Photos of Vintage Auto Dealerships, Repair Shops, and Gas Stations

[Big_John]

I am outta my depth on sleds this old. but i looked at a few ... didnt find any Pontiac coupes with side-mounted spare till '30. body contours looked similar from '28 though (spare on rear behind "rumble seat" tho).

that said, IF they said "circa 1930" (vs. saying the 20's), i could give them a pass

I looked some more and found a 1929 Pontiac Big Six with the wire wheels and dual side mount spares. The wire wheels were throwing me off as much as anything, with most of the cars I found having wooden wheels. So, it may be 1929.

Here's a '29 Big Six with the same wheels, top, flip out windshield and rumble seat.

 

[Big_John]

Another interesting toll booth. This one is for the Holland Tunnel in New York City in 1929. When I look at these pics, the people in them always show me how things have changed. This guy isn't sitting in the booth, and I don't think he could collect if he did. Got the uniform too!

1927 or 28 Lincoln.

Recent pic from New Jersey side. Toll booths are getting phased out with EZ-Pass and Pay by Plate systems taking over. There are no booths (at least my area) on the New York State Thruway anymore.

 

[amazinblue82]

I can attest to the NYS Thruway system.

I encounter I-90 near on the Erie section (Buffalo to PA state line near Erie). I was not able to travel to NY state (pandemic prohibitions) and finally did only to see the humans had disappeared.

Didnt have EZ pass, and didnt believe the reader could do its job tearing through there at 60+ MPH and lackawanna by 219 (former BIG manned toll-booth center) even faster. Still dont have EZ pass, but that plate reader system seems to be working great.

zip through, go online a few days later, pay your toll. Modern technology working well it seems.

This

Now this

 

[Big_John]

We just got a bill from Pennsylvania on the "pay by plate" system. My New York based EZ Pass had some sort of hiccup and it didn't go through with the EZ Pass system.

The Pay by plate was more than double the EZ Pass charges! Fortunately, this must happen a lot because I could still pay through my EZ Pass account and take the savings... $14 versus $30.

If you ever see one of my cars at a show, you'll see two things that are always on the windshield... An EZ Pass and a dash cam. Parking in the lot for the NY State Fair even involves an EZ-Pass now!

 

[67newport]

Montreal, Quebec 1958

 

[Big_John]

Tasca Ford in Rhode Island was known for its race cars over the years. Probably the late 60's funny car being one of the more famous.

More great signage!

Tasca survives and is bigger than ever.

 

[amazinblue82]

"Z" Frank Chevrolet, 6060 Western Ave, Chicago IL. Not an architecturally distinctive building, but typical of flashy, BIG dealer, signage.

This was asserted to be the highest volume Chevrolet dealer in USA at one time. This building opened in 1955, closed in 2008, demolished (including its iconic sign, after a failed series of attempts to preserve the sign) in 2014.

Short video is sign being torn down.

sources: "Z" FRANK BEFORE YOU BUY!! - Zollie S. Frank - Part 1, "Z" FRANK BEFORE YOU BUY!! - Zollie S. Frank - Part 1. "Z" Frank | Cartype

 

[Big_John]

1913 Toronto auto show.

Sign painting must have been a very lucrative business back then.

 

[amazinblue82]

I know old Detroit when i see it (sometimes). Chrysler Jefferson plant in the background, Hudson plant (on Conner) in the foreground. circa: 1937. All buildings in the photo are gone, the new Jefferson Ave "Stellantis" plant is there of course.

Oh, take a look at who else was in the neighborhood back then and over the years .... Eddie Rickenbacker's car plant (lower middle of map) no less.

source: New assembly plant rises on auto industry historic terrain - Stellantis4Detroit

 

[Big_John]

Jerry was Jerry Unser Sr., father of Jerry Jr., Louie, Bobby, and Al Unser.

 

[Big_John]

Another Auto show, this one in Cumberland, Maryland. Probably late 20's.

Hudson Essex banner amid all the glitzy decorations.

 

[amazinblue82]

Now a tire store, but unknown what it was before. 49523 US-Highway 93, Polson, Montana (northwest section of Montana). streamline moderne.

Current business started in 1981, but this structure way pre-dates that.

(UPDATE: saw a LoopNet listing in 2021 for lease/sale for $1M. Perhaps the tire folks have not been there since 1981. Building was built in 1932, approx, ~11K sq. ft.)

Think we can infer it was "vehicle related". Where windows were retrofitted, perhaps where overhead doors too, look like display windows once.

Aside. Beautiful setting.

source: Montana Art Deco & Streamline Moderne Buildings | RoadsideArchitecture.com, 49523 Us Highway 93, Polson, MT 59860 - Property Record | LoopNet

Google, 2022

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Now a tire store, but unknown what it was before. 49523 US-Highway 93, Polson, Montana (northwest section of Montana). streamline moderne.

Current business there since 1981, but this structure way pre-dates that.

Think we can infer it was "vehicle related". Where windows were retrofitted, perhaps where overhead doors too, look like display windows once.

Aside. Beautiful setting.

source: Montana Art Deco & Streamline Moderne Buildings | RoadsideArchitecture.com

View attachment 578551View attachment 578552

Google, 2022
View attachment 578550View attachment 578553

The vehicle bays have the corner guards on them, the other "bays" could have had them but I doubt it, I think what you see is what it was.
There is another vehicle bay on the left side and a smaller wing on the right set back. I'd guess the vehicle portion wrapped around the back and the wing was the storage area.


Alan

 

[Big_John]

Auto show with '61 Desotos. Much more refined building interior from the older shows I posted. Great signage too!

 

[67newport]

Vineland Sport Cars Limited on Landis Avenue in Vineland, NJ shown in August 1959.

1937 - NE Union Ave. & NE Columbia Blvd. - Portland Oregon

 

[LocuMob]

Jay Kline Chevrolet 121 W Lake St Minneapolis late 70's judging by the cars. No longer there, it's now a prime retail and office rental building. My dad bought an '85 Cavalier wagon from them. I still remember sitting in our old car in the parking lot while my dad went on a test drive, it was cold as all get out. The Cavalier gave many years of service before being retired with over 200,000 miles on it, with a heart transplant towards the end, donated to a charity.

Today's view of 1221 W Lake St

 

[Big_John]

Dolgeville, NY dealership. I've read that it closed in the 80's.

Apologies if I already posted this.

 

[Big_John]

At first, I wasn't going to post this pic... Then I saw the 15 cent steak knives! When I was a kid, we had gas station steak knives! I can't remember if they came from a Shell station though... My Dad usually bought gas at an old friend's Atlantic station not too far from home, but he might have been buying it someplace else too.

Geez... That and used to get Green Stamps. Got my first bike from Green Stamps.

Station in Brooklyn. I think that's a '67 Ford.

EDIT: Just googled it and yep, we had Shell station steak knives!

 

[amazinblue82]

Built 1932, former Ford dealer, art-deco, 7th @ Van Buren, Topeka KS. Grew up there, long after this building was something else, before I paid attention to real estate, been gone 50 years. And ....

Its still there. I remember it vaguely .. never a clue what it started out as.

circa: 1940's

Google, today. A law firm and a buncha other things. Well maintained for 80+ years old.

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Aside. My first elementary school (Van Buren Elementary) about a mile from the old Ford building. I recall this building as a four year old (and when it had real windows. I was sure it was 10 stories tall.

Seen better days though.... so has the old neighborhood.

 

[Big_John]

Another Auto show.