Old Car Dealers in the Detroit Area

[reddog289]

Another thing I just saw the Packer Pontiac Catalina in a magazine, SOLD for BIG$$. Didn,t Packer have a dealership in Pontiac and later in northern Mich?

[shovelhead]

Another thing I just saw the Packer Pontiac Catalina in a magazine, SOLD for BIG$$. Didn,t Packer have a dealership in Pontiac and later in northern Mich?

After Packer left Detroit, mid 70's, this was after the ad campaign "Detroit , I'm Here For Good", he built the dealership on Opdyke, so you are correct. The northern Michigan dealership you spoke of was Superior Pontiac Cadillac in Flint.

On to the Buick dealership on Grand River. Originally Sellgren Buick,later Denton Buick, then Stella Buick. Moved to Grand River/Ten Mile in the late 70's Later became Bill Cook Buick, then to Bob Saks at Grand River@Drake. Now added to Sellers.

[99gprix]

After Packer left Detroit, mid 70's, this was after the ad campaign "Detroit , I'm Here For Good", he built the dealership on Opdyke, so you are correct. The northern Michigan dealership you spoke of was Superior Pontiac Cadillac in Flint.

You are kinda correct on Packer. Jim Causley built the place on Opdyle rd back in 76 or 77. He asked GM for a Buick franchise and GM said no. When Causley was told this, he left the construction unfinished. Packer bought it with no floor in the building, and finished it quickly, to move from Detroit. The current owners bought it in 90 I think.

[shovelhead]

I could be wrong on some of the details on Packer as I was out of Pontiac dealerships at the time. Us Chevy guys were in our own world, if someone sneezed across town at say, Gene Bell Chevrolet we knew about it quickly. Our own little grapevine.

When I was leaving the Pontiac "world", going to Chevrolet dealers, the guys that I worked with tried to talk me out of it as I would have to deal with trucks, and they were no fun with all the different models, including the "big boys", C40's through Titan 90's. Actually, once I learned them, they were a breeze. Still like the medium duty line, even though I left a medium franchise last year and went back to passenger cars.

[99gprix]

The only reason I know that, is cause I work there The service drive used to have no doors on it, and snow would pile up inside during bad blizzards!

[Riviera Ray]

You missed one...Bob Denton sold the Buick dealership to Ray Conlon in 1968. Ray Conlon Buick-Opel operated there until late 1975 when he sold to Stella and purchased another Buick dealership in Merritt Island, FL.

[Riviera Ray]

"On to the Buick dealership on Grand River. Originally Sellgren Buick,later Denton Buick, then Stella Buick."

You missed one...Bob Denton sold the Buick dealership to Ray Conlon in 1968. Ray Conlon Buick-Opel operated there until late 1975 when he sold to Stella and purchased another Buick dealership in Merritt Island, FL.

[shovelhead]

"On to the Buick dealership on Grand River. Originally Sellgren Buick,later Denton Buick, then Stella Buick."

You missed one...Bob Denton sold the Buick dealership to Ray Conlon in 1968. Ray Conlon Buick-Opel operated there until late 1975 when he sold to Stella and purchased another Buick dealership in Merritt Island, FL.

Yes, remember it now.........I remember going in there with my parents in 1960 as they were looking at new Buicks. Ended up with a new Ford Sunliner and again in 1964 before they bought their 64 Mercury Park Lane convertible. I went in there once in 1967 for some parts for my 58 Special but it was Denton at that time.