Old Car Dealers in the Detroit Area

[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!

[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?

[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]

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.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

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.

Bet you wish you got that Roadrunner. They are worth big bucks now.

[shovelhead]

Bet you wish you got that Roadrunner. They are worth big bucks now.

I'd have beaten that into the ground like a rented mule just like I did to the BSA.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

I'd have beaten that into the ground like a rented mule just like I did to the BSA.

I hear ya,

[lpg]

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.

Just curious, where did you buy the BSA ? My 69 Lightning came from Andy Pelc on Eureka in Southgate.I also had a 68 Road Runner bought from Bistran C-P also on Eureka in Wyandotte.

[shovelhead]

Just curious, where did you buy the BSA ? My 69 Lightning came from Andy Pelc on Eureka in Southgate.I also had a 68 Road Runner bought from Bistran C-P also on Eureka in Wyandotte.

Earl Buck Company, Dequindre between Eight and Nine Mile Roads. This was in the spring of '68. I didn't like a lot of the styling changes of the 68, preferred the 67. He had 66's and 67's in the crate yet.

[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.

[mtburb]

I would like to know whether Prentis Cadillac was the last-remaining new-car dealership in the city of Wyandotte, surviving into the early 1990's. I think it had another name after Prentis but before it closed and it was on Eureka where Siding World is now.

Prentis [[or whatever it was called then) appeared in a 1991 telephone directory and Siding World was already there in 1995.

[ThosWolfe]

I would like to know whether Prentis Cadillac was the last-remaining new-car dealership in the city of Wyandotte, surviving into the early 1990's. I think it had another name after Prentis but before it closed and it was on Eureka where Siding World is now.

Prentis [[or whatever it was called then) appeared in a 1991 telephone directory and Siding World was already there in 1995.

Heinz Prechter [[American Sunroof) bought Prentiss Cadillac. Renamed Heritage I think. Never planned to keep it in Wyandotte. He also bought Tessier Pontiac in Southgate and minority interests in some other nearby dealers. Planned to build an auto mall along I-75 by his Holiday inn. Never accomplished, plans apparently died when he did.

[dtowncitylover]

Coming into this game late, but what were the dealerships in the area that sold either Renault or Peugeot until those left the US market? Where there any in the Detroit area?

[ThosWolfe]

Coming into this game late, but what were the dealerships in the area that sold either Renault or Peugeot until those left the US market? Where there any in the Detroit area?

Lots of dealers sold Renault- all the A.M.C. dealers turned into Renault dealers when Renault bought AMC. Plus there were several small Renault dealers dating to the 60's when it was a quirky foreign car.
Peugeot- I don't think many dealers sold Peugeot, but if so as an extra franchise. Only 2 I recall is one up Telegraph by Dixie Highway and strangely enough- Dalgleish Cadillac Peugeot.

[dtowncitylover]

Lots of dealers sold Renault- all the A.M.C. dealers turned into Renault dealers when Renault bought AMC. Plus there were several small Renault dealers dating to the 60's when it was a quirky foreign car.
Peugeot- I don't think many dealers sold Peugeot, but if so as an extra franchise. Only 2 I recall is one up Telegraph by Dixie Highway and strangely enough- Dalgleish Cadillac Peugeot.

Hey, thanks for the info! Just read about the AMC-Renault connection. I think I knew that but forgot.

[yaktown]

Coming into this game late, but what were the dealerships in the area that sold either Renault or Peugeot until those left the US market? Where there any in the Detroit area?

There was one in Pontiac: R&M Motors on Walton Blvd between Baldwin and Telegraph. It's still open but now sells Kubota tractors and power equipment. Ironically, they still have a sign with the old Renault logo on it!

[Stinger4me]

Does anyone remember the Jeep Dealership on Livernois? It may have been Moss & Sons, early '70's?

[RonGephart]

Jim Edelbrock was my wife's uncle. My wife and her brother drove a Camaro from her Uncle Jim until the wheels fell off. Unfortunately, we only have a can opener left from him. Found it in the garage after my wife's mother passed on a couple of years ago.

Attachment 37109

Thread Resurrected Jan. 5 - Click Here to jump to recent conversation.
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Hi fellas,
Does anybody remember JIM EDELBROCK CHEVROLET? They were located at 345 N main, in Plymouth MI. It is now the location of Lou Lariche Chevrolet. I purchased a very original 69 camaro that was orignally sold from JIM EDELBROCK CHEVROLET. From what i can ascertain the dealership changed hands in the early part of 1970. If anybody has any info pictures dealer promos or really anything pertaining to this dealership please let me know. BULLITT65@aol.com
thanks guys\popjpeg{182650,jim edelbrock key fob}

[Maof]

Jim Edelbrock was my wife's uncle. My wife and her brother drove a Camaro from her Uncle Jim until the wheels fell off. Unfortunately, we only have a can opener left from him. Found it in the garage after my wife's mother passed on a couple of years ago.

Attachment 37109

Looks like it's giving the finger. Cool though.

[swan]

This thread brought back many memories. Bought my second new car from Burke Pontiac on Gratiot near Houston-Whittier in 1965. Right next door was Fulton Chevrolet which is mentioned earlier in this thread. Just sold this key chain through ebay to the owner's son who now lives in I believe North Carolina.