A Definite Guide to Bespoke, Special Order, Limited Edition, Rare RHD Cars. Click Right >
Old Main Dealers, Car Showrooms, Specialist Dealers, Car Auctions… Vintage to Recent.
Another Interest that is enjoyed by How Many Made is UK Car Garages & Dealers. Also old images of Car Auctions in the UK.
This is capturing a moment in time when a ‘rare car’ was just a car, sat waiting in a garage to be sold or collected. Now this is a subject that is covered almost daily now with the use of Twitter & Instagram, but I’m talking about the ’70s ’80s 90’s and even into 2000s
A change came in for Main Dealers in the late ’90s with a more ‘Corporate’ image, thus slowly deleting the ‘small’ dealer from the high street. Most dealerships now are £5m mega showrooms, costing £10k a day just to open the doors.
The interest I have is the old-school dealer, which would have racks of brochures to give away and more personal service. Here are a few that may be of Interest…
I’m searching for photos of dealerships, inside or outside of any previous era. If you have any to show, please contact me, full credit will be given of course. Also any other situation, Motor Show pictures, Rare cars even in the street. If it’s motoring and interesting, let’s see it.
Let me know if you own the copyright to a picture I’ve used for me to add credit to you.
There is a great selection of photos here showing some of the old repair shops and basically backstreet garages around London.
Here is the famous Rootes of Maidstone garage in the 60s. Now being turned into apartments. See a great video here of the Rootes Peugeot Garage during the 90s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyVcFejWPwc
The Infamous ‘Abandoned’ Garage at Castle Gresley near Burton-on-Trent. There are mixed stories of what actually happened and why it was left full of cars for years, with all the for sale signs in place. I took these photos after most cars had been removed, but it was always an intrigue to visit.
It has nearly gone now, and new homes will no doubt be in their place…
Ok, here’s a selection of photos I’ve been sent through… Please do send any you may have. These were sent in by www.onetonlandrover.co.uk and are simply great to see. Austin Rover – Bristol Street Motors, Water Lane, Hunslet, Leeds. c1988/1989. Including a Metro 6R4 in the Showroom!
Hi Sam – I would think I have somewhere but maybe early 90’s or very late 80’s.
When I get a chance to have a search through I’ll post them on here.
Thanks for getting in touch – MIke
A long time with Bristol Street Motors (14 tears) I am trying to locate a picture of ‘Birmingham Cardrome’ which, at the time (mid 60’s) was a revolutionary used car outlet & part of the group, taking up a complete block and of 3 stories high. I was one of 14 salesmen and on a Saturday it was not unusual to sell 50 cars! my record was 11 . . .
Hi, I’m trying to find any photos of the old VW dealership in Waltham Cross called J.E.F. I’m currently restoring a 1991 VW Corrado which was purchased from there, just had some original dealership plates made with their logo
Do you have any pictures or information on a 1950’s Austin main delaership called Ripco, of Marble Arch, London. My 1952 Austin Atlantic has a plastic `badge’ on the dashboard as the supplier when new.
Crewe Cheshire used to have a few car showrooms in the 1970s,80s & 90s.
I have a list somewhere which I will seek out and type in when I can but will mention now what I can purely from Memory.
There was a BL dealer on Nantwich Road in 1978 from what I gather and also a Renault (Alan Pond) one near to the station plus a Chrysler/Dodge Showroom on Oak Street, a small Fiat showroom on Stuart Street, Mazda had a dealer on West Street (West Street Motors) a Volkswagen Audi showroom on Earle Street, Ford had a showroom on Macon Way (Ringways) then there was Citroen at Marshfield Bank not far from Leighton Hospital, Peugeot (Grocott’s) on Nantwich Road as well as a small Honda showroom in Haslington (F, Hilditch & Sons) on Crewe Road, Robert Layland Motors represented Vauxhall in Nantwich and a small Saab garage could be found on Welsh Row in Nantwich. A Nissan showroom was built in around 1987 on Macon Way a couple of yards along from Ford.
HOW MANY MADE 
Have you got any photos of the old Ron Stratton showroom in Wilmslow, Cheshire, mid to late 80s at all ?
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Hi Sam – I would think I have somewhere but maybe early 90’s or very late 80’s.
When I get a chance to have a search through I’ll post them on here.
Thanks for getting in touch – MIke
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A long time with Bristol Street Motors (14 tears) I am trying to locate a picture of ‘Birmingham Cardrome’ which, at the time (mid 60’s) was a revolutionary used car outlet & part of the group, taking up a complete block and of 3 stories high. I was one of 14 salesmen and on a Saturday it was not unusual to sell 50 cars! my record was 11 . . .
Kind regards
Nigel Edwards
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Hi Nigel
Many thanks for the message. I will have a look and see what I can find on the ‘Cardrome’ – does sound interesting! Regards, Mike
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Hi Nigel I was a mechanic at Rover Leeds.
We had some great times there and the Xmas party in the showroom was epic.
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Looking for any information, about Breendon Motors based in Birmingham late 50’s
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Hi, I’m trying to find any photos of the old VW dealership in Waltham Cross called J.E.F. I’m currently restoring a 1991 VW Corrado which was purchased from there, just had some original dealership plates made with their logo
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Hi
I’ve had a check through my old pictures and have nothing for them. Let’s put it out there and see.
Thanks for getting in touch,
Mike
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The abandoned garage at Castle Gresley is still there with 2 cars left in it, I drove past it yesterday
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I went past a few months ago and saw that, I was told it had become houses… but it’s still there
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Do you have any pictures or information on a 1950’s Austin main delaership called Ripco, of Marble Arch, London. My 1952 Austin Atlantic has a plastic `badge’ on the dashboard as the supplier when new.
Thanks, Den Barlow
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Crewe Cheshire used to have a few car showrooms in the 1970s,80s & 90s.
I have a list somewhere which I will seek out and type in when I can but will mention now what I can purely from Memory.
There was a BL dealer on Nantwich Road in 1978 from what I gather and also a Renault (Alan Pond) one near to the station plus a Chrysler/Dodge Showroom on Oak Street, a small Fiat showroom on Stuart Street, Mazda had a dealer on West Street (West Street Motors) a Volkswagen Audi showroom on Earle Street, Ford had a showroom on Macon Way (Ringways) then there was Citroen at Marshfield Bank not far from Leighton Hospital, Peugeot (Grocott’s) on Nantwich Road as well as a small Honda showroom in Haslington (F, Hilditch & Sons) on Crewe Road, Robert Layland Motors represented Vauxhall in Nantwich and a small Saab garage could be found on Welsh Row in Nantwich. A Nissan showroom was built in around 1987 on Macon Way a couple of yards along from Ford.
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Hi,
thanks for that. If you can find a list I’m sure someone will track down some old pictures to post too.
Mike
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