Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ray the rocker]

Just to pick up on the oldest working garage closing in the states---i`m interested to find out if there are any old mechs out there who worked their early days in a garage and are they still operating today under the same name!
I served my time in a car/commercial garage in 1960--65.It was a branch
of arlington motor co from ponders end in middlesex.A very busy garage with all the usual backing of main dealership and stores.Sadly they closed the depot in the early seventies.Does anyone know if PONDERS END is still alive and kicking---I`m still waiting for my original papers to prove i served my time---bit late now as i have retired but it would be nice to have seen the proof--hehe.

Cheers--Ray the Rocker...

[stuchamp]

I worked at a Chevy dealer from 1973 to 1995.
The Waterloo store started in the 30's as Schukei Chevrolet, then changed to Morris Chevrolet in '80 or '81. Its been Rydell Chevrolet since 1984.
I had been around the place since I was a kid as my family had bought most of their cars there since the 50's. It was pretty cool when I got a job there.
You couldn't find a better boss than Clarence Schukei!

http://www.schukei.gmpsdealer.com/Welcome

[peppiB]

My family started a garage business in 1926 selling and servicing Morris and Riley cars. It is still trading (owned by a cousin twice removed) although no longer selling new cars - Rover put paid to that when they were insisting on a £250,000 upgrade to the showroom to fit their corporate image. Funny how Rover went to the wall, but the family garage continues trading.

[Ray the rocker]

Similar experience to you peppib---you tend to find if you don`t keep up with the sales quota laid out , they take the dealership away from you!
I remember working for a small family garage when they took over the datsun dealership--no expense spared to secure trading rights and lasted about ten years.Gone through all the japanese companies since.They are still trading so there is still a big financial gain to be had.
Looking back--the japanese laid the foundations for the decline of the british motor industry---there were never any "friday motors" passing the checks for reliability and build.The only thing that let the early models down was the dreaded "tin worm"--being built with scrap steel.
cheers--Ray the Rocker...

[clan chieftain]

Baxters garage in Cleland near Motherwell opened at the turn of the last century originally as a smiddy and later went on to car repairs and is still operating as the same family business.
_________________
The Clan Chieftain

[victor 101]

[Ray the rocker]

Thanks for the post Victor101---it`s probably turned into a carpet warehouse or a chinese take-away---these concrete jungles remove all the character of days gone by.My brain is slipping into past memories.
Who can remember the fresh aroma of castrol oils and swarfega at their local garage? that stays with you for life.
Cheers--Ray the Rocker...

[ianm]

G'day Ray,
Boy do you bring back memories, the place I did my apprenticeship as a Mech was started in 1947 as Coachcraft ltd and made coach and truck bodies, they then took on the Ford dealership in about 1952 .
They changed the name to Coachcraft Ford and is now South Brisbane Ford.
When I started in '63 it was when you could repair vehicles without computers, side valves with crab distributers. As we had a carosell to show off new vehicle in the show room we had Carroll Shelby's Cobra on display before he raced it at Lakeside Racing Circuit north of Brisbane.
Yep I loved the smell of Castrol oil especially Castrol R , I had a mate that raced a Lotus 23B
Ian

[Ray the rocker]

Thanks for posting ianm--funny how all the local garages are always swallowed up by the big companies.I have been fortunate to visit your neck of the woods--michelton on three occasions for relaxation purposes but never found any "out of the way"garage premises.Perhaps it was a bit foolish to even try!!
Given all the technology they have today--are they classed as fitters --mechanics or technicians out in aussieland?
Cheers---Ray the Rocker...

[ianm]

G'day Ray,
Its a small world I lived at Ashgrove when I was young very close to Michelton , I went to Oakleigh state school and when it came time to go to high school my first girlfriend went to Mitchelton high and I went to Kelvingrove. (end of romance)
She now lives in London as she married a specialist Doctor she met on a trip.
They are still known as Motor mechanics here but instead of being trained in all mechanical aspects the are now Motor mechanic Heavy, Motor mechanic light, Motor mechanic motorcycles.Autoelectrics is now a seperate thing.
I work part time for a livestock transporter and we were talking one smoko about timing a side valve Ford engine with a crab dissy the apprentices looked at us oldies wondering what we were talking about , points condensers etc. advancement ?? Cant use a lathe , parts come in boxes. You can find the old style garage in the country areas such as Goondiwindi and Dalby we have a couple here but they are dying out.
Regards
Ian

[JohnDale]

In the late sixties at home in Shetland, I had a small garage business. When times were quiet I drove a 29 seater O model Bedford
on a Monday to Saturday service run from the Sumburgh to Lerwick. This was
an up in the morning/down in the evening run which also included collecting
message lists from gateposts, post boxes etc. on the way to Lerwick,
shopping for the items listed through the day, and then dropping off the
boxes of items, plus any phoned up bus parcels, to the correct gatepost /
pathway or roadend(as some houses were out of sight of the road). Can you
imagine that happening with a bus driver today?

I also drove a (luxurious compared to the O model)SB model Bedford on tours
from the cruise ships which docked in Lerwick to various places such as
Lunna House(now a hotel) where the Shetland Bus small boats operated from
during WWII ferrying spies back & forward to Norway.

All a long, much changed, time ago, Kind regards,JD.
_________________
1958 Ford Zephyr Mk2 Convertible
1976 Ford Granada Ghia.

[Ray the rocker]

interesting tale john,i remember the O series well--used to catch a similar coach after school that picked us up to earn a few shillings at the local farm--picking broad beans and potatoes.Little did i realise that exactly ten years later--i was fitting an engine into the same bus that was still being used by the local farmer!!
He had a donor ex army crew bus laying idle on his farm that had`nt turned a wheel in twenty years.Stripped the engines out and fitted a set of new plugs--a couple of chugs later--running as sweet as ever.
The farmer left us the remains of what was left---so i made good use of the fuel--imagine my suprise when i found out it had twin fuel tanks fitted,both filled to the neck!!! whoop! whoop! free petrol for about three months travelling...happy days.

cheers---Ray the Rocker...