Studebaker Dealers

[Swifster]

quote:Originally posted by Swifster

OK, I was done with work early today and decided to do some sleuthing . I went to the Hillsborough County Library today and started searching the phone books for the local areas around me for 1963. Why '63? I figuire when the South Bend assembly plant closed, many dealers abandoned the sinking ship. Anyway, I limited my self to Hillsborough County and neighboring Lakeland. I found four dealerships. They are;

Fellows Motor Company Inc.
813 Grand Central Ave.
Tampa, FL 33606

The ironic part is that I don't know downtown Tampa that well, and I think I drove past the Fellows site on my way back from the library. There is a mixture of old and new so who knows if it's still there.

I think these will be road trip material to document what still exists.

About a month ago I was in Tampa and decided to check on what was left of Fellows Motor Company. Here's what I found;

The main dealership was at 813 Grand Central Ave. This is now Kennedy Blvd. The building has been changed over time.


This is the back side of the building. While not guaranteed, I'd bet the back lot was were the new cars were stored along with additional customer parking.


The used car department was at 1417 Grand Central Ave. Again this is now Kennedy Blvd. This is a good example of urban renewal. No signs of the original lot, but this was recently a Chrysler dealer that's just been torn down.


Another angle of the used car lot. It'd doubtful that all of this belonged to fellows. This is probably a double lot.


The sign showing the demise of the Chrysler dealer


The service department was at 114 N. Brevard Ave. at the corner of Grand Central Ave. (kennedy Blvd). This building is newer construction along with the medical office building next to it on N. Brevard.


I would almost bet my house that this sign was put up for the Studebaker service department. Can't you just see the "AUTHORIZED STUDEBAKER SERVICE" sign looking down at the passing motorists?


This is looking back down N. Brevard Ave. towards Grand Central Ave. You can see the medical office behind the AMSCOT building. This approximately where 114 N. Brevard should be.


This is the sign for the office that appears to belong to the University of Tampa. If you look past the sign at the building behind it, you can see that the dorm(?) is relatively new contruction and most likely would have interferred with the service department and it's parking lot.


I wasn't raised in this area, but it is rather interesting to see some of the former history as well as seeing what changes have occured and knowing what has been lost to time. This is two dealerships down and two to go .



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valric

[MikeWay]

There was Fellows Motors in Clearwater, FL. That was where I drove the Avanti when they did the 61 road tour. Now it is a empty sire awaiting redevelopment.

Mike

PS. 1st post




Stiil looking

[Swifster]

quote:Originally posted by MikeWay

There was Fellows Motors in Clearwater, FL. That was where I drove the Avanti when they did the 61 road tour. Now it is a empty sire awaiting redevelopment.

Mike

PS. 1st post

Mike, just going through the old phone books (and this was the 1963 issue), I had that it was Clear Motors on Cleveland St. Is this the same area cleared for developement? Is it possible that the ownership changed in 1963 or 1964?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed

[Roscomacaw]

Tom, I'd bet you're right on that sign starting out as a Studebaker one. Funny thing is, as soon as I saw your pic, what came to mind is Studebaker's one 2-seater proposal that had the name "Ascot" tied to it!

Miscreant adrift in
the BerStuda Triangle


1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe

[Guido]

I was in Orlando for a business meeting in February and must have seen a half dozen of these Amscot buildings on the way downtown from the airport. It turns out they are "financial services" company that seems to specialize in check cashing and money wiring. Must be a lot of folks running around that can't open an account at a bank.

[Swifster]

quote:Originally posted by Guido

I was in Orlando for a business meeting in February and must have seen a half dozen of these Amscot buildings on the way downtown from the airport. It turns out they are "financial services" company that seems to specialize in check cashing and money wiring. Must be a lot of folks running around that can't open an account at a bank.

You would be correct about the services, but their big claim to fame is free money orders. When I first moved down here, that was what I used them for. Until I had a place to stay, it was the best way to handle stuff because a lot of places hate to see out-of-state checks.

They also do tax preperation, sell stamps, small loans as well as the already mentioned check cashing and wire transfers. I actually buy my stamps there because there is almost no lines compared to the post office.

As for the Clearwater Studebaker store, I'm still going to try to stop and get a picture of the lot. Sometimes the footprint of the lot can tell you what kind of business it was. I hope Mike adds more to his earlier post about what kind of place it was.

I don't hold out much hope for the St. Pete store either. The Devil Rays ballpark (Tropicana Field) isn't to far from there so I'm sure a lot has changed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed

[Bob Hutchins]

The Studebaker Store
Coldwater, Mi.
Circa 1961

Robert L. Hutchins

[lstude]

Here is an old post card of Koplin-Hopping Studebaker in Bloomfield, NJ




What's wrong with this picture? Why are there 1949 Studebakers in the showroom and a 51 Studebaker outside?

Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[studegary]

Leonard - That is what I was wondering. It could be just the side of the showroom that they used for late model used Studebakers or they had a lot of leftovers in the showroom that they were trying to push out.

Gary L.
Wappinger, NY

1959 DeLuxe pickup (restomod)

[lstude]

Here is another. Not sure where Lawndale is.



Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[Laemmle]

California

quote:Originally posted by lstude

Here is another. Not sure where Lawndale is.



Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

[sumf]

quote:Originally posted by Randy_G

I have been convinced to keep the Studebaker-Packard Dealer listing I have on my site. If you wish to add to it simply post what you know as a Studebaker-Packard dealer or any other orphaned make of automobile on this thread or you can e-mail me. I appreciate any help you can give! And as always thank you for visitng my site and for checking out my sponser.

Randy_G

https://www.automotivehistoryonline.com/dealerpackard.htm

Amazing co-incidence!
Friday I made a copy of a page from the May 1933 Automotive Trade Journal in which an ad listed a few of the "scores of enterprising dealers have been signing up with Studebaker since March 21."

Wilcox and Malm Grand Forks ND

Graulich Autp sales Evansvile IND

Robert Y Burns Erie PA

Phil Payne Motor Co Lynchburg PA

Piedmont Motor Co Winston-Salem NC

Meridian Garage Yankton SD

J S Terman Mansfuield OH

John R Mattson Inc Brookline, MA

Slater Motor Sales Greenwich, CT

ADT Motor Comnpany Kansas City, KS

Pasquini Motor Co Wilkes-Barre, PA

Arthur R Lindburg Co San Francisco. CA

I wonder how many of these actually gt off the ground.

I bet few, if any, were around at the end, with same name and city.

Lots of other info in those old mags. Some cars (listed) had glass only in the windshield, some throughout, some with none!

Studebaker (W P-A and, ROCKNE, sold 7000+ in Feb & March 1932, under 5K in same months in 1933.
Auburn listed 6 body styles. Caddy V-16 sedan was $16K+ Plymouth had 4 body trim levels in Standard, ix in deLuxe.

Marmon ranged from $4825 to $5480. (I bet they would dicker.)

Essex had valve clearance of only .006"HOT, whereas Ford had .013" cold. I wonder if that gave Ford more sales in itself. <g>

Yes, it was a slow day in the library. I'm getting bored there.

[sumf]

I guess I should mention Frost Motors in Newton, MA. They had one el-stripo Lark "glued to the floor" and MB signs and demos all over the place.

Karl H. (40 years SDC)

[JBOYLE]

quote:Originally posted by lstude
What's wrong with this picture? Why are there 1949 Studebakers in the showroom and a 51 Studebaker outside?
Leonard Shepherd

http://leonardshepherd.com/

Probably an altered photo..since the color is hand tinted, why not?

My guess is the exterior was taken in 49 and to show off the new bulletnose cars they added one outside...by the old "cut and paste" method. It would have been fairly easy since the detail of the parking lot and street surface is gone.
It would have saved money over having new exterior shot taken by the postcard company.


63 Avanti R1 2788
1914 Stutz Bearcat
(George Barris replica)

Washington State

[Guido]

I also noticed that there is a dealer plate on the '50.