In 1914, Durant sold out of the business and departed, amicably, to pursue his existing interests in General Motors.

[2]: 26  Demand became so strong – 9,000 cars in its first year[4] – that the company opened an extra factory 60 miles (100 kilometres) to the south of Flint, adjacent to Detroit at Windsor, in the Canadian province of Ontario.

[8] The company built a new large factory on the east end of Flint; however, the post-World War I recession took hold at the same time.

The company started bleeding cash and attempted to seek capital or a merger partner, neither of which eventuated; staff numbers were cut and expenses were curtailed.

[2]: 28  The new factory building was sold to AC Spark Plug to manufacture carburetor air filters and fuel pumps.