Old Car Dealers in the Detroit Area

[Hermod]

RGK20m3,
I think that’s where I went in with a broken clutch fork in the summer of 1970 looking for a replacement. When he asked me what it was out of I said “I think it’s from a 62 Chrysler”. He said with an attitude “You don’t know what car you drive?”

I replied “Ok, it’s a 54 Chevy” He said “I don’t have Chevrolet parts, go to Emmett down the street” again with more,of an attitude.

I answered “When it’s got a Chrysler drivetrain in it you do!” which it did, 383 and four speed……

As I remember, back in the 50s, we used the term "squirrel motor" to describe putting another brand engine into a car. Mercury or Olds engines into Fords was a very popular choice. It was also used as a verb, "I squirreled it up" to describe the act.

[RGK20m3]

I don’t recall the parts manager’s name at Porterfield Wilson, I do recall he was a nice guy. I worked their spring through fall of ‘72 and remember the checkerboard floor.
If I recall, 12th precinct was on Schaffer, 14th was on Grand River…Dodge dealer was probably what became Kelel, which was on the south side of GR, west of Evergreen. I might know the name if I heard it. The parts manager at Redford had a sign “make me smile from ear to ear by giving me the make, model, and year”.

[shovelhead]

14th Precinct was Schaefer north of Grand River, my late uncle was assigned to that one late 40’s/early 50’s. 16th was Grand River and McNichols. Funny story,1969, a friend pulled onto westbound Grand River from Westbrook, first side street west of Redford HS in front of a eastbound car. Got broadsided, car he was driving ended up it the 16th’s driveway, he ended up in Mt. Carmel. Went by there later that afternoon, scrapes in the pavement and glass was still in the driveway apron.

That Chrysler dealer was east of McNichols on Grand River, wasn’t Kelel,this was before they opened.

[RGK20m3]

Only Chrysler dealers on Grand River that I can think of were Rollie Barrett [[down by Joy I think), Redford Sales by Lahser, and Dameron by Middlebelt. There was Town and Country Dodge in Farmington [[J.P. McCarthy owned it, was moved to Clarkston in late 90s), and Kelel/Luv near Evergreen after about '75- don't know what was at that location prior but believe it was AMC.

[shovelhead]

Im trying to remember too. Motor City Dodge, late 60’s west on Grand River near Schaefer. Mulligan Mercury Grand River near Evergreen.

I’m positive there was a Dodge dealer in that area before the Kelel/Luv days this was 1970.

[shovelhead]

Actually it was a pretty easy swap. The 54 already had the torque tube rear axle replaced with a Tri-five rear end with an open driveshaft. Unbolted the factory “tower” engine mount brackets, two pieces of angle iron and a drill press and the 62 Chrysler mounts sat right on top. Had to move the rear crossmember back an inch or so, it was a previously fabbed one during the rear axle swap.

About two or three hours to mount the radiator and wire it. It did get a lot of looks when the hood was closed and I hit the starter and bystanders heard the famous Chrysler gear reduction starter whine………

The funny part, I had a nameplate from a engine donated to my high school auto shop on one of the valve covers that said:

Chevrolet Motor Division Engineering
This unit is donated for educational purposes.

[Ray1936]

There was a showroom built on Grand River east of Meyers [[Just beyond Frost-Avis Ford) that was supposed to be a Tucker dealer. As you all know, Tucker went belly up before it really got off the ground, and the building became Skiffington Kaiser-Fraser. Back around 1948, I'd guess.

[Ray1936]

My run of Michigan plates from 1910 here in Las Vegas.

[shovelhead]

Ray,

pretty impressive the plates 66 through 69 with the same numbers!
You had to know someone at the branch office to get those!

In ‘72 I had one of my plates stolen while working at Livernois and Seven Mile. I made some Secretary of State runs to the Livernois branch and around then they were assigned PMD series and I was trying to get by until plate number 421 came up as that car was a Pontiac and was a 421 engine. Well, almost. The thief or a different one came back for the rear plate and I could not stall any longer, had to take what I could get.

The 1970 MCL777, a coincidence? I looked up MCL777 and there is a statute on the books here under that number.

BTW, the 1970 plate colors. As a LEO what was your take on that paint scheme that year? I found them hard to read especially motorcycle plates.

[Ray1936]

Ray,

pretty impressive the plates 66 through 69 with the same numbers!
You had to know someone at the branch office to get those!

The 1970 MCL777, a coincidence? I looked up MCL777 and there is a statute on the books here under that number.

BTW, the 1970 plate colors. As a LEO what was your take on that paint scheme that year? I found them hard to read especially motorcycle plates.

My mother was the branch supervisor at the AAA branch in east Dearborn, which also handled plates, so getting my fav number was no problem.

Yeah,the MCL number is a coincidence. As for the 1970 plates, I've always had good 20/20 vision, so I really didn't have a problem best as I can recall. It was, though, a pretty sick combination of colors.

It was pretty neat to get a new plate every year. With today's way of just issuing year stickers, I wonder if license plate collecting will kind of fade away as a hobby. Pity.

[CassTechGrad]

Maybe they still have one way in the back???

[Ray1936]

"Yeah,the MCL number is a coincidence. As for the 1970 plates, I've always had good 20/20 vision, so I really didn't have a problem best as I can recall. It was, though, a pretty sick combination of colors."

I remember back when a fellow named Richard Austin was Michigan's Secretary of State. A slogan going around at the time was "His only job is to pick the colors for next year's license plates. And each year he blows it."

Yeah he sure did in 1970. LOL!

[shovelhead]

"Yeah,the MCL number is a coincidence. As for the 1970 plates, I've always had good 20/20 vision, so I really didn't have a problem best as I can recall. It was, though, a pretty sick combination of colors.

I remember back when a fellow named Richard Austin was Michigan's Secretary of State. A slogan going around at the time was "His only job is to pick the colors for next year's license plates. And each year he blows it."

Yeah he sure did in 1970. LOL!

Yep, butterscotch and white, greaaaaat color combination to honor some small college in this state with no forethought on visibility especially on motorcycle plates. If I remember correctly 1970 plates were originally intended to have tabs for renewals but due to complaints from law enforcement on how bad those were for visibility. So it was 72 for that implementation with the color change of white on maroon for the plates for 71.

[RGK20m3]

Anyone have any knowledge of Superior Motor Sales in Wyandotte? It was located on Biddle, SW corner of Superior, prior to 1958, when it was renovated to a Firestone store that my dad managed until 1973. It had a couple of hd truck hoists and obviously was a dealership in a prior life. It was where the Tim Horton’s is now.

[One Shot]

I’m still waiting for more Hodgea Dodge photos from around 1967.

[BULLITT65]

great thread. Glad guys can connect on here for vintage dealerships from back then

[shovelhead]

Can’t speak for others here but I worked in dealership parts departments from 1970 to 2017 and was hot rodding and repairing cars from before that and still today.

[baerster]

One of my best friends is the son of the guy who owned Dalto Ford on Jefferson, east of I-375. I believe it is now Bob Maxey Ford. Dalto Ford had a slogan like "the little cheaper dealer." I wonder if anyone remembers when it was Dalto Ford.