Old Car Dealers in the Detroit Area

[econ expat]

In Livonia, on Plymouth Road:

Mark Leach Lincoln Mercury, on the NE corner of Middlebelt Rd., 1950s.

Immediately west of Bill Brown Ford was Livonia Imported Cars [[?), a Fiat dealer, 1960s-70s. Still there, kinda sorta.

I do not remember the Mark Leach dealership, but is that the location that was a Toyota dealer late 60's- early 70's? The one with the round glass showroom? Sat empty for years after it closed, they were a few years ahead of their time, selling Toyotas in 70's.

Bill Brown has tried to buy the Overseas Motors [[former Fiat) building and property for at least 30 years! Glad to see Overseas has not been totally forced out just because a neighbor wants the property- they are surrounded by new car storage parking lots for Bill Brown. Brown's even bought out the barber shop and a small credit union building just to surround Overseas parking lot.

Bill Brown was once 'ahead of their time' also- and the Mazda goes hmmmmmmm.... The used car dealer by Wayne Rd was once a Mazda dealer. Then the oil crisis hit, and word got out the Mazda rotary was one of the lowest MPG engines. End of Mazda dealer.

[goggomobil]

'Overseas Motors', that's right. Thanks econ. I was thinking of Livonia Sport and Import on Plymouth, just west of Inkster. Overseas Motors has an almost mysterious air about it, curtained windows and such.

Mark Leach Mercury was a satellite dealership, I believe. Leach was doing business in Detroit on the west side somewhere [[maybe the old Stu Evans location on Gr. River Ave) and had a relatively small operation on the corner opposite National Airways [[where Wonderland was). Shortly after Leach left, a shopping plaza was put up that featured Shopper's Fair.

I found a picture here .

[56packman]

How does the import car place stay in business? I remember them having floor stock on Fiats in the 70s, before the Japanese brands made Fiat irrelevant, but I don't see anyone in there when I have driven by.

[goggomobil]

I wonder that every time I pass there. There's not a feasible figure of functional Fiats in the area to sustain the business. They must have other stuff cooking.

[shovelhead]

Never knew the name of the Olds dealer in Wayne, Forget to ask my Uncle. With so many used car lots in Wayne It.s hard to keep track of what was what.I have a picture of my dad trading in his 87 Buick for a 91 at John Rogin Buick in Wayne. If I would have known I would be interested in this kina stuff back then I'd have taken more pictures.

The Olds dealer was Hargrove Oldsmobile at least around 72-73. Sold out and I think became Bill Rowan Oldsmobile, but not sure. Had a friend that worked at Hargrove Olds about that time frame.

Heininger Chevrolet in Belleville was originally on Huron River Drive. I was "turned loose" in the back storage building on a parts hunting expedition in '72 when I was rebuilding my '54 Bel Air. I worked at Tennyson at the time, and got talking to the parts manager at Heininger after he called a couple of times to buy parts from us.

The stuff I was finding was amazing, accessory boxes for early 50's Chevys never opened. Found a complete set of all emblems/nameplates for my Chevy along with some suspension parts. Could not use the engine parts there as I swapped the 235 6 cylinder out for a 383 Chrysler V8. [[Hey, still doing stuff like that today) and was going to swap that out for a built 327 Chevrolet.

Hey, anybody remember the name of the Chevrolet dealer in South Lyon in the late 60's? Pontiac Trail north of Ten Mile Road, where Tenpenny Furniture is? Across from the South Lyon Hotel?

[reddog289]

See what I miss playing farmer on FB, O verseas Motors has been there as long as I can remember.Said to myself about 20 yrs ago "When did they even sell Fiats here?.

[GMan]

First of all let me just say Excellent thread!
I stumbled across the thread while trying to remember a car dealership we used to pass on the way to visit relatives in the then relatively new suburbs. The dealership was on Joy rd. at Beech, n.e. corner. I rember a round showroom with a little green car in it. My 85yr old father thinks it was a Toyota dealership. Econ you mentioned overseas motors was on Plymouth rd in Livonia and had a round showroom. Are you positive of the location?
Anybody remember what was on Joy / Beech in the late 60's early 70's?

[goggomobil]

GMan... I'm not sure about which corner it was, Beech-Daly or Inkster, but there was a car repair facility owned or franchised by Shell Oil on the north side Joy Rd. It was facing Joy and east of the intersection. It had an impressive name something like 'Shell Auto Lab'. It was not the usual two-bay cinder block service station, but rather a more high-tech operation that had a more sanitary, white lab-coat look to it. It was a drive-thru building. I vaguely remember the round glass window. I think that was around 1965 or a bit later. I guess people didn't go for their concept because it did change hands not long afterward.

As for the Chevy dealer in South Lyon... was that Van Camp or am I thinking of Milford?

[econ expat]

First of all let me just say Excellent thread!
I stumbled across the thread while trying to remember a car dealership we used to pass on the way to visit relatives in the then relatively new suburbs. The dealership was on Joy rd. at Beech, n.e. corner. I rember a round showroom with a little green car in it. My 85yr old father thinks it was a Toyota dealership. Econ you mentioned overseas motors was on Plymouth rd in Livonia and had a round showroom. Are you positive of the location?
Anybody remember what was on Joy / Beech in the late 60's early 70's?

Overseas on Plymouth Rd did not have the round showroom.
I do remember a Toyota dealership that had a garage type bldg and a free standing round glass showroom somewhere near Wonderland. Beats me what corner, I was not driving age yet. And I recall it became an auto service center afterward, thought maybe a tire store, but could have been a Shell station?
Joy Rd/Beech is a strange location for an auto dealer, not alot of vehicle traffic to this day on either Joy or Beech near Redford. Of course, if the dealership was at that corner, location didn't help either, then.

I do not remember clearly what was on the corner of Joy/Beech. A strip mall now, with dollar store, Secretary State, etc. Could very well have been a car dealer on that size land, but sure is a strange location. [[Well, Toyotas were strange also, 60's- early 70's) Joy/Inkster NE corner has a gas station and strip mall, maybe that was the location.

[econ expat]

The Olds dealer was Hargrove Oldsmobile at least around 72-73. Sold out and I think became Bill Rowan Oldsmobile, but not sure. Had a friend that worked at Hargrove Olds about that time frame.

Early 80's the last Olds dealer in Wayne was Jim Muir. Avis Rental later used the building on Michigan Ave.for used auto sales/service.

It was surprising, when Jim Muir moved way out to Sterling Hts/Utica, most of the employees did also. And that was probably an hour away. [[275 was completed, but 696 only ran from Haggerty to Telegraph at that time)

[GMan]

\

Joy Rd/Beech is a strange location for an auto dealer, not alot of vehicle traffic to this day on either Joy or Beech near Redford. Of course, if the dealership was at that corner, location didn't help either, then.

I do not remember clearly what was on the corner of Joy/Beech. A strip mall now, with dollar store, Secretary State, etc. Could very well have been a car dealer on that size land, but sure is a strange location. [[Well, Toyotas were strange also, 60's- early 70's) Joy/Inkster NE corner has a gas station and strip mall, maybe that was the location.

I think that is why I remember it. It seemed out of place at the time. Had a Drive through bay as was mentioned and was a car wash.. Don't ever remember gasoline available at the location though. I've included a picture from the DTE aerial archives from 1967 of the Joy / Beech intersection. The round showroom can be seen clearly here.

[shovelhead]

GMan... I'm not sure about which corner it was, Beech-Daly or Inkster, but there was a car repair facility owned or franchised by Shell Oil on the north side Joy Rd. It was facing Joy and east of the intersection. It had an impressive name something like 'Shell Auto Lab'. It was not the usual two-bay cinder block service station, but rather a more high-tech operation that had a more sanitary, white lab-coat look to it. It was a drive-thru building. I vaguely remember the round glass window. I think that was around 1965 or a bit later. I guess people didn't go for their concept because it did change hands not long afterward.

As for the Chevy dealer in South Lyon... was that Van Camp or am I thinking of Milford?

There were two Van Camps in the area. One in Milford, one in Brighton. G.D. Van Camp IIRC was the one in Brighton, south side of Grand River near Stillwater Grille, the Milford one was north of town on Milford Road.

[shovelhead]

See what I miss playing farmer on FB, O verseas Motors has been there as long as I can remember.Said to myself about 20 yrs ago "When did they even sell Fiats here?.

When I worked at Tennyson Chevrolet in the early 70's I passed by there many times. It was not uncommon to see the technicians standing outside on breaks and smoking.
Always wondered how that they made any money there. Seems with Fiat's reputation for quality back then they would have been swamped with work

Remember what Fiat stands for: Fix It Again Tony............

[Mikeg]

Here's a photographic history of one of the earliest auto dealers in Macomb County: Rivard Brothers Ford. Their store was located on Van Dyke Ave., just three blocks north of Eight Mile Road.

They were in business from 1922 through 1956, so the youngest among us who bought a car there would be pushing 80 years old.

[jgavrile]

I recently heard that Park Motors sales had closed on Woodward opposite Palmer Park?
I have not driven by there to look. It was originally in the power house at the Highland Park model T factory and then moved North opposite Palmer Park.
It was the first Mercury dealership in the country.I bought a few new Mercury's from there as well as my Dad.
Anyone else add to the story?

[douglasm]

I may be late to the party with this question, but wasn't there a Fiat dealer on N. Woodward in Royal Oak or Birmingham? Memory says it was a little place on the east side of Woodward. This would be back in the early/mid 60's.

[goggomobil]

Woodward and Webster, Imported Cars of Royal Oak. They were around until the mid-70s, I believe.

[56packman]

The beautiful Cadillac dealership at Seven mile and Grand River [[Klett/Dreisbach&Sons/Massey) is all empty now, the signs have been taken down and now we'll have to wait for the other shoe to drop to see what sort of half-assed tertiary business will take over that space. A fraternity now has the former Stark Hickey Ford building at that corner, what was once a great center of auto retailing has slid into the next phase of life for a commercial strip.

[The Dude]

Remember when car dealers had their own flashy signs, not cookie-cutter corporate[[GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc.) signs of today. Chrysler was the first to have corporate signs, blue for Chrysler-Plymouth, red for Dodge.

[56packman]

Dude, GM brands, Ford brands, Chrysler brands,Packard,Nash,Hudson and others had uniform signs going back into the 1920s, Wagner electric made many of them. They were enameled steel, early signs used individual bulbs to spell out the letters, Neon came later. The first Neon sign in America was on Earl C. Anthony's Packard dealership in Los Angles in the 1920s.

[econ expat]

The beautiful Cadillac dealership at Seven mile and Grand River [[Klett/Dreisbach&Sons/Massey) is all empty now, the signs have been taken down and now we'll have to wait for the other shoe to drop to see what sort of half-assed tertiary business will take over that space. A fraternity now has the former Stark Hickey Ford building at that corner, what was once a great center of auto retailing has slid into the next phase of life for a commercial strip.

Sad- up till the 80's there were about 150 employees between the 3 car dealers there- the Ford dealer, the Cadillac dealer and the Triumph/Fiat/Volvo/Subaru dealer.

The Cadillac dealer building might sit empty awhile until sold/leased for what the owner wants. Dealer was owned by Sonic group, a national company. Though it has been obvious since Sonic bought Massey that they were putting very little into inventory or maintenance- they were not even trying to keep up or improve that place. BTW- they also own that block with the former drive-in, the church behind it, and the former supermarket on 7 Mile.

The Ford dealer closing was kind of surprising, their boom years of the 70's long gone, but they still had a good business going. The owner probably did not have the cash reserves to get through some lean times and took a 'buy out' from the nearby Ford dealers.

The Import dealer- well they moved to Commerce Twp./Walled Lake area. It has been a buy here pay here used car dealership and motorcycle dealer since, has not been 'thriving'. Interesting- a recent owner [[used cars and Kawasaki) has been Richard Olson Jr- his father owned Olson Olds.

[Mikeg]

"Trader Ray" Tessmer, former owner of Jefferson Chevrolet in Detroit, has died at age 98. He passed away last Saturday and his funeral will be tomorrow at St. Ambrose in Grosse Pointe Park.

Raymond Tessmer was born in Warren Twp. and began his auto career in 1930 as a mechanic for C & R Chevrolet in Center Line. C & R hired him on their landlord's recommendation that he was "a young fellow who can make any car run".

In 1932, the partners of C & R had a falling out and one of them [[P.L. Grissom) managed to borrow the money he needed for the buyout from friends, relatives, their mechanic, Ray Tessmer and their bookkeeper, Rose Knauf.

During the next ten years, Ray and Rose became husband and wife, Ray began working on the sales side of his boss's dealership and P.L. prospered sufficiently to enable him to buy several other dealerships, including Jefferson Chevrolet in Detroit.

P.L. soon offered Ray the opportunity to buy a 25% stake in Jefferson Chevrolet, which he did and promptly began working there full-time. In 1953, Ray purchased P.L.'s interest for $1 million and became the sole owner of Jefferson Chevrolet.

Attachment 5886

Many older Detroiters remember his dealership advertising which included his "Trader Ray" handle, as shown in this Aug. 1974 advertisement.

Ray's son-in-law is the current president of Jefferson Chevrolet. More information about Ray and Jefferson Chevrolet can be found here.

[The Dude]

Dude, GM brands, Ford brands, Chrysler brands,Packard,Nash,Hudson and others had uniform signs going back into the 1920s, Wagner electric made many of them. They were enameled steel, early signs used individual bulbs to spell out the letters, Neon came later. The first Neon sign in America was on Earl C. Anthony's Packard dealership in Los Angles in the 1920s.

What I am saying is that up until 40 years ago, a dealer would put his own sign on, maybe some dealers did have corporate signs, but most had their own, sometimes animated signs, e.g Olds dealers would have shooting rockets.

[56packman]

What I am saying is that up until 40 years ago, a dealer would put his own sign on, maybe some dealers did have corporate signs, but most had their own, sometimes animated signs, e.g Olds dealers would have shooting rockets.

The dealer could put up a sign that was custom designed for them, but a lot of dealerships used signs that were mass produced by Wagner and others that were sold through the parent company, as a uniform brand identity measure. I have pictures of such signs from the 1930s that I photographed in Pennsylvania [[the state that time forgot) that were up and working into the 1980s when I took the pictures.

[70L34]

This is such a great thread that I wanted to bring it back up. I have a few dealership decals that I scanned - check it out. Still looking for a Jim Chumbley Chevrolet decal or emblem!