Art & Inspiration vintage car dealership photo thread

Don Lee Cadillac
100 South Van Ness Ave. San Francisco, California


1921


1922


1930


1932


2014
image by Rebecca Dru​

 

Some Vintage "Forward Look" dealerships:

San Juan Motors - Daytona Beach, FL
('55 Chrysler C-300)


San Juan Motors - Daytona Beach, FL
('56 Chrysler 300-B)


Normandin's Chrysler~Plymouth - San Jose, CA


CB Smith Motors - Austin, TX


Guy Moothart Inc. - Compton, CA


Podway Motors - Cleveland, OH


Art Frost Plymouth~DeSoto - Culver City, CA


Beyer Motors DeSoto~Plymouth - St. Louis, MO


Modern Motor Sales Ltd. - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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HODGES DODGE
21425 Woodward Ave. Ferndale, Michigan


1965
​

 

Hodges is still on Woodward. Now it's a Subaru dealership. So sad.

 

wow great stuff

 

Here's a rendering I did a while back that I thought might fit here. Looks like that's the one she wants so it't time to get out the check book!!!

 

Older family member said this was somewhere in Lakewood, OH. Strong winds/possible tornado damage?

 

Lost Angel posted this one

and I curious how much the area had built up since the 50s. I did a search and found a dealer that may match. However, the area looks to be pretty darn flat in the current location.
It did have this picture on the website.

 

Moore Buick Co.
215 E. Main St. Walla Walla, Washington






1959​

 

Studebaker dealership on Pacific Avenue, circa 1923, Long Beach, CA

Hello,

As part of our high school cruising area, the Pacific Avenue location was on one of the main drags that led to downtown Long Beach and our school. Plenty of our friends lived in the area back then, so we are familiar with the whole area. Not 1923 era, but the 1950 to the present times. Much has changed over the years, but it was a prominent area with a lot of neat little homes and neighborhood shops.

The early dealership on Pacific Avenue was a neighborhood dealership. Glen E. Thomas was a name we all knew as the Dodge Dealer was closer to our high school and favorite bowling alley on Anaheim Street. The location on Anaheim Street was a major thoroughfare that ran from the San Pedro/Harbor City/Wilmington area West to PCH South in East Long Beach. It had more exposure and traffic for a dealership.

"... in 1909, he purchased a small automobile dealership on Pacific Avenue close to what is now downtown Long Beach. Thomas named the dealership the Long Beach Auto Company and signed on with the E-M-F Company to sell their automobiles."

"Also in 1909, at the age of 15, Glenn, who was one of Thomas’s sons, started working at the dealership. Four years later, the Studebaker Corporation took over E-M-F, and a short time later the dealership began selling Studebaker autos. Samuel passed away in 1918, and, because Glenn was a major stockholder in the dealership, he took over its operations. Two years later, he changed the dealership’s name to Glenn E. Thomas Company. By1926, the business had outgrown its facilities and Glenn moved it to three corners of Elm Avenue and Anaheim Street that encompassed a combined total of about three acres."

Glenn E. Thomas personnel in front of dealership on Anaheim Street, circa 1930.

"In 1934, the United States was deep into the Great Depression, and the Studebaker Corporation was experiencing great financial difficulties. That year, not willing to risk staying with a company that looked as if it could go belly-up any day, Glenn Thomas decided to drop the Studebaker product. Then he signed a franchise agreement with the Chrysler Corporation, and his company became a Dodge dealership."

During our time in high school, just down the street, the dealership was still in the 333 E. Anaheim Street historic building. Most of the cars and station wagons seemed like they were sold as family vehicles. Our Chevy sedans were the most popular and it was hard for the Dodge/Plymouth cars to break into the popular teenage choices for hot rods and mild customs. In the later 60s, despite the high power motors and lightweight cars from the factory, very few of those still cruised around the local area. Chevy sedans and Ford hot rods still ruled.

Jnaki

Despite the low interest car purchase market from the teenagers, the dealership flourished and move to Signal Hill area of Long Beach. Now, it is one of the largest dealers on Spring St. near Cherry Avenue.

 

Short, blunt and to the point. YOU AUTO BUY NOW

 

My first job was at Podway Motors, w25th street ( Pearl rd ) in Cleveland.
Worked in the parts department.
Surprised to see the photo, thanks for posting.

 

From NZ. JW

 

Fred A. Carleson Ford
535 South Main St. Salt Lake City, Utah


December 30, 1935 photo


colorized photo
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inspiration for STEVE SCOTT'S UNCERTAIN T ?

 

Now this is a used car lot

 

The back lot at Dale Wegner Chevrolet in the early 60's.

 

Anyone have anything on Marsak Crysler/Plymouth in Van Nuys, Ca?