History
Walter Briggs, by trade an upholsterer of carriages, after experience as a plant superintendent outside the industry joined a Detroit carriage builder and repairer, B F Everitt Company. Everitt had made some automobile bodies for Ransom E Olds and Henry Ford. Walter Briggs was soon in charge of the shops then became vice-president and then president. In 1909 the owners decided to make complete cars and Briggs was able to buy the Everitt coachbuilding business and reorganise it as Briggs Manufacturing Company.[1]
1923 (model) Essex coach $1245, touring $1045, cabriolet $1145
At this time the new Briggs business provided upholstery for a number of Detroit manufacturers, In 1910 Briggs agreed to supply 10,000 Ford Model T interiors and a close association was formed.
In 1922 Briggs made for Essex a closed touring car at a price near an open touring car and by 1925 Essex offered buyers the option of an open or closed Briggs bodied car at the same price. As demand for the closed cars expanded more businesses were acquired including competitors supplying to Ford.[1]
During the 1920s Ford and General Motors began to make their own bodies and Briggs became the largest independent.[2]
Other prominent independent builders of automobile bodies included: Murray Body Corporation, C R Wilson Body Company, Edward G Budd Manufacturing Company and Fisher Body Company.[3]
LeBaron
1938 Lincoln V12 by LeBaron and Briggs
LeBaron Carossiers Inc, a New York City custom body builder, was bought in 1926 and activities moved to Detroit and named LeBaron Studios. A New York design office remained at 724 Fifth Avenue. The studio's first influence was on design of the Briggs-built open bodies for the Ford Model A. By that time Briggs' Detroit plants were at Harper Avenue, Mack Avenue, Meldrum Avenue and Vernor Highway. A fire at Harper Avenue caused Briggs to lease the Model T plant at Highland Park in which they made many bodies for Chrysler. Later Briggs leased space in Ford's Cleveland, Ohio plant. LeBaron designers were responsible for the 1933 Ford V8 body and the Lincoln Zephyr.[1]
LeBaron featured as a Chrysler model name on some of Chrysler's Imperials until near the end of the 20th century.[1]
Ford
Ford V8 Pilot with body by Briggs Dagenham
Ford obtained and retained access to Briggs' records and controlled pricing of products supplied to Ford and also supply of raw materials to Briggs. Briggs followed Ford to the United Kingdom setting up a plant for their Briggs Motor Bodies Limited in Dagenham when British Ford built there. Ownership was moved to an English subsidiary in 1935[4] retaining a 60 per cent shareholding. Another plant was set up in Doncaster, England after World War II to build bodies for other brands.
Briggs Detroit plants (supplying Ford) were the centers of strike action by United Auto Workers in 1933 and 1937 where UAW was successful.[1][5][6][7]
Other well-known brands that fitted Briggs' bodies were: Lincoln, Chrysler, Packard, Hudson, Pierce Arrow and Marmon[1]
Inhouse
The Great Depression caused many customers to bring many more operations under their direct control. Briggs had provided two-thirds of Ford's bought-in bodies in 1936 but the share had fallen to just over a quarter by 1939 and those went to Lincoln and Mercury. Ford, Chrysler, Packard and Hudson set up their own in-house design departments and LeBaron lost importance for Briggs.[1]
1941 Packard Clipper
Beginning with the all-new 1941 Clipper all Packard bodies were built by Briggs.[1]
World War II
A workforce of over 36,000 built aircraft gun-turrets, doors, wing components, bomb doors, heavy and medium tank hulls, trucks and ambulance bodies.[8][1]
Walter Briggs Sr. purchased the Detroit Tigers after Previous owner Frank Navin’s death, and swiftly expanded the park before the start of the 1936 season, when the park became known as Briggs Stadium. By the 1938 season, additional expansion had completed the full enclosure of the playing field and seating capacity had increased to 54,500. the Stadium became Tiger Stadium in 1961.
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