There’s something not right about this picture. Al Lankford really was a Bricklin dealer, but look at the cars in the showroom.
They’re all 1967 models, and Bricklin didn’t come along until 1974. Apparently Al Lankford wanted to save a few bucks and had this 1967 vintage postcard, when he was a Buick-Opel dealer, touched up to replace the Opel with Bricklin. Well, given what a dud the Bricklin was, he was probably right in not spending an extra cent.
Al should have been a Ford dealer, then he could have saved even more money on signage.
Now, if it was “Delorean” instead of “Bricklin”, at least there was the possibility of a time machine…
Yugo would be more appropriate.
How about “Sterling”?
Another short lived brand of the 80’s.
Okay, Paul! Good funny comments. I was looking for the Bricklin’s, too. The wagon on the left at the rear of the showroom: Isn’t that an Oldsmobile?
The “Vista roof” was used by Buick too for the “Sport Wagon.”
Wasn’t Bricklin importing the Subaru 360 in 1967? But I don’t think his name was attached publicly to the Subaru project…?
Hyde park motors, our local Chrysler dealer was selling Mopar, Peugeot and 360s..
Shouldn’t Bricklins have been sold by AMC or Ford dealers? At least they would have had some of the mechanical components in stock.
First thing I noticed is there’s a dot after AL. I know “Al” is usually an abbreviation for something like “Albert”, “Alan”, “Alexander” or “Alfonso”, but shortened versions of names don’t usually have full periods after them. Only exceptions are something like Wm. for William or Geo. for George since they’re not pronounced as they look.
(side note: I’ve long been amused those names even have abbreviations, as if “George” takes too long to say or write.)
Weird thing in this postcard is that “Bricklin” looks very real and not drawn or copy-and-pasted.
I suspect the period is there so people won’t read it as “ALL ANKFORD.”
Paper used to be expensive, parchment even more so, and writing legibly with a quill and inkpot was time consuming.
What’s odd to me is that Buick is at the beginning.
side note: I’ve long been amused those names even have abbreviations, as if “George” takes too long to say or write.)
My pet example of this is those who have an automated email signature that says
“BR, Fred Bloggs”. Like, how long does “best regards” take to read?
Al Lankford Buick was in Norristown, PA, in the Philly suburbs. The location is now a Mitsubishi dealer.
I thought the dealership name sounded familiar.
Looks like the building itself is still standing. In this Google StreetView image below, the building has a modern facade, but underneath it appears to be the same glass-fronted structure.
According to Montgomery Co. property records, the building itself was constructed in 1966 – and it appears that Al Lankford Buick moved from a downtown Norristown location shortly afterwards, so I guess they had the original photo taken for publicity surrounding their new showroom. And since it was a good photo… well, why not reuse it a few years later. Seems odd to me, but I guess Al didn’t mind!
Oddly, despite having grown up in Montgomery County, I don’t recall Lankford Buick at all.
https://goo.gl/maps/kjgu3QUsnXB4q4oR7
Fluorescent tube lighting for parking lots, gas stations, and street lighting, was popular in the mid to late 60s. Somewhat, of a short-lived fad.
While they looked modern for dealer lots, and gas stations, they often clashed visually with more traditional streetscapes.
Often, a quick identifier for late ’60s highway and freeway scenes.
One of the more interesting applications of florescent lighting from the 1960’s was in the original Turcot Interchange in Montréal, which included recessed lighting embedded in the walls of the ramps, rather than traditional lamp posts.
Speaking of saving sign money, for a long time there was a Ford dealer in Dearborn MI whose name was Bob Ford. The sign on his building just said “Bob Ford.”
Well, the sign could have said “Bob Ford’s Ford”.
Yes, as I recall, Bob Ford sponsored a very successful Fairlane Thunderbolt. Driven by Len Richter.
There was a Chevy dealer in the Bronx called S.M. Rose. They had a commercial where a guy with a Noo Yawk accent popped out of a ‘75 Caprice. Only problem was they kept using that ad into the 1980’s. So they fixed it up with clips of 1981 models. That kept it fresh for the rest of the decade.