Something fun: an Old Timey Keychain for my C Body

[Fishfan]

For several years I've been looking for an old timey keychain for my Cacharro. I had an eBay search saved for Thayer Motor Co., the long defunct dealership in Clearwater, FL where the car was originally sold. I've only ever been able to find a matchbook, not a keychain. So, I broadened my search to look at old timey keychains from any Dodge dealership. I found some good prospects on eBay but I wasn't over the moon about any of them. So I searched the greater web to see if I could have something made and I found this vendor on Etsy that will custom make keychains in diamond-like shape, reminiscent of those used by old motels. I placed an order, explaining what I wanted. The text on the keychain comes right from an old newspaper ad I found from the original dealership. I'm very pleased with the product. Cost was $26.07 delivered.

 

[mrfury68]

Very cool!

 

[1970FuryConv]

Great research to find the original dealership!

 

[Mr onetwo]

Ooo...I want to do this

 

[Imperialist67]

Looks a lot like one of those old motel room keys....... WAY kool...I think I'll stop in and look at one of those new Dodge Lancers ( a GT preferably) on my way home from work tonight........

 

[Boydsdodge]

For several years I've been looking for an old timey keychain for my Cacharro. I had an eBay search saved for Thayer Motor Co., the long defunct dealership in Clearwater, FL where the car was originally sold. I've only ever been able to find a matchbook, not a keychain. So, I broadened my search to look at old timey keychains from any Dodge dealership. I found some good prospects on eBay but I wasn't over the moon about any of them. So I searched the greater web to see if I could have something made and I found this vendor on Etsy that will custom make keychains in diamond-like shape, reminiscent of those used by old motels. I placed an order, explaining what I wanted. The text on the keychain comes right from an old newspaper ad I found from the original dealership. I'm very pleased with the product. Cost was $26.07 delivered.

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I am looking for info on my Imperial's dealer, Thomas motors Morganton N.C. Not having any luck so far.

 

[FWD Look Fan]

Awesome. I love this. Thanks for the link!

 

[Fishfan]

I am looking for info on my Imperial's dealer, Thomas motors Morganton N.C. Not having any luck so far.

There was a Bill Thomas Motors, Inc. in Morganton, N.C. It later became Quality Motors, Inc. The registered agent was Billy D. Thomas of 226 Riverside Dr. in Morganton, NC. Nice house. There's a 1997 obituary for Bill D. Thomas that says, "He was retired owner of Bill Thomas Motors, a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in Morganton; and owner of Quality Motors of Stokesdale." Interestingly there was a post on this forum for a snazzy 1969 Chrysler 300 convertible that mentioned that it was originally sold by Quality Motors in Morganton, NC.

Weird that I couldn't find any newspaper ads for either Thomas Motors or Quality Motors of Morganton, NC. Apparently the local paper there doesn't have a digitized archive. I did find a "50 years ago in Burke County" piece from 2019 with the headline, "
THOMAS TAKES OVER CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP". So, it looks like in 1969 Bill Thomas bought the Chrysler franchise from Mullis Motors on Avery Avenue in Morganton.

I did find an old photo of Mullis Motors and the caption says the address is 117 Avery Avenue. Unfortunately, there's no car dealer there anymore. It's a CVS and a Truist (formerly BB&T) Bank.

But I'm betting that Bill Thomas Motors, Inc. was located 117 Avery Avenue

 

[Boydsdodge]

Fish fan. Thank you very much for all that information. Much more info then I had hoped for.
Thanks again.