Anybody from So.California rmember Mel Burns Ford in Long beach?

I found out my 1965 drag Fairlane was sponsored by Mel Burns Ford around 1966 or 1967. Anybody have any memories of this dealership?

 

Surely someone remembers the place.

 

Yup, my dad bought his 1967 GT500 from them. I still have all the paperwork, the cancelled check for $4700, the salesmans business card, all the brochures, postcards. etc.
Dad took me down there when I was 16 right before he bought it so I could drive one. He and the salesman and I hit the freeway so I could "get a feel" for it. It was a dark blue one. My Dad's was a lime-gold.
The car was restored and sold at Barrett-Jackson for $229,000 three years ago.
Dad sold it in 1975 fror $2400.

 

I remember the name, that's about it though.
There was also a Los Altos Ford in Long Beach that opened about the same time the 405 frwy was finished, mid '60's.
Damn, I remember when that freeway was just a wild Barley field we usta play in...

 

You don't happen to have the licence plate frame and would sell it? I really need one for my Fairlane.

 

nope...long gone....check ebay every few days....

 

This is a picture of my car in 1967. I assume it was taken at the dealership, but I'm not for sure.

 

I have been but no luck so far.

 

Any chance of scanning any of it and posting the pictures?

 

Where was the dealership?

 

Long Beach, CA

 

Yeah I got that but where in Long Beach was it? What street or intersection was it?

 

Hey,

Mel Burns Ford was on Long Beach Blvd. a.k.a American Avenue 'till 1959!

Swanky Devils C.C.
" Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of compassion!"

 

I gotta say,before I opened this thread,I KNEW Mazooma1 would know the answer!
And once again,I'm not surprised!

As mentioned before,keep checking ebay,flea markets and swap meets.
I was looking for a So. California frame for my Tbird and found a pair of Galpin Ford frames at a GoodGuys show in Pleasanton.
There is one coming up in November and there's a vendor that sells frames,so I'll keep an eye out for you.

 

Hey thanks Mazooma! Interesting to see the name Don McCain. A picture of my car from 65 had the name Norman Ford Sales where the Mel Burns Ford was later painted. Randy Ritchey told me Don worked at Norman Ford and later went to work for Mel Burns Ford. I guess he was the reason my car ended up sponsored by them. Thanks again for sending the documents.

 

If you can find me a pair I'll be more than glad to compensate you for the trouble. Thanks!

 

Hey apound,

Did you see this? I think they are old drag racing magazines.

VOL 5 # 3 Mar Cover: Winged Express
Center: Dean & White AA/A
1pg color: Lo blow AA/FA
unknown Jr. Fuel
Personality Profile: Larry Dixon Sr.
Features: Tyle * Mitchell * Yabslee AA/FD
Mel Burns 427 Fairlane SS/C
Parts Mart flathead dragster
Pages from the Editor's scrapbook
Gran & Hamilton "Death Wish" Turbine Bike
Tech: 396/427 Chevy tech
AMC 360
New cars: '68 Big Block Camaro
G $25.00
G- $20.00

http://www.dragworldusa.com/dragusa.txt

Wonder if it is yours?

 

If it is a 427 it's not mine. Mine was a hi-po 289/C4. But it could have been a misprint. National dragster listed my car as having a 390 in 65 but that is wrong. I'll check it out. Thanks for the info.

 

Glad to see you are still moving forward Alan !!!!! I too will keep an eye out on the net....

 

Wierd , don't know if its the same guy but on the street behind me theres an old guy who used to own a dealership in longbeach (ford). he has a 8 car garage under his house and a few lifts .. hes like in his 70's I am waiting for his house .....

 

That would be interesting if it was the same dealer. I would have a million questions for him if it is.

 

yeah slow progress. Too much customer work to get to my stuff. Good to hear from you!

 

Did you ever find out what dealership he owned?

 

Hello, to all who have posted questions & comments regarding MEL BURNS FORD. I was gratified to see the interest, as I was employed/associated with them throughout most of the 1960's.

Mel Burns Ford main showroom and service dept. was located at 2000 Long Beach Blvd., between 20th and 21st streets in downtown (old) Long Beach. (The site is a tacky shopping center today.) Across the street, at 2055 Long Beach Blvd. was the used car dept.



Mel Burns was one of two L.A.-area dealers preferred by Carroll Shelby to distribute his cars at retail. (The other was Vel's-Parnelli Jones Ford, in Torrance.) With the advent of Mel Burns acquiring the Shelby franchise in 1966, a 1-unit showroom, built to highlight a featured used car, was converted in 1967 to a Shelby showroom.

Mel Burns opened just after WWII. What had been a 4-lane bowling alley became the showroom, and the rest of the facility grew up around that. By the late 1970's, when downtown Long Beach finally surrendered to urban decay, Mel Burns and the remaining local dealers all eventually closed and faded into history. After leaving the car business, Mel Burns went on to become a bank manager in downtown Long Beach before retiring. He died in the late 1980s of natural causes.

Mel Burns Ford was an old-school "honest" dealership - no "T.O. house" here. By contrast, Los Altos Ford, which opened in 1964 in east Long Beach, was a notorious clip joint. They soon closed and were bought out by Queen City Ford, which lasted until the early 70's before relocating several more times.

In the early 60's Mel Burns' brother, Mike, bought the Ben Cowan Ford dealership near Palm Springs. Mike is still in business there, operating under the name Fiesta Ford of Indio.

Mel Burns did sponsor a current model hi-po Fairlane 2-Door Sedan in 1965. Just prior to signing the Shelby franchise, Mel Burns also sponsored a 1965 Mustang 2+2. It was originally built by Les Ritchey who had been a service manager at Norman Ford Sales in Pomona, California, before moving over to Mel Burns. The following year this car was cosmetically upgraded to a '66 and refinished in '66 Candyapple Red. (Ritchey was killed shortly after in a Corvair.)

I've seen Mel Burns Ford dealer frames listed on the Internet from time to time. They haven't been expensive, but as documented Mustangs and Shelbys sold by Mel Burns Ford continue to surface, the prices can be expected to rise. Be aware that frames that don't indicate brand were for used cars, while frames displaying the Ford keystone logos were for new units.


I'll post some pictures of the Shelby showroom and dealer frames.

Meanwhile any Q's just ask me. I might have the answer!

 

Got my start in auto repair @ Mel Burns Ford in 1979...

 

Not me. I was just a baby!

 

For some reason, out of the blue, the name Mel Burns Ford came to mind, and I googled it. I found this web site. In 1954, when I was 7 years old, my family bought a beautiful, blue Ford sedan from Mel Burns. We were immigrants from South Africa, in the country for only 2 years. Buying this new car was a really big event for us, and especially for me. The name Mel Burns is mythic to me, etched into my memories. It was nice to read the posts of others' others about Mel Burns Ford, all far more recent memories than mine. Time passes, and much that was solid dissolves into air. Andor Skotnes