Text by Patrick Bell.
Today we are going to tour some used car lots across the country. There is a good selection of new car dealer’s offerings as well as several independently owned lots. I put in five years in the used car business back in the seventies and it was quite the education. I still enjoy scouting the back row treasures every once in a while. So, off to our first stop.
The Smiling Irishman, the Workingman’s Friend, where you got a Square Deal, and could buy a car for $50. Walter Wellman was the Irishman who had this lot on the corner of W. Pico Boulevard and Vermont Avenue in Los Angeles in this photo taken in 1952. That corner is now the parking lot to a restaurant and a small strip mall anchored by an Auto Zone. The only things that have not changed are the storm drain, fire hydrant, and the street lamp post on the right. You can also see the old semaphore style traffic light in the old image. On the front line, beginning on the right, a tan ’49 or ’50 Frazer, black ’50 Pontiac, maroon ’49 Pontiac, black over tan ’51 Hudson Hollywood Coupe, and a blue ’49 Chrysler.
Elkes Pontiac Good Will Used Cars of Tampa, Florida. The main showroom and service facility was located at 1101 N. Florida Avenue, but I was not able to find the location of this lot; though it was probably right around the corner. There was a good variety to choose from, although I can confirm only one Ford; the ’50 Custom Deluxe Tudor Sedan to the right of the driveway. On the left of the front row were two Pontiacs; a ’51 and a ’50 convertible. Then a ’52 Studebaker Commander 4 door sedan, another ’51 Pontiac, ’50 Studebaker, and a ’52 Pontiac.
Tidewater Motors. No other information on this one other than the inference to a coastal location. Ford’s dominate here with a ’52 Customline Fordor with a custom side two tone treatment on the left. Above its hood was a ’55 Pontiac, two ’56 models, –which were the newest– a F-100 and a Customline Tudor, ’53 Pontiac, ’53 Customline Fordor, ’53 Oldsmobile, and a ’54 Mercury.
University Motor Sales Used Cars, 2055 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. The showroom was in the 1900 block, a block or so behind us from the photo’s perspective on the same side of the street. They played out the Pontiac “Chief” image with the “Trading Post” sign and totem pole. This complex is no longer but the five story Ford building in the next block remains and has been refurbished and repurposed. There is also a good view of the neon sign. Beginning in the lower right corner a ’54 Ford, a string of five ’53s; Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan, Mercury, Buick, Mercury, and Chevrolet. On the end, perhaps a ’53 or ’54 Packard.
Warren C. Smith Motors, holler at Mike to look at one of the Clean Used Cars. I found some information that indicates this was in Meadville, Pennsylvania, but I could not confirm it. The medium price class dominates this front row with a ’50-’52 Cadillac on the left, then two Mercurys; ’52 and ’53, a ’53 Oldsmobile, ’50 Chevrolet, ’51 or ’52 Dodge, and a ’50 Oldsmobile.
Now we are back in the Boston area at Mirak Chevrolet OK Used Cars in Arlington. They opened in 1936 and are still in operation. I don’t know the location of this facility but it was close to a W. T. Grant store, another Greater Boston retailer from the past. The ’55 Bel Air 2 door sedan in the lower right sure dated the row in the background, where there was a ’51 Mercury Sport Coupe amongst a sea of Chevrolets; a ’52 on the left and two ’53s; a Two-Ten Club Coupe and a Two-Ten 2 door sedan.
It’s off to Columbia, South Carolina, to check out the Oliver Motor Company Chrysler-Plymouth-Imperial used car lot inventory. The year was 1959 per the license plates. The new and used cars appear to be in the same complex, and there was an Esso station down the street. Two gentlemen were on the lot, likely salesmen waiting for their next victim, er, prospect. From the right a six cylinder ’56 Plymouth Savoy or Belvedere 4 door sedan, ’55 Chevrolet Bel Air 4 door sedan, V8 powered ’57 Chevrolet Two-Ten 2 door sedan, ’55 Chrysler Windsor, ’55 Mercury and a ’57 Ford.
This one appears to be Fabert Lincoln-Mercury Safe Buy Used Cars in Champaign, Illinois. It was 9:17 in the morning, and the man looks like a worker who was waiting for his instructions for the day. As would be expected, Ford products dominate. From the left a black ’55 Ford Mainline, a ’54 model in the center, and three ’54 Mercury’s including a convertible, sedan and a coupe.
G & M Motors Used Cars, no other information, but they had an interesting inventory. From the left a Nash Rambler wagon, ’48 or ’49 Cadillac Coupe, ’58 Chevrolet Delray 2 door sedan, ’60-’62 Jeep wagon, two Volkswagen Karmann Ghias, and a ’61 Oldsmobile in front of the main building.
Les Imus Motors and V. Q. Powell Motor Company at the corners of NE Union Avenue and NE Hassalo Street in Portland, Oregon. NE Union was also Highway 99 and is now NE Martin Luther King Boulevard. This neighborhood has been completely transformed including the closing of this block of Hassalo. The Oregon Convention Center is now about a block south, and Interstate 5 is two blocks west. The newest car I see was the ’65 Dodge Polara wagon at the intersection.
Imus Motors had a ’56 Cadillac coupe and representatives from the Big Three on the front line, plus two ’57 Lincolns; a coupe and convertible. There currently is a Powell Motors about a half mile from this location that says they have been in business since 1933, but I cannot confirm they are one and the same. The featured one appeared to stock only Chevrolets and Volkswagens, including a ’63 C10 Fleetside long bed, and a ’60 or ’61 Suburban Carryall.
Enyeart Chevrolet OK Used Cars at 203 E. Michigan Street in Michigan City, Indiana. Their showroom was in the same block, and you can see the sign in the distance on the left. All of this is now gone. The newest one I can confirm was a ’63 Impala Sport Coupe on the far right edge. Heading back this way a ’56 or ’57 Continental Mark II, ’61 Impala convertible, ’60 Buick LeSabre 4 door sedan, and a ’63 or ’64 Chevy II wagon.
Here we are at Barry’s Auto Sales located in Burlington, Vermont, in a 1963 image. Fords were favored with four Falcon 4 door sedans; a ’63, two ’61 Deluxe’s all on the left, and a ’61 basic model on the right. Also on the left a ’60 Thunderbird, and a leaning ’58 Ranch Wagon. On the right was a ’59 Galaxie Town Sedan.
Now we are across the border in Port Arthur, Ontario, in 1964. It no longer exists as it merged with Fort William and two other townships in 1970 to form Thunder Bay. The lot has many GM roof lines to view, with Pontiac as the two most visible. On the left a ’63 Laurentian or Strato-Chief 2 door sedan, and to the right ’59 Parisienne Vista. On the street was a ’57 Chrysler Windsor 4 door sedan.
We are back in Michigan City, Indiana, to see what they had at Red Carpet Auto Sales. This was likely in the early seventies as the newest one I can ID is the ’69 Ford Galaxie 500 or LTD in the driveway. The lineup we can see had two Dodges; a ’62 Dart 440 4 door hardtop and a ’65 Dart GT convertible, with a ’60 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan between them.
Thanks for touring with us and have a great day!
Well that was actually fun and I’ve been in three of those towns: Los Angeles, Portland and Champaign but in the 90’s.
CAUTION – Video includes swearing: Satirical car dealer commercial.
This. When we moved from Catonsville to the San Fernando Valley, in June 1966, this fellow is the first thing I recall from the TV. Unlike Baltimore, which had no used car commercials n TV, Los Angeles had Ralph Williams all over the place. In 1966 it was Ralph Williams Ford.
In the Port Arthur image up against the sales office is a C2 Corvette, probably a 60 or 61, but hard to be sure.
‘OK used cars’
Not exactly a hard sell is it?
Somehow I enjoy looking at these used car lot photos even more than those from new car dealerships!
As for the Elkes Pontiac location, the dealer’s used car lot was located at 1119 Grand Central Ave. (now Kennedy Blvd.), west of downtown Tampa. Elkes operated this lot from 1941 to 1957, when it moved the used car lot even further west to a bigger space. The whole area where this was located is now part of a University of Tampa athletic facility.
The Tidewater Motors lot was located in Greenville, North Carolina – confusing because it’s about 100 miles from the Coast.
I think I found the location – not much is remaining except for one of the buildings in the background. Here’s the Google StreetView link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ckL8HoEejXPzAb3J9
Patrick, I hope you’ll honor us with some stories from your car dealer days. Real experience is always valuable.
Tide Water Motors was more than likely in Va. Norfolk, Virginia Beach area.
Many modern secondhand car dealers have attempted to make their operations appear inviting, and professional. With appealing decor, refreshments, and attractive surroundings.
There was so much negative stigma attached, to these old school, loud and shady-seeming dealers.
We’ve all seen this guy in one of those lots at one time or another. But have to say kinda miss those days, they’re all so slick and buttoned down now… almost normal.
Clean, one owner. Used by a little old lady on weekends. A real cream puff. This one’s a cherry. Has R&H, too. Fun photos. Thanks. “Hey, i just left here. Where’s my rear bumper?”
Those are used car lots I like so different from the ocean of dodgy used imports displayed here.
It was the mid 1960s and Dad was going to buy a car for my older brother when he turned 16. I remember at a used car lot, a beautiful 1957 T-Bird only held together with Bondo. Finally brother got a late model MG that he really wanted.
Funny, nobody here is selling “previously owned” cars, a phrase that seems to have been coined after these photos were taken, likely to avoid the negative connotation of “used” as in taken advantage of, or depleted. Of course, people’s experience with used cars is a big part of the reason why “used” gained that connotation in the first place…
I remember that “OK Used Cars” sign at several GM dealerships; not sure when they went away.
The interesting thing to me is : being a mechanic I assume whatever I buy will need work so I look at lack of collision damage and how it looks .
Bad brakes, smoking engine, pops out of second gear, who cares ? .
Many years ago Kurt Russel made a fascinating documentary called “Used Cars” .
-Nate
I purchased my first car, a ’53 Plymouth that ran great but was badly rusted at a used car lot. Paid $65 for it, drove it for 3 years and sold it for $35. Not bad.
Barry’s is still in business as Barry’s Transmission.
“Meadville PA”, maybe, possibly, made it into this round!
I believe some of these places sell used cars… but’s not all too clear. Maybe they should put a sign up that says ‘USED CARS’.
The black & white photos remind me of the movie Psycho where Janet Leigh attempts to throw off the scent of the police by swapping out cars at the used car lot. I don’t remember what she traded in, but I think she left with a 1957 Ford Custom 300.
Also, as per a posting in Facebook, the car dealership in the movie was actually Harry Maher’s used car lot near Universal Studios.
https://www.facebook.com/kengarffftcollins/posts/throwback-thursday-trivia-in-the-1960-movie-psycho-janet-leighs-character-marion/1052850988107374/