The Hidden Glasgow Forums

Hi, "long time lurker makes very occasional post" alert!

I remember Callanders the Mercedes dealer on Great Western Rd/Southpark Ave corner (I think it's a shoe shop now!) because I used to walk past it every day going to school.

Has anyone mentioned the wee nest of car dealers up at the far end of Great Western Rd, up where the bike shops, Maplins & the furniture places are?
I can't remember their names but I remember there being a huge VW/Audi/NSU dealer back in the days when they were all different brands, and they even had new NSU RO80s in stock. Then there was the Citroen place, with everything from the 2CVs to the then new spaceships that were the CXs.
As a car mad kid I used to spend hours wandering round these big showrooms, sitting in the cars going 'brummm bruuummmm'!

Does anyone remember the two other places in Woodlands Road besides SMS. There was a Volvo place on the corner of (I think) Woodlands drive and back opposite Scottish Motor Services up a wee lane beside the petrol station there was an utter bombsite of a secondhand car lot. The sort of place that back in the late 70s/early 80s was selling rusty old crocks like Austin Cambridges and Mk 1 Ford Cortinas for a couple of hundred quid. I think I once saw (most of) an E-type Jag in there for £500!

I used to love going round all the car showrooms I could find when I was a lad, I remember most of the ones in the West end.
My Dad bought a few cars from 'old man McHarg' when he was still in Berkeley Street, the last one being a Triumph Toledo.
Happy days.

I remember my Dad got around 1984 a Mk1 Vauxhall Cavalier from Anderson's in Newton Mearns I think the 1st dealer on it was Watson's in Wishaw still had a Watson's sticker on the back windscreen. I think I remember Watson's had another showroom in Cumbernauld.

Later on we got a MK1 Astra from Low's in Shawlands anyone remember Low's once a Vauxhall dealer then I think before closing they moved to Skoda

dave76er wrote:I remember my Dad got around 1984 a Mk1 Vauxhall Cavalier from Anderson's in Newton Mearns I think the 1st dealer on it was Watson's in Wishaw still had a Watson's sticker on the back windscreen. I think I remember Watson's had another showroom in Cumbernauld.

Later on we got a MK1 Astra from Low's in Shawlands anyone remember Low's once a Vauxhall dealer then I think before closing they moved to Skoda

I thought Anderson's at Mearns X was a Rootes dealer and then Chrysler.
Low's did Vauxhall but also Opel's which were the same GM brand in Europe.

About that time Anderson's sold 2nd hand cars of any marque as well as Peugeot/Talbot

Fatfreddie made reference to old man macharg's garage in Berkeley street. I remember the garage as Macharg Rennie and Lindsay and I had a triumph herald which they always serviced for me. They were the main Triumph agents i believe

I remember Sandy MacHarg, he was one of the sons and I think he set up Hayston Garage on Cumbernauld Rd near Stepps when AC bought MacHRL - I bought a bright yellow Truimph Spitfire from Hayston Garage, nice guys they were too.

Machargs, Castlebank Street, Glasgow


Machargs Ltd, Castlebank Street, Glasgow August 2005

Nice photie Robert

Went to book the car into Verve, Dalmarnock Road (Old Ian Skelly place) for it's service - and discovered the Verve garages in Dalmarnock and Bogside are now Arnold Clark

In reply to an earlier post Anderson's of Newton Mearns were Humber dealers back in the early 60's.



PS I am willing to swop this for a Ford Item of similar vintage.

Sorry forgot to say Humber were part of the Rootes Group. When I get the chance I will upload my 1953 matchbooks from Wylies.

My dad was a director at Weir's in Cathcart and they always used to get their company cars from Appleyards or Lowes Garages.

What was the name of the Ford dealer at Anniesland?

milngavie motors?

Always wonderd what was on this site where liptons gravestone makers is, GSV anyone know what company of cars they sold ?
Malcolm ----- is the name i can make out, from the headlights looks like a Leyland brand of Austin or Triumph

Glasgow, 499 Eglinton Street, Garage View looking SSW showing WNW front of garage with numbers 531-535 on far left, numbers 654-678 on right.

Malcolm Allan. Don't think they sold new cars, only old ones and repaired them.