Enthusiast and Product Expert

Biography: I was born in Canada, where my father was the tool room supervisor at McKinnon Industries, in St. Catharines, Ontario (owned by General Motors of Canada). When I was 14 years old, we moved to northwest Detroit. My interest in cars began with three entries in the Chevrolet sponsored Soap Box Derby, two in Canada and one in Detroit.

After high school, I entered a UAW sponsored tool and die apprenticeship program and eventually worked my way to the plant manager position, which I held for 21 years. Since I was 16 years old I have owned some sort of specialty car including race cars, customs, muscle cars and street rods.

I have always built and restored my own cars with the exceptions of paint and upholstery. I currently own 4 such vehicles that I have owned from 5 to 35 years. Three of these cars have won their class at the Detroit Autorama.

I am a lifetime member of the Michigan Hot Rod Association and the Road Knights Auto Club. I have been with the GM Media Archive 3 years now, as a Product Expert.

Bill Bowman
General Motors Media Archive Product Expert

Location:
Livonia, Michigan

Articles written by Bill Bowman:

1953 Buick Wildcat I Concept
1953 Oldsmobile Starfire Concept
1954 Buick Wildcat II Concept
1954 Cadillac El Camino Concept
1954 Cadillac La Espada Concept
1954 Cadillac Park Avenue Concept
1954 Chevrolet Corvette Corvair Concept
1954 Chevrolet Corvette Nomad Concept
1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass Concept
1954 Oldsmobile F-88 Concept
1954 Pontiac Strato Streak Concept
1955 Buick Wildcat III Concept
1955 Cadillac LaSalle II Concepts
1955 Pontiac Strato Star Concept
1956 Buick Centurion Concept
1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket Concept
1959 Cadillac Cyclone Concept
1961 Corvair Sebring Spyder XP-737 Concept
1961 Pontiac Tempest Monte Carlo Concept
1962 Corvair Monza GT Concept
1962 Corvair Super Spyder XP-785 Concept
1963 Corvair Monza SS concept
1964 Corvette XP-819 Concept
1964 Electrovair I Concept
1964 XP-833 Pontiac Banshee I Concept
1966 Electrovair II Concept
1966 GM Electrovan
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Astro-Vette
1968 Chevrolet El Camino
1968 Pontiac Banshee II Concept
1970 Chevrolet XP-882 Corvette Concept
1972 Silver Arrow III Buick Riviera Concept
1973 Chevrolet XP-898 Concept Car
1973 XP-895 All Aluminum Corvette
1974 Pontiac Banshee III Concept
1974 Basic Transportation Vehicle
1977 Phantom Concept
1983 Fisher Body Theme Car
1985 Buick Wildcat Concept Car
1986 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Concept
1986 Pontiac Trans Sport Concept Vehicle
1987 Corvette Geneve Concept
1987 Pontiac Pursuit Concept Car
1988 Pontiac Banshee Concept Car
1989 Chevrolet XT-2 Concept Truck
1990 Pontiac Sunfire Concept Car
1991 Pontiac Protosport 4 Concept
1992 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray III Concept
1992 Pontiac Salsa Concept
1995 Oldsmobile Antares Concept
1997 Pontiac Rageous Concept
1998 Pontiac Montana Thunder Concept
1999 Chevrolet Nomad Concept
1999 Pontiac Concept GTO
2000 Pontiac Piranha Concept
2004 Chevrolet Nomad Concept
2007 GM Racing Championships
2008 Corvette Indy 500 Pace Cars
AC Spark Plug Division
Aerovette
Aero Coupe, Scirocco, Mulsanne Concepts
Allison Engineering-Allison Transmission
Astro I Concept
Astro II Concept
Astro III Concept
Bendix Aviation
Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette Option
Canada Only General Motors Cars
CERV I, II, III, and IV
Central Foundry Division
Chevrolet and Bowtie
Chevrolet's First Indy 500 Win
Corvette 2-Rotor
Corvette 4-Rotor
Curved Dash Olds
‎The Dayton Wright Airplane Company
Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co.)
Delco Electronics Corporation
Delphi Automotive Systems
Detroit Diesel Division
Euclid and Terex History
Firebird II
Fokker Aircraft and GM
GM Argentina
GM Brazil
GM Brickyard 400 Pace Cars
GM Century Cruise - 1968 Chevrolet El Camino
GM India
GM Indonesia
GM Indy 500 Pace Cars
GM NASCAR Points Championship
GM NHRA Manufacturers Points Championships
GM Off Road Racing
GM Rally Racing
GM Sunraycer
GM Super Touring Racing
General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC)
Holden EFIJY
Hyatt Roller Bearing Company
I was there... 1955 Chevy Bel Air
McLaughlin
Mako Shark Chevrolet Corvette Concept
Mako Shark II and Manta Ray Chevrolet Corvette Concepts
New Departure Manufacturing Company
North American Aviation and GM
Oakland Motor Car Company
Oldsmobile Aerotech
Oldsmobile Aerotech II
Oldsmobile Aerotech III
Old Model Stock with Chevrolet
Pontiac Stinger Concept Car
Reliance Motor Car Company
Saginaw Steering Division
Six Cylinder Racing with Chevrolet
Soap Box Derby
Stingray Racer
Ternstedt Division
The Two Lives of the Cadillac Cyclone Concept Vehicle
Woodward Experiences
Volvo GM Heavy Trucks History

Note: The initial experts for the Generations of GM Wiki were selected by General Motors based on their demonstrated knowledge of the company’s history. The 2008 inaugural team is composed of employees, retirees and associates.