Being an auto worker is a difficult job and that was especially true in the 1970s. Spurred on by the civil rights movement, strikes and protests fought for better pay and working conditions for employees of all kinds while the oil crisis rattled the industry.
By the end of the decade, suburban plants, automated processes, and overseas components replaced the centralized urban factories of old.
Here are 20 photos of what life as an automobile worker looked like in the 1970s.
1
Cadillac Assembly Line
Working in 1971.
2
Chassis and Body Come Together
A Chevy Caprice.
3
Celebrating the 27,274th Pontiac Trans Am
Off the assembly line in 1975.
4
Postal Jeep
Assembly Line, 1970's.
5
Windshield Instillation
Done by hand.
6
Cadillac Eldorado
The assembly line in 1972.
7
The Assembly Line of the Porsche 911
The Stuttgart factory, 1970.
8
Roof Installation
For an early ‘70s Camaro.
9
Limited Edition Mustang
Coming off the assembly line at the Ford Motor Company Dearborn Assembly Plant. 1979.
10
Taillight Instillation
Working together.
11
A Ford Motor Company Plant
Workers in the 1970s.
12
Dodge Main Plant
Building in the early ‘70s.
13
Monte Carlo
Assembly line.
14
Windshield Wiper Electronics
Installing it all.
15
Body Painting
Getting it just right.
16
Installing Wiring
A Cadillac plant in 1973.
17
Trans Ams
On an assembly line in 1970.
18
Firebirds
Rolling off the Norwood, Ohio plant assembly line. 1970.
19
A GM Plant
Rear end assembly to chassis.
20
Metal Finishing
Attention to detail.
