Old Car Dealers in the Detroit Area

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Now I really want my scanner to work. In the 1971 Flat Rock Speedway program theres an ad for HICKEYTOWN, U.S.A.
Hickeytown USA no1 16600 FortSt Southgate DU2-3000 AV2-3636
Hickeytown USA no2 1011 S.Monroe St. Monroe CH1-4300
Walt Hickey Ford
As for Matick Chevrolet. I had been wondering what was in there present location besides the Farmer Jack. I knew before they moved from Joy Rd, There was a Trade Center type deal going on next to the Farmer Jack. After Matick moved out of the Joy Rd building it became a U Haul store from what I can remember.

There also was a Firestone or Goodyear Tire place right on Schoolcraft just south of Matick, behind the White Castle. Don't think it's still there though.

[rhusak]

alangbr..
Well you got some of it right.. I am one of the sons of John one of the origional brothers. Thier origional store was on Michigan avenue just east of Lonyo. Thier body shop was about a block further east across the street from the showroom.. In 53 they moved to a larger facility on Michigan and Martin which was Jerry Beilfields old place when he moved to Michigan and Lonyo.. In 1957 we had a Desoto Plymouth dealership in West Dearborn. The showroom was right across the street from the Stanford Chevrolet store. We had it only the one year and did quite well.. My folks were approached by Ford and they bought that building from us and put in [[Guess What?) Edsel.. Thast store eventually became Les Stanfords Corvette building.
We also had Packard and Mercedes Benz with the Studebaker Franchise.Thery were part of Studebaker from 55. We also added a American Motors Franchise in the Old Armstrong Buick Store which was right next door. We dropped Studebaker in 63 when the production left the US. That meant we also had toi give up the Mercedes Line.. We could have kept them but would have had to become exclusive. You simply couldn't sell enough Mercedes in our part of Detroit to make a living in those days so we let it go. IT was then we became Dodge Dealers.
After a fire in the 66 67 range the building was greatly damaged.. It reopened but was significantly smaller and we felt we had to move. We moved further down Michigan Avenue west of Lonyo just across the side street from Beilfield. The dealership stayed open till 79. When it closed it was the last Dodge Dealer left within the city limits of Detroit! Tough times even then in the motor city!
Ron Husak

Husak was at Michigan and Martin. I can remember them as a Studebaker dealer then a Dodge dealer. I know in the mis 60's they were a Dodge dealer.

[rhusak]

LittleBuddy..
Where in Dearborn did you live? I am Ron Husak and my family lived on Rosalie Street... My Uncle Walters Family lived on Lapham Street. My Uncle MIckes family lived in River Oaks in Dearborn Heights.. Which ones did you live by?
Ron Husak

When I lived in Dearborn, my family lived next door to the Husaks, who owned Husak Brothers Dodge in Dearborn. I was pretty young back in the early60's so I am not sure about all the details. Does anyone remember them?

[reddog289]

So Ron, Then I think that Husak Dodge was in the round building which became a bakery then?. Good info. I love this thread.

[turkeycall]

My father bought three new cars from Fisher-Record Chrysler/Plymouth on Kercheval in Grosse Pointe:

1950 Plymouth Deluxe - 2 door
1956 Plymouth Savoy - 4 door
1961 Chrysler Newport - 4 door [quite possibly the ugliest - or, at least the homliest vehicle I had ever seen]

He bought a 1978 Chrysler newport 4-door, but I can't remember if Fisher-Record was in business then.

[rhusak]

RedDog..
Yup, that was our last store...
I was in Detroit a couple of weeks ago [[I have my mother in laws house up for sale in Dearborn) and drove down there.. I live in Conifer Colorado now.. Even did some business with Warholik <sp> Tire on McGraw and Wyoming.. They have been there forever and we did quite a bit of buisness with them when we had the dealership..
Some of the old buisnesses have hung on.. Even bought some GREAT Kielbasa from the Markowitz Polish meat market across the street from the old store.. They have been there forever as well..
I stumbled on this thread by accident.. It is pretty neat!
Ron Husak

So Ron, Then I think that Husak Dodge was in the round building which became a bakery then?. Good info. I love this thread.

[shovelhead]

rhusak,

Armstrong Buick on Michigan Avenue? They were on Grand River east of Schaefer from what I remember near Rollie Barrett Chrysler. Or did they have two dealerships?

[kacz1]

Where on Rosalie did you live , My Cousin lived at the north end

[rhusak]

shovelhead..
Yup they were right next door.. We aquired that building when they left ... must have been 58 or so.. We had our AMC franchise there.. They relocated further down Michigan Ave near Greenfield.
We were also right across the street from the Pontiac store... Barnett.. They also moved into Dearborn. We rented that building for a while to store some of our new cars in.. The fly ash there was terrible from Ford's foundry used to do a number on the paint... Kept all of the Benzes there.. It was a two floor building with the service department mostly upstairs..
Ron

rhusak,

Armstrong Buick on Michigan Avenue? They were on Grand River east of Schaefer from what I remember near Rollie Barrett Chrysler. Or did they have two dealerships?

[rhusak]

kacz1.
We lived at 4781 Rosalie.. What was your cousins name? How old is he.. I am 66 so that gives you a frame of refrence.. I had 3 younger brothers though..
Ron

Where on Rosalie did you live , My Cousin lived at the north end

[kacz1]

i think there number was 4950 the Bilsky family a few house north of the small park at hubbard

[rhusak]

kacz1.
Hmmm..
I knew the Bilsky name.. But didn't know any of the kids... At least I don't remember them.. But I did know someone named Bilsky in high school.. Fordson.. I was about 1/2 block from the park.. Still looked about the same when I was there a few months ago..
Ron

i think there number was 4950 the Bilsky family a few house north of the small park at hubbard

[kacz1]

You would have gone to school with Pauline what years did you go to Woodworth ?

[reddog289]

This thread is always interesting. Armstrong Buick which ended up in Livonia and became John Rogin Buick which now is only used cars and Isuzu/ Suzuki?. Thanks Ron for the info.My "Gramps" lived around Michigan and Martin his whole life till he moved north 10 years ago. If I asked him he'd say he bought something from that dealership.

[rhusak]

Yeah.. That's right.. Pauline.. Now I remember.. I went to Woodworth 57and 58. Then Fordson till I graduated in 62..
If you happen to remmebr tell her I said HI!
Ron

You would have gone to school with Pauline what years did you go to Woodworth ?

[rhusak]

Small world huh? I actually went to St John The Baptist Catholic grade school right near Michigan and Martin till 7th grade.. Where did your Gramps live?
Ron

This thread is always interesting. Armstrong Buick which ended up in Livonia and became John Rogin Buick which now is only used cars and Isuzu/ Suzuki?. Thanks Ron for the info.My "Gramps" lived around Michigan and Martin his whole life till he moved north 10 years ago. If I asked him he'd say he bought something from that dealership.

[Forwardlook]

Hello, great thread! Had to join again, watched with great interest the old car factories thread a few years ago. Anyone here have memories and/or photos of Taylor's Motor Sales, a Dodge dealer at 19711 Livernois Avenue? It became later Northwestern Dodge. When did Northwestern move to 8 Mile Rd? The dealership on Livernois was huge, it seems to be intact but with windows covered and now it is a U-Haul place. It would be great to see some photos from back in the day. This was the dealer that "sponsored" The Ramchargers in 1961 and 1962, although I guess it was just a front for the factory. Here is a link to the place now;

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...331.24,,0,14.6

[BULLITT65]

Hey guys glad more info is getting posted on here all the time about the old dealers. I ran across a guy the other day that saw a broken JIM EDELBROCK CHEVROLET license plate frame in a junkyard down in taylor. I am hoping someone has a sticker or a stash of items from this old dealer out of Plymouth Michigan. They were located at 345 N. main st. I would love to get a license plate frame.... Thanks for the help

[jgavrile]

There was a Chrysler Plymouth dealership at Schafer and Puritan, Krouse Brothers.
Also near there ,in the 50', I remember a Kaiser /Fraser dealer on 6 mile just west of Schafer, It later became a Studebaker dealership. I cannot remember the name of either of these?? Does anyone recall the names of these dealers??

[CountrySquire]

I just picked up a 'Dick Green West Chrysler Plymouth Farmington Hills' License plate ring at an estate sale. Can anyone tell me about this dealer ship? Location? Years in Business?

[shovelhead]

Dick Green was the dealer subsequent to Dameron Chrysler-Plymouth. On the south side of Grand River just east of Middlebelt. Sometime in the late 70's it changed IIRC. And if memory is correct, it was after the death of one of the Dameron's, probably the dealer principal. As I was in GM dealerships, I really didn't hear much about the other franchises.

Today that building is an Enterprise Rental Car office and sale lot.

[shovelhead]

Only time I ever went in there was to look at a '68 Road Runner on the showroom floor. It was either that or a '67 BSA Lightning that I was going to buy.The BSA won out.

[Detroitej72]

I just picked up a 'Dick Green West Chrysler Plymouth Farmington Hills' License plate ring at an estate sale. Can anyone tell me about this dealer ship? Location? Years in Business?

I never realized Dick Green had a location on the west side. I remember the one he had on Gratiot, south of Houston-Whittier, which closed sometime in the early 80's. When did the west side location close?

[CountrySquire]

I took my Omni to that dealer at Middlebelt and Grand River for service in the early 90s. By that time they were calling themselves 'Farmington Hills Chrysler Plymouth' I think. So, sounds like Dick Green's Dealership was in existance during the late 70s to early 80s then?

[shovelhead]

Resurecting an old thread but I just stumbled across another dealer name that was in the Allison/Edelbrock/LaRiche Chevrolet history. Don Hassinger Chevrolet, forgot all about that one, 67-68 time frame.