGo video below and check out our IndieGoGo campaign. If you support us now, you'll get some pretty sweet perks that are as unique as the Norwood plant itself!
Go to our IndieGoGo page now and reserve your copy of "Norwood: Where Legends Were Born" before they're out.
Mark Reuss, President of General Motors North America, and Logan Lawson of the Pilot Car Registry with the serial #1 Camaro.
Historic documents* found by Logan Lawson of the Pilot Car Registry (www.pilotcarregistry.com) debunks decades of conspiracy theories revolving around what killed GM's 1960s electric car efforts. It's a long story, going to the moon and back...
Beginning in the mid-1960s, General Motors Defense Labs was heavily, and secretly, involved with the development of an electric drive system for NASA that could power the lunar rover on the Apollo 15 moon mission. This particular capability would give astronauts the ability to travel much further from the lunar lander than ever before. Partnering with Boeing later in the process, mainly for use of their test facilities that simulated an accurate lunar atmosphere, General Motors took on the awesome task of developing the drive system that went into the lunar rover chassis.
GM needed to test the drive system over long distances, effectively trying to run the system into the ground in an effort to uncover vulnerabilities. This was, after-all, to be the first "car" on the moon, taking astronauts further than ever before, and the whole world would be watching. It HAD to be right.
Step 1 for the lunar rover drive system reliability study.
Step 2 for the lunar rover drive system reliability study. Note the tethered chase vehicle. Batteries were so heavy that had to be carried seperately.
GMs defense labs were so secret that many General Motors employees had no idea that it even existed. GM needed a secret way to test the drive system that wouldn't arouse suspicion from prying eyes outside, or inside, GM. Thus, the Camaro became a perfect way to disguise the endurance reliability tests for this new electric drive system. No one would raise an eyebrow at the site of "reliability testing" scheduled for an F-Car chassis, so arrangements were made in the early months of 1966, to borrow four Pilot Prototype Camaros, #28, #29, #30 and #49, with no drivetrain installed, to act as literal test beds for the drive train component testing.
This was all happening simultaneously with GM's first major foray into electric cars with General Motors Electrovair concept. Most car-loving enthusiasts have at least heard about the Electrovair program that was released to the public in 1966, but what was almost lost to history until recently was just how involved GM was in making the electric car of today a reality.
Thanks to the efforts of Logan Lawson and the team of the Pilot Car Registry, we are now finding out that GM really believed in electric cars many decades back, and only due to infrastructure and battery technology that just simply was not available yet, it never took off, until recently was evidenced behind the Chevy Volt and Bolt.
Lead Historian at the Pilot Car Registry
Mr. Lawson shows Mrs. Friedman uncovered documentation
Historian at the Pilot Car Registry
The father and son team behind the Pilot Car Registry
John Werth, pictured second from right, was the inventor of the creative concept for the electric drive system developed within GM that was used in the Electrovair concept
Jalal Salihi, left, was the inventor of the Electrovair I. Drew Money, Director and Producer of "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born" is in the middle
Research Archivist and Logistics Specialist at the Pilot Car Registry
The findings of Logan and the Pilot Car Registry team are so astounding and truly eye-opening that 7/79 Video and the team behind "Norwood: Where Legends Were Born" is partnering with Mr. Lawson to bring this story to life in a separate and thrilling documentary project all about where the modern electric car really started.
*Documents are still under review of the Pilot Car Registry team and 7/79 Video and will be released upon distribution of the new as yet untitled documentary project.
Don Johnson, who put the final part on the last car from Norwood, is interviewed for "Norwood: Where Legends Were Born"
My Dad and I had an interesting Easter weekend. We spent Saturday getting an on-camera interview with Don Johnson (no, not that one, but we think he's equally as cool). Our Don Johnson is the guy who put the final part on the last Camaro on the Norwood assembly line when the plant closed in 1987, and all Camaro/Firebird production moved to Van Nuys, CA. Don rode that red IROC Z-28 to the end of the line, closing an important chapter in American automotive history. What great stories Mr. Johnson had to tell! You'll be able to hear them in Norwood: Where Legends Were Born going on pre-sale next month. Make sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter updates at https://www.norwoodlegends.com/signup/
Don works on the last car off the Norwood line. August 26th, 1987
Alex, Don, and Drew after Don's interview
Don signs the plaque that will accompany a poster commemorating the 30th anniversary of Norwood Assembly's closure.
Don being interviewed for "Norwood, Where Legends Were Born"
Don being photographed on a beautiful spring day in Tenneessee.
Drew scans in pictures from Don's last day at Norwood.
Don holds his rare commemorative plate that was given to Norwood workers on the final day of the plant's operation. Many workers smashed these plates in a statement of defiance. Don was one of the few men that kept his.
Drew shows Don the panel that will hold signatures of former Norwood personnel that will accompany the 30th anniversary poster commemorating the plant's closure.
We have an official poster! We'll be sharing loads of sweet artwork made specifically for this documentary in the coming months. You can only get your hands on it if you buy early, though. Check back often to see when our pre-sale starts!
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