Sunday started off with an hour and a half trip to my Grandmothers house to repair some wind damage to her patio cover. Typical story, bring what you think, need a bunch more and blow the day making mulitple runs to the hardware store. Finished later than I thought and not having a set schedule, we took the back way home. Wandering around the rural roads of Oregon and just sightseeing. When I get to an older town I like to make a trip down the main drag and then circle back left or right of the main nstreet and take the alley, side street, B or 2nd street if there is one and check out whats behind the stage so to speak. We are slowing rolling through a side street yesterday and I see someone move past a doorway in what looks like an abandoned building, an old parts store and service repair station. The door is halway open and I can see a row of parts catalogues and some older bound Mitchell manualls. An older steel Union 5 gallon bucket is proping the door open. I have driven past the place for a long time and have never seen anyone there. I knew it was abandoned, but thought to be empty. I parked and walked up, said Hello and started a conversation with the caretaker of the property. I mentioned my love of old cars and that I have grown up and am still in the automotive industry and asked if I could look around. He says " I will only be here for half an hour, take a look around" Here are some quick phone pic's of some stuff I thought was cool. The service portion had piston grinders, brake lining machines, valve drinding, head surfacing, boring bars, etc for rebuilding just about anything. The parts side had looked like they had walked away 20-30 years ago. I really enjoyed the step back in time! . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Wow, great pictures! It takes me back to when I worked at a couple of gas stations in my town. Thanks, Normal Norman
That's not "stepping back in time" that's "frozen in time"! I like the wheel balancer! This is some really kool shit for sure.
I wish the photos were scratch and sniff, the place smelled amazing. Gear lube, wet cardboard, dust and the overwhelming smell of " old car ". There was a room with a sink, chest of drawers and an old matress on the floor next to a small lamp. I don't know if the owner/manager slept there on long nights or what but it was just like he grabbed his clothes and left.
Definitely a cool time capsule. Probably a sad story behind it. The person never said what happened? Owner/father/grandfather probably died unexpectedly and the family just locked up the doors and have been ignoring it?
wow pure nostalgia , can almost smell the cutting oil , and here the sounds of machines , thanks for sharing the photos
Drove past the place a few weeks ago and stopped again. All locked up, but the lobby with the books and cash register still looked the same. Peeked into the shop and the rebuild corner with the flattyy intakes and head tools are still in the same place as the pic. It's kinda weird, but cool. I'm glad they haven't leveled it and built an apartment complex or something.
Makes ya wanna get a semi....back it up to the shop and load it up! Wonder what will happen to the place?
I had spoke to the caretaker the first time and this is just one property that he looks after for the owner. The store owner had been there 60+ years and specialized in keeping log trucks on the road. He had brake shoe rebuilding equipment, air line, compressor rebuilding stuff etc. and several areas within the shop that had specialized equipment set up for repairs. After the logging industry fell , he tried to hang on but eventually retired and just picked up some hand tools and walked out. the current owner bought the building from the bank and isn't a car guy. He is just investing in dirt and has no intentions of doing anything with it.
The Jalopy Journal
