Page 3 of 11

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 9:41 am
by BTJustice
Mori wrote:GSV

Used to be a Toyota showroom in this location in mount florida, laterly i think it became a kwik fit outlet.


Now a Tesco express on that site.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:55 am
by RDR
viceroy wrote:
BTJustice wrote:I can remember SMT on Finnieston street, where my Dad bought a Mk1 Astra


There was also an SMT place on New City Road at Cowcaddens, next to what used to be the old Normal School. My eldest sister worked there in the late 1960's / early 1970's. The Chinatown Restaurant is there now, in fact I think it is still the same building.


Now you mentioned it, I went for a look and the Chinatown Restaurant is in the same building and in fact the windows are still the ones originally used for the car showroom.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2011 1:33 pm
by moonbeam
Bought a Morris Minor from A & D Fraser in Kelvin Drive(?). Then had it serviced by a garage in Bothwell St that disappeared when the Kingston Bridge got built. George & Jobling were furher along in wooden buildings.My brother bought an Escort from Ninian Sanderson who traded as Dicksons in Great Western Road at St Georges Cross. A mate bought a Lotus Elan in 1965 or so from a place Steele(?) Paisley Road area. Anyway it was advertised as a build it your self in 48 hours to save tax. Took nearly 3 months. Bits missing in the box of bits.Had to have an inspection by someone from Bothwell St road tax office when built. Failed on "wrong bolts".Not high tensile. Then failed again as we had greased the new bolts and this guy used a torque wrench on the suspension.Wrong torque settings. Had an Austin Sprite that broke a half shaft and it was towed to a BMC dealer Milne at the junction of Westmuir St and Shettleston Road. The director of a place I worked in had an Armstrong Siddley Star sports saloon. It was sericed by Andersons at Newton Mearns then when Armstrongs stopped he bought an Alvis and Skellys in Motherwell used to service it. Bought an Escort from Armour motors at Giffnock and traded it in for a Mark 3 Escort at Milngavie Motors at Anniesland. Croft in the Gallowgate once serviced it very badly!! There was a place "Kings?" out Mount Vernon way that seemed to deal in motor bikes and odd three wheel cars. Also a place at the rear of the Highland Jessie Pub/Barras/Gallowgate who seemed to deal in 3 wheel scootacars. These odd red things sat on open ground behind the pub.What was the Rolls Royce/ Bentley place in Renfrew Street called ? I recall only being able to look through the window in the late 1950s at these cars was it Clyde Motors? The salesmen had real suits and ties on. Very posh.Prossers had a place In St Georges Road and I had to get work done on the Sprite at Carlaws in Finneston St where PC world is.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:01 pm
by robertpool
found these Ford ads on you tube *Warning - contains graphic images that may not be suitable for all.

http://youtu.be/hLIkjWFNAKI

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:34 pm
by Doorstop
::):

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 12:05 am
by Mori
Glen Henderson in Bearsden was a Porsche showroom 80s, is it still there ?checked GSV its not on Maxwell Avenue, i think its been turned in to a block of retail outlets.

Parkhall Toyota @ Hardgate roundabout clydebank. Honda then Skoda, Maxwell rd, Pollockshields now strawbery gardens asian food shop,

Used to be one in Alsison st near craigie st somewhere, its been featured on HG somewhere doors opend on to the side st somewhere.

And this site on Argyle st that has recently been demolished to make way for a block of flats.

Image

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:26 am
by RDR
Mori wrote:Glen Henderson in Bearsden was a Porsche showroom 80s, is it still there ?checked GSV its not on Maxwell Avenue, i think its been turned in to a block of retail outlets.

Parkhall Toyota @ Hardgate roundabout clydebank. Honda then Skoda, Maxwell rd, Pollockshields now strawbery gardens asian food shop,

Used to be one in Alsison st near craigie st somewhere, its been featured on HG somewhere doors opend on to the side st somewhere.

And this site on Argyle st that has recently been demolished to make way for a block of flats.

Image


I think the one you mean at Alison St/Cragie St near old Southern Police station, is still there as an Arnold Clark, Fiat Dealership.
Further up Alison Street, over the junction with Polockshaws Rd, where I think it becomes Nithsdale Road, is a garage that became a motorcycle dealers and of all things a snooker hall!

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 10:43 am
by hungryjoe
Arnold Clark's dad used to do our garden. On one occasion my dad gave him £50.00 to buy roses, the fly old bastard stole them from Springburn park ::):
Years later, I met A.C. in the Dean St., Kilmarnock garage. The partsman introduced me to Arnold, who looked extremely worried when I mentioned that I knew his dad. Not wanting to embarrass him, I said that my dad had "got advice about the garden from him" he immediately cheered up and told the partsman - "yes, my dad was a horticultural consultant".

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:27 am
by banjo
aye hungryjoe,some people really do like to forget where they came from.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 6:35 pm
by Josef
*fails to see all that much of a difference*

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:23 pm
by Mori

I think the one you mean at Alison St/Cragie St near old Southern Police station, is still there as an Arnold Clark, Fiat Dealership.
Further up Alison Street, over the junction with Polockshaws Rd, where I think it becomes Nithsdale Road, is a garage that became a motorcycle dealers and of all things a snooker hall!


No its still there, i thought it was well gone, its on the corner of Nidrie rd and Allison st, Churchil cars >GSV

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:36 pm
by Scotty100
I remember these independent dealerships in the days BC. (Before Clark)

Westcars - Crow Road - Saab and Colt (now called Mitsubishi)
Westcars - Barrhead Road - Audi, Nsu, VW.
Brian Coyle one of the owners of Westcars won the London to Sydney Marathon Rally with Andrew Cowan in a detuned Hilman Hunter

Merilee Motors - Merilee Road - VW

Jim Watt - Garrioch Rd - Citroen (Yes the World Champion boxer)

Skellys - Cumbernauld Rd - Ford

Melvins - Finniston St - Roots

Callanders - Kirklee Road - Mercedes, Auto Union

Prossers - Provanmill Road - BL, Rover

Gaulds - Paisley Road West/Mosspark Bvd - Rolls Royce

Hampden Cars - Carmunnock Road - A strange mix - Mazda, Lotus, Wartburg, Polski Fiat.

Stirling Cars - Carmunnock Road - Honda and Opel.

Ross Motors - Woodlands Rd - Mazda, Wartburg and Polski Fiat on the ground floor and you went up the stairs of the close to find them selling Triumph, BSA and Matchless motorcycles. Up another flight of stairs and that was the parts dept. On the top floor were the offices. Yes It was a tenement and the eccentric Polish owner was using the flats above the showroom to keep his business together in the one place.

I think I will stop there but I have lots more to share. I am working on a wee project on the motoring heritage of Glasgow from the earliest cars of 1890 just after they were invented. These are just a few of the more recent motor dealers that have sprung up in my motoring meanderings. Will post more when I get the chance but if anyone can contribute to this research please do. I would appreciate it.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:03 pm
by moonbeam
I have a brochure from about 1919 for "Watson" lorries made in Newcastle on tyne. Prossers St Georges Road was the Glasgow agent. I remember "Ross" motors. A very eccentric Polish gentleman. I seem to recall Skodia Fabia convertibles with a wooden rear deck/cover.He seemed to be trying to sell them. Once tried to buy spare parts for a motorbike "upstairs" in his workshop. Another strange car the Maurader.
Made from Rover bits in the early 1950s. Gibbons seemed to have some. In the 1950s did they have a place in Dobbies Loan? They moved to Kirklee Road. Cameron & Campbell for VW where the Aldi store in Gt Western Road at Knightswood is.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:22 pm
by RDR
Mori wrote:

I think the one you mean at Alison St/Cragie St near old Southern Police station, is still there as an Arnold Clark, Fiat Dealership.
Further up Alison Street, over the junction with Polockshaws Rd, where I think it becomes Nithsdale Road, is a garage that became a motorcycle dealers and of all things a snooker hall!


No its still there, i thought it was well gone, its on the corner of Nidrie rd and Allison st, Churchil cars >GSV


Got you now, in fact I think I bought a clapped out Vauxhall Chevette from there in the 70's.
Awful car, broke down on a regular basis.
So did the Hilman Imp I got after that. You had to remove the engine to change the fan belt.

Re: Lost Car Dealerships

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2011 8:28 pm
by RDR
Scotty100 wrote:I remember these independent dealerships in the days BC. (Before Clark)

Westcars - Crow Road - Saab and Colt (now called Mitsubishi)
Westcars - Barrhead Road - Audi, Nsu, VW.
Brian Coyle one of the owners of Westcars won the London to Sydney Marathon Rally with Andrew Cowan in a detuned Hilman Hunter

Merilee Motors - Merilee Road - VW

Jim Watt - Garrioch Rd - Citroen (Yes the World Champion boxer)

Skellys - Cumbernauld Rd - Ford

Melvins - Finniston St - Roots

Callanders - Kirklee Road - Mercedes, Auto Union

Prossers - Provanmill Road - BL, Rover

Gaulds - Paisley Road West/Mosspark Bvd - Rolls Royce

Hampden Cars - Carmunnock Road - A strange mix - Mazda, Lotus, Wartburg, Polski Fiat.

Stirling Cars - Carmunnock Road - Honda and Opel.

Ross Motors - Woodlands Rd - Mazda, Wartburg and Polski Fiat on the ground floor and you went up the stairs of the close to find them selling Triumph, BSA and Matchless motorcycles. Up another flight of stairs and that was the parts dept. On the top floor were the offices. Yes It was a tenement and the eccentric Polish owner was using the flats above the showroom to keep his business together in the one place.

I think I will stop there but I have lots more to share. I am working on a wee project on the motoring heritage of Glasgow from the earliest cars of 1890 just after they were invented. These are just a few of the more recent motor dealers that have sprung up in my motoring meanderings. Will post more when I get the chance but if anyone can contribute to this research please do. I would appreciate it.


Of those I can remember Melvins, which you could see from the Clydeside expressway. I think there is a Peugeut dealer on that site now.
Gaulds I used to go by on the 34 bus and I always thought it was a strange place for a Rolls Royce franchise.
I can also remember Hampden Cars as I used to live round the corner from it but never took very much notice of it. I'm sure it had a tiny showroom.