UPDATE: More on the Detroit Salt Mines from this February 1959 issue of Jeep News.
I saw a reference to jeeps in Detroit’s salt mines on Facebook. After a some research, I found a few more images. The salt is used exclusively as road de-icer.
- You can read more about the salt mines here: http://blogs.detroitnews.com/history/2000/01/22/the-ghostly-salt-city-beneath-detroit/ and here https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/2017/07/detroit_salt_mines_inside_mich.html
- You can see large images of the mine here.
https://ephemeraldetroit.blogspot.com/2015/06/salt-city-beneath-detroit-booklet-1971.html
If I remember correctly, all machinery including vehicles that goes into the mine stays down there. Because of the salt environment it rusts really quick with exposer to fresh air. They have a lot of room for storage. and most things are taking apart to fit down the shaft and welded back together once inside. things don’t rust down there because of really low humidity. Sure hope I remembered that correctly ?
I’ve never seen rear seats installed that way, didn’t think they would fit there. Interesting.
What do you think of that rear step with the trailer hitch on it?
In a weird irony the salt is mined directly below the big auto makers making new vehicles to replace the great number of vehicles destroyed by road salt every year. Sweet. Now due to the success of the global economics no salt is mined and few vehicles are made there anymore. On a positive note I really enjoy these old pics of Jeeps working. Thanks Dave.
Peter45cj, You have great insight, your explanation is clear and precise, make perfect sense.
Clem,
My dad did a stint as a security guard at the mines and I remember him telling me that exact same thing about them not rusting.
I had no idea they used Jeeps- very cool.
Bill
David…..good stuff…keep it coming. When I worked for GM in my first stint at the Tech Center in Warren in 1980’s, I was schooled by the locals about salt. They explained that Detroit and surrounding areas sat on top of huge salt mines. They explained that there were hardly any snowplows……they just salted and salted and salted until everything turned to slush…..I found out they were right !!