old car dealerships

[Specwriter]

Anyone have any old photos of Frizell's Pontiac at Gulfgate?

 

Here's one from the internet. I apologize for it being so small and blurry. I'm pretty sure the tan car in the foreground is a 1973 Pontiac Grand Prix.

The red Chevrolet Blazer with the white top must be a 1973 model or later as well. Notice that Frizzell is also an AMC dealership at this time.

 

"3040 Woodridge, next to Gulfgate; where you get a whale of a deal." Mascot was a cartoon whale.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Specwriter

[px4man]

My Mom bought a new '65 Chevy Impala station wagon at A.J.Foyt Chevrolet on Post Oak between W.Belfort and Willowbend where I met AJ himself on the sales floor that day. We used to ride our bikes up to the back and watch them work on some of their race cars, mainly dirt and stock cars.  We moved to Austin later that year and I drove it off the Mansfield Dam late one night after partying in the park. I've got some pictures if I can find them. 

[msteele6]

My parents bought a 1967 Pontiac Le Mans from Frizzells. I believe that Frizzell's original dealership was on Harrisburg across from the old Sears and Roebuck at Harrisburg and Wayside.

 

[Materene]

I worked at several in this list but I would like to see an Al Parker Buick photo early 70s .  The old location is now a new structure and the street that once ran down the side of the building was closed and added as one property for this new business.  The old customer and storage lot was across the street in 70 which is now part of this one property

[JLWM8609]

My Mom bought a new '65 Chevy Impala station wagon at A.J.Foyt Chevrolet on Post Oak between W.Belfort and Willowbend where I met AJ himself on the sales floor that day. We used to ride our bikes up to the back and watch them work on some of their race cars, mainly dirt and stock cars.  We moved to Austin later that year and I drove it off the Mansfield Dam late one night after partying in the park. I've got some pictures if I can find them. 

 

The Foyts are still in the car business. One of A.J.'s sons is currently the General Manager of Mercedes-Benz of Clear Lake.

[JJTiger]

Does anyone know anything about Van York Pontiac GMC that was located in Tomball?  I know the buidling is gone but the property is still empty.  My 79 Trans Am has their dealer tag on the trunk lid.

 

[Fore Right]

Sam White Oldsmobile

Tom Gray Datsun/Nissan on the Katy Freeway and "West Belt"

[ChannelTwoNews]

Does anyone have any information about Harry Shanks Chevrolet? Found a commercial of theirs on a mid 80's tape. One of the cheaper and more desperate ones out there - basically came off as "we're spending money to just become competitive!". This dealership was located at Hwy 6 & Beechnut,  later becoming Mike Hall Chevrolet and is now part of the Autonation group.

[MirrersTrucking]

Ok, hang on... When did Lawrence Marshall close and Landmark change names??? Does that mean Ray Childress is unemployed now? Is Mel Farr Ford still around? Also, what is the name of the Ford dealer on 59 that is or was just inside the North Loop?

[Ross]

Ok, hang on... When did Lawrence Marshall close and Landmark change names??? Does that mean Ray Childress is unemployed now? Is Mel Farr Ford still around? Also, what is the name of the Ford dealer on 59 that is or was just inside the North Loop?

 

Lawrence Marshall closed in 2009 http://www.chron.com/business/article/Vast-Lawrence-Marshall-auto-dealership-closes-1584646.php

 

Landmark closed in 2008. It didn't change names. The location on the North Freeway has been a blight ever since. http://abc13.com/archive/6378220/

 

[mkultra25]

 

Landmark closed in 2008. It didn't change names. The location on the North Freeway has been a blight ever since. http://abc13.com/archive/6378220/

 

I'll assume you haven't been by there in quite some time. The old Landmark complex was acquired in January 2011 by a John Deere dealer who relocated their heavy equipment dealership there after demolishing the old buildings and building new ones. I believe they subdivided the property with the intent to resell some of it, as the new dealership buildings don't take up nearly as much room as the massive Landmark complex did. 

 

The new dealership just opened recently. 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/hUbwZRTih7v

[Materene]

Was'nt it called Snelling Mercury at one time. I seem to remember a cougar image on their logos.

 

Would you be thinking it might have been Plaza Lincoln Mercury.  I worked there in 72 and Joe Woods was the service manager at that time.

 

[Materene]

I'll assume you haven't been by there in quite some time. The old Landmark complex was acquired in January 2011 by a John Deere dealer who relocated their heavy equipment dealership there after demolishing the old buildings and building new ones. I believe they subdivided the property with the intent to resell some of it, as the new dealership buildings don't take up nearly as much room as the massive Landmark complex did. 

 

The new dealership just opened recently. 

 

https://goo.gl/maps/hUbwZRTih7v

 

My last dealership job was in 89 and there at Landmark, I had worked there 3 times since the early 70s until that time.  I left the first workday after Thanksgiving 1989 and it was the last dealership I worked in, came back to where I live now and never will forget it, one of those fall cold rain fronts got hooked up with me and I drove in a driving rain all the way to Louisiana.

 

[Bill Lins]

Sam White Oldsmobile

Tom Gray Datsun/Nissan on the Katy Freeway and "West Belt"

Don't forget Sam Montgomery "The Rocket Man" Oldsmobile on Kirby Drive!

[Bill Lins]

There was an Okay car dealership on the Gulf Freeway (maybe across from Gulfgate?) forever!  But no more. A boy I knew asked me out on a date in about 1967. He picked me up and drove me to Okay Cars, saying that he hadn't budgeted well enough for a movie or a burger, so he just took me to stare at the cars.  He had a great time! I didn't, much.  I married somebody else.  Twenty-five years later we went to Bonnie's Beef and Seafood on the Gulf Freeway and  I looked over and saw the little "Okay" flags flapping. It still looked the same. But it's not there any more.

I think you're referring to the old Bob Robertson Chevrolet which was located at the outbound side of the Gulf Freeway @ Wayside.

[msteele6]

If she was at Bonnie's (the Foundry, the Beef and Barrel, Bonnie's Beef and Barrel ) it wasn't Bob Robertson's. Bob Robertson's was inside of Wayside (next to Queen of Peace). Bonnie's is outside of Griggs, you can't see that far.

[Lynn P]

I believe that your asking about Kitzman Chevrolet on Hwy. 290 at Rosehill Rd. area.

[Michelle C]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2015 at 8:40 PM, MirrersTrucking said:

Ok, hang on... When did Lawrence Marshall close and Landmark change names??? Does that mean Ray Childress is unemployed now? Is Mel Farr Ford still around? Also, what is the name of the Ford dealer on 59 that is or was just inside the North Loop?

The Ford dealership just inside the North Loop was a Bayou City Ford. It was a Big Ford truck dealership.

[kel d]

Before it was Timmers Chevrolet in Pasadena, (corner of Richey and 225) it was Boyd Mullen Chevrolet. One of my uncles bought a 1962 Chevy Impala SS (Roman Red) from them and in 1967 sold it to his inlaws, (my grandparents). 

[ggmsmolly]

There was the old Sam Montgomery Oldsmobile dealership on Gessner at 59.

[TonyaB]

On 11/20/2013 at 8:49 AM, GEM said:

Auto Sports Ltd.:Bought a Fiat there in the mid 70s...............

My dad, Bob Buford and uncle, Johnny Christi used to work at Auto Sports

[TonyaB]

My dad, Bob Buford and my uncle, Johnny Christi, were mechanics at Auto Sports. And their friend, Jim Masters, was the parts runner I believe.

[NenaE]

All I remember about auto dealerships growing up in the sixties is --- the HUGE Rocket neon sign on Gulf Freeway near Gulfgate (outbound), the auto import place with small cars and round glass showroom, on the Gulf Freeway (inbound, close to Prince's & Finger's) and the mcm auto showrooms on S. Richey (Pasadena).

[Specwriter]

6 hours ago, NenaE said:

All I remember about auto dealerships growing up in the sixties is --- the HUGE Rocket neon sign on Gulf Freeway near Gulfgate (outbound), the auto import place with small cars and round glass showroom, on the Gulf Freeway (inbound, close to Prince's & Finger's) and the mcm auto showrooms on S. Richey (Pasadena).

Bill McDavid Oldsmobile and Autosports Ltd. (Fiat, Alfa Romeo, TVR, and possibly others) on the Gulf Freeway. The showroom on South Richey was Timmers Chevrolet. Before Timmers it was Boyd Mullen Chevrolet. Here is the dealer name plate on a 1967 Chevelle seen recently at a car show.

 

Edited February 19, 2018 by Specwriter

[Pamela Mistrot Ros]

My father was a used car dealer in the 1950's. Washington Avenue was "Used Car Dealer Row". His car lot was called "Mistrot Brothers". It was located about in the middle of Washington Ave. As a kid I remember all of the rows and rows of clear incandescent light bulbs hanging over the cars. Cars so brightly polished that the light bulbs reflected on them. Also, brightly colored pinnet flags waving overhead to attract customers. All of the cars had the price painted on the windshield. At the dinner table, Daddy always talked cars and about the other car dealers of the time. I think my father was once president of " The Greater Houston Car Dealers Association" And somewhere in all of my memorabilia, I have something listing him as such. I added his picture from the 1950's.

[Ross]

For some reason, I've had the Chick Smith jingle in my head - "Chick Smith Ford, a little bit North of FM 1960, right next door to the Goodyear Blimp Base".

 

In the 1910's, my great grandfather worked at a car dealer in the 1900 block of Main, I think it was an Overland dealer. Later, it added Willys. 

[vpla001]

anyone have pictures or footage of 

Sam Montgomery Oldsmobile ("Sam the Rocket Man") 

 

•  
• Quote

[Dagnabbit]

On 9/14/2017 at 12:18 PM, ggmsmolly said:

There was the old Sam Montgomery Oldsmobile dealership on Gessner at 59.

 

I believe you're getting your Sam's mixed up, the dealership at Gessner and 59 (actually the main showroom was on Beechnut ) was Sam White Olds.

[WillowBend56]

A.J. Foyt Chevrolet where I bought my 1978 Chevy Nova!

[cowboybud]

On 9/13/2015 at 11:00 PM, ChannelTwoNews said:

Does anyone have any information about Harry Shanks Chevrolet? Found a commercial of theirs on a mid 80's tape. One of the cheaper and more desperate ones out there - basically came off as "we're spending money to just become competitive!". This dealership was located at Hwy 6 & Beechnut,  later becoming Mike Hall Chevrolet and is now part of the Autonation group.

 

Now Classic Chevrolet.

[thedistrict84]

Been catching up on the Historic Houston posts the last few days when I was lucky enough to still have power, and thought of a few questions for everyone here:

• Does anyone remember Pearson Chevrolet in Alvin? I didn't see it mentioned in this thread. I remember going there as a kid in the late 1980s, when my dad was a salesperson there. I think it was at Highway 6 and Business 35, current location of a Ron Carter facility. I seem to recall the franchise being purchased by Ron Carter sometime in the 1990s, with the Chevrolet dealership subsequently relocated to the then-new Ron Carter Autoland (or whatever it is/was called) at FM 528 at Highway 35. My grandfather bought a brand new 1968 Camaro there, which currently resides in my garage (with the original dealer emblem still intact on the trunk lid).

• Anybody happen to recall which individual dealerships sold Yugos in Houston? From what I've learned, there were virtually no standalone dealerships, as the vast majority of franchises were purchased by existing dealers (typically GM) to be sold through their existing lots, probably in part as a way to get people in the door given the absurdly cheap price of the cars. The other bay of my garage is occupied by an all original 1987 Yugo GV, but it came from Ohio (and is somehow rust free!). If there was a Houston Yugo dealer out there, I'd love to possibly track down some memorabilia from it. 

• On a related note, I do know the Yugo parts guy who decamped to San Angelo some time ago used to have a facility off of Shepherd (he's still selling parts, mostly NOS OEM stuff he bought from the dealers when they folded back in the early 1990s). Curious where that might have been.

Thanks in advance!

[mkultra25]

35 minutes ago, thedistrict84 said:

The other bay of my garage is occupied by an all original 1987 Yugo GV, but it came from Ohio (and is somehow rust free!). If there was a Houston Yugo dealer out there, I'd love to possibly track down some memorabilia from it. 

That's got to be a rarity. Can't imagine too many of them survived in decent shape given their target market of people wanting a new car at a used-car price. 

 

[thedistrict84]

13 minutes ago, mkultra25 said:

That's got to be a rarity. Can't imagine too many of them survived in decent shape given their target market of people wanting a new car at a used-car price. 

To be fair, when I say "all original" I just mean it has been kept stock (aside from FIAT X1/9 wheels added to it by the previous owner). I've had to replace quite a few things over the five years I've owned it, but I finally have it to a state that I would characterize as "well-sorted." 

I've only seen three others in Houston, ever. One I spotted in a salvage yard off of Mykawa back in 2000-2001, a GVX (the "performance" model) that blew past me doing 80 on I-10 east at Lockwood circa 2005, and one still in the possession of the owner of a certain engine and transmission repair place in the East End with a catchy jingle and slogan.  

[JLWM8609]

5 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

That's got to be a rarity. Can't imagine too many of them survived in decent shape given their target market of people wanting a new car at a used-car price. 

 

Tony Gullo has one in his personal collection in Magnolia. I was afraid to look at it the wrong way lest it fall apart!

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

I helped form the local Fiat club 20 years ago, and we never had a Yugo owner as a member for the 10 years I was around...

The guy who had the Yugo parts place was Jay, he started out on Jones Rd near 1960, then moved to Eldridge Road somewhere north of 1960. I had the misfortune of meeting him the day after Clinton bombed the Zastava factory. I'm like, dude, i just need a hood for my Spider, I don't need the long rant... lol

[mkultra25]

17 hours ago, thedistrict84 said:

I've only seen three others in Houston, ever. One I spotted in a salvage yard off of Mykawa back in 2000-2001, a GVX (the "performance" model) that blew past me doing 80 on I-10 east at Lockwood circa 2005, and one still in the possession of the owner of a certain engine and transmission repair place in the East End with a catchy jingle and slogan.  

I remember when they were first being sold, as I (very) briefly considered buying one. But I don't recall whether there was actually a dedicated Houston dealer or (more likely) they were available through already-established dealers that carried other makes. 

[mollusk]

On 2/19/2021 at 12:16 PM, mkultra25 said:

I remember when they were first being sold, as I (very) briefly considered buying one. But I don't recall whether there was actually a dedicated Houston dealer or (more likely) they were available through already-established dealers that carried other makes. 

I looked at them, too - more out of curiosity than anything else.  In a way it was the perfect car - in the sense that it was perfectly awful.  I don't recall any stand alone dealerships; perhaps they were sold at the place on the Gulf Freeway that also carried various other oddball European cars (like TVR), and maybe Motorsports (if that was their name) on the Southwest Freeway.

[Specwriter]

1 hour ago, mollusk said:

perhaps they were sold at the place on the Gulf Freeway that also carried various other oddball European cars (like TVR), and maybe Motorsports (if that was their name) on the Southwest Freeway.

You are talking about Chequer Imports. It was the TVR dealership and Lancia too IIRC.

I'm really not sure who sold Yugos but I might guess De Montrond on the North Freeway. At one time De Montrond also sold Peugeots. Somebody high up in the organization must have had a thing for not very popular (at least in the U. S.) automobiles.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

the Chequer Imports sign is still there, with the Lancia and TVR signs still intact.

[thedistrict84]

On 2/19/2021 at 1:36 AM, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

The guy who had the Yugo parts place was Jay, he started out on Jones Rd near 1960, then moved to Eldridge Road somewhere north of 1960. I had the misfortune of meeting him the day after Clinton bombed the Zastava factory. I'm like, dude, i just need a hood for my Spider, I don't need the long rant... lol

Sounds just like Jay. He’s a nice guy, but conversations with him usually go off on some unusual tangents.

[mkultra25]

16 hours ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

the Chequer Imports sign is still there, with the Lancia and TVR signs still intact.

 

[Specwriter]

17 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

 

Does anybody remember what was in the 'missing' sign between Lancia and TVR? Maybe it was Alfa Romeo. It is a pity the 1958 showroom piece did not survive. It was a great example of Mid-Century architecture. Even if became a phone store or check cashing place it could have preserved that wonderful roof.

[hindesky]

Anyone know what the old car dealership was at the southeast corner of Broadway and Brays Bayou? I worked there at the shipyard when I first moved to Houston and some of the old timers said at one point it was a car dealership and a cement ready mix, not sure which was there first. I want to recall it was a Chevrolet dealer if I remember.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

14 hours ago, Specwriter said:

Does anybody remember what was in the 'missing' sign between Lancia and TVR? Maybe it was Alfa Romeo. It is a pity the 1958 showroom piece did not survive. It was a great example of Mid-Century architecture. Even if became a phone store or check cashing place it could have preserved that wonderful roof.

It may have been Alfa. I know it wasn't Fiat since they pulled out of the US market in '82, taking Lancia with them. The remaining Lancia Betas and Zagatos were sold by the people who started Overstock.com, by the way. They were based near Columbus Ohio, there were a lot of Lancias roaming those streets. I can only recall a few Lancias here, Stan's scary AF Scorpion, Chaucer's Beta, and a dude named Rodney in Dallas who stuffed a modern motor in one 20 years ago...

Now there's a kid (hah, kid, he's in his 30s) who imported a racing Delta, and there was a Stratos in Houston for a while. 
I know, it's greek to y'all, take it to the mirafiori forum.. lol

[mkultra25]

14 hours ago, Tumbleweed_Tx said:

The remaining Lancia Betas and Zagatos were sold by the people who started Overstock.com, by the way. 

I did not know that. 

I'd probably do a double take if I ever saw a Stratos or a racing Delta tooling around Houston. Those are certainly not cars that you see every day, by a long shot. 

 

[HardcoreHoustonian]

On 5/18/2019 at 8:32 AM, Ross said:

For some reason, I've had the Chick Smith jingle in my head - "Chick Smith Ford, a little bit North of FM 1960, right next door to the Goodyear Blimp Base".

 

In the 1910's, my great grandfather worked at a car dealer in the 1900 block of Main, I think it was an Overland dealer. Later, it added Willys. 

 Several years ago, I saw a very original/unrestored but well maintained looking 1958 Impala with a Chick Smith, Houston emblem on it. Anyone know if Chick Smith was ever a Chevy dealership, or did they also put their emblem on used cars?

 The jingle I remember most: "Davis, Chuck Davis, Chuck Davis Chevrolet!

                                                  Can and will make you a better deal, on America's #1 automobile,

                                                  Davis, Chuck Davis, Chuck Davis Chevrolet!"

Edited January 1 by HardcoreHoustonian
addition

[Ross]

1 hour ago, HardcoreHoustonian said:

 Several years ago, I saw a very original/unrestored but well maintained looking 1958 Impala with a Chick Smith, Houston emblem on it. Anyone know if Chick Smith was ever a Chevy dealership, or did they also put their emblem on used cars?

 The jingle I remember most: "Davis, Chuck Davis, Chuck Davis Chevrolet!

                                                  Can and will make you a better deal, on America's #1 automobile,

                                                  Davis, Chuck Davis, Chuck Davis Chevrolet!"

Must have been a used car. Chick Smith Ford was incorporated in 1975, and I can't find any evidence of a Chevy dealership. In those days, dealers were a single brand, not multiple like we have today.

[HardcoreHoustonian]

Maybe it was just "Smith / Houston". I wouldn't think a new car dealer would sell a 20-year-old used car.

 

Lots of emblems for sale on ebay, like this Sam Montgomery that's listed as I write this.

 

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

there was a Smith Chevrolet on Travis St in the 50's and early 60s.
I'm headed to that building as soon as I shut the laptop off - it's now Rise Rooftop.