Located in Irvine, CA.
Dealer of the Day: Ray Fladeboe
– Posted on August 3, 2020
Located in Irvine, CA.
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The top one is now the Honda store (still Fladeboe), that’s right near my in-laws, I’ve walked that lot many a time when bored at Xmas or whenever. It’s in the middle of a large autoplex in Irvine, CA surrounded by other dealerships. I think the second photo is a bit further down the street and is now either the VW or Nissan showroom, can’t place it exactly beyond assuming the building shape hasn’t changed.
Amazing to see so few Hondas on the lot, this was from the days when they were more or less sold right off the delivery trucks. I have NEVER seen such a concentration of domestic iron at this lot though as is in these pix. Looks like everyone traded their GM or Ford in on a new Honda.
Looks to me that the Honda/Jag is right next to the Lincoln Mercury with the used inventory between the buildings and spilling over in front of the Honda/Jag store.
Looking at Google street view confirms that the former Honda/Jag building is next to the former L-M building, as it hasn’t changed a bit other than swapping out the panels in the ground mount and then covering them and the building with banners for the last 5 years.
At least when they changed the banner on the building between 2015 and 2017 they took the Fladeboe sign off. I understand sign regulations are a bit over the top now and can take a long time to process, but you would think they could at least change the panel in the ground mount in 5 years.
The other interesting thing is that in all this time and with a new Honda corp reskin of the building the Hero spot on the corner is still there.
I think it’s now Norm Reeves Honda…
Trades looked like they included two Ford Couriers (a yellow and a brown) and two rubber bumper MGBs– very interesting!
Well the guys in the shop at the import store had plenty of work to keep themselves busy trying to keep customers’ British cars running in between prepping new Hondas and adding A/C to them.
…and the occasional customer Honda brought in for an oil change.
In the 1980s, were used cars sourced from all over the country, or were they all local?
Impressive, this dealer invested in attractive landscaping, very modern light standards, and concrete pads to display their products. For a high volume dealer, their lot is appealing, and well presented.
The formal roof on the ’79 and ’80 Lincoln Versailles would have really helped achieve more design uniqueness from the Granada, if it was ready for their introduction in ’77. Like the ’77 Diplomat/LeBaron, their C pillar design was too close to the basic compacts they were derived from to make their styling genuinely distinctive.
I get the impression with the Dip/LeBaron that they put the entire body differentiation budget into the coupes which shared the F-body sedan/wagon 112.7″ wb rather than the F 2-door 108.7″ wb. Not an unreasonable move in the mid ’70s. Add in that even the Chrysler LeBaron competed in a lower bracket than the Seville and Versailles; the M-bodies were priced to compete with comparably equipped B-O-P X-bodies and the Mercury Monarch Ghia. which were even less distinguished from their respective Ford and Chevy “Prices Starting At $____” specials.
I agree with your thinking. The coupes were well executed designs, and good sellers, justifying extra development costs. Overall, I thought the 4-door Diplomat and LeBaron did a better job distinguishing themselves from the Aspen/Volare than the Versailles from the Granada. The ’77 Diplomat/LeBaron were considered credible near luxury cars for those that couldn’t afford, or didn’t want to spend considerably more for the Versailles and Seville. They were an excellent value in that regard.
My eye spies 6 Versailles. They’re probably still there.
Minus their disc brake rear ends.
I can confirm that as of Christmas 2019 there were in fact not there any longer. I would have taken pictures and shared them, six Versailles would be quite a find. 🙂
I am guessing around September of 1979? There are lots of 79 Versailles and Cougars around, but that Mark VI sedan being shown off was not introduced until the 1980 model year. But there are no 1980 Cougars to be seen.
I have honestly not seen a Lincoln Versailles in over 20 years anywhere, even classic car shows. Plenty of Sevilles though from 1976-1985!
Grew up just south of here, spent many hours at this autoplex or whatever a car-tropolis is called looking at stuff and b.s-ing sales rats into test drives. At the time I think there were about ten different dealerships there.
If anyone cares it’s pronounced “FLAD-a-bow”.
I was wondering how it was pronounced, thanks.
What is the black car next to the white MGB in the second photo – a Subaru?
I think you’re right. Looks like late ‘70’s DL sedan