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Mon Jan 06, 2014 4:15 pm

Merle Taylor VW of Albany OR where my 412 was originally purchased is now a Mark Taylor Motors Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge dealer.

The local VW shop that I grew up near is still going strong.

Wed Dec 24, 2014 8:59 am

Here is a cool link I found. Also a World VW dealer has opened in Toms river on Route 37 headed west in the location of an old Chrysler/Plymouth dealership

https://www.flickr.com/groups/1879726@N22/pool/

Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:17 am

I didn't realize your 412 was from a local (35 miles) dealer!

Wed Dec 24, 2014 7:15 pm

Our local dealer went away many years ago, another Buick dealership bought the franchise, app. 1/2 mile away. The old location is now a Barnes and Noble store. I recently found an old picture of our dealer back in the 70's, when I was buying from them, on Ebay, had it laminated and added to the garage art collection.

Wed Dec 24, 2014 11:43 pm

[email protected] wrote: Our local dealer went away many years ago, another Buick dealership bought the franchise, app. 1/2 mile away. The old location is now a Barnes and Noble store. I recently found an old picture of our dealer back in the 70's, when I was buying from them, on Ebay, had it laminated and added to the garage art collection.

Where? Which dealership?

Thu Dec 25, 2014 8:08 pm

Our local dealer at the time was,Chelsted Motors, Greensburg, Pa.

Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:36 pm

Helfen wrote: In 1971-72 I worked for South Bay Volkswagen as a line mechanic and Unit repair mechanic. Located on Pacific Coast HWY in Redondo Beach Ca. In 1972 the dealer became King Harbor Motors. The site is now the location of the main public library for Redondo Beach.
http://www.cwdriver.com/wp-content/uploads/1275751824.jpg

WOW, small world Mr Helfin. I was a high school student at RUHS (Redondo Union High School) in Redondo Bch. As a senior, the new auto shop teacher, Mr Russ Parkinson, would have me run down to your store to buy parts for many of the teacher's VW's, so I could cut my teeth. Interesting note here is one of the parts countermen was Loren Pearson, who later started West Coast Metric.
The day out of high school, 1973, I got a job at Russ Thor VW, in Torrance, Calif, and I'm gonna have to take a drive down there to see what has happened to my old dealerships. I worked there til 1979 and at Riviera VW, Manhattan Beach, Calif, for about a year in 1986.

Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:35 pm

The SFV Vokes dealer is now the Social Security Office and a shoe store

Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:54 pm

The building on the right in this picture used to be Ed Grier VW. I went there from the late 70's to at least the mid 80's The building on the left was their body shop. It was a private body shop that did all of the VW dealers work Very good body shop that is still in business. Eddie Pecks body shop was the name.

Oklahoma city has always had very few VW resources for new cars. Through high school and college there were only three dealers: Ed Grier on 15th street in Del City (suburb of OKC) and Thunderbird imports in Norman OK (suburb city where the University of Oklahoma is 18 miles south of OKC) and Cable VW on the west side which for a while was not really an "official" dealer.

Then T-bird closed in the late 80's or early 90's....then Cable became official, then Ed Griers closed in the 90's. Cable was the only one for a while.

There are three now. Cable is still there. Fowler VW in Norman and Edmond VW on the North side of OKC. Only one Audi dealer I believe.
Ray

Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:00 pm

Riviera Volkswagen in Manhattan Beach CA is now a Residence Inn and Toyota Dealership

Fri Mar 20, 2015 10:42 pm

I found that Fort Wayne had a VW dealer back in the day here, Evans Motors:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/dealers/evansmotors_ftwayne_in.php

I looked up the address and found that it's only a few blocks away from my house! I'd been by there tons of times and never realized it was a VW dealer, but now looking at the architecture, I can see it, and the concrete pads out front that they displayed cars on. I think it's privately owned now.

I've tried finding any info on this place, especially pictures, but aside from what's here on The Samba, I haven't been able to find anything. Would love to see a photo of this place back in the day.

Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:14 am

Go there, befriend the owner or whoever is in charge, and see if you can get into the attic/basement/back room to look for old leftovers. You never know until you try.

BTW, do you know of Left Lane Cruiser?

Sat Mar 21, 2015 4:05 pm

cdennisg wrote:
BTW, do you know of Left Lane Cruiser?

Nope, never heard of it. What is it?

Sat Mar 21, 2015 4:09 pm

blue72beetle wrote: cdennisg wrote:
BTW, do you know of Left Lane Cruiser?

Nope, never heard of it. What is it?

A blues rock band form Ft Wayne. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Lane_Cruiser

Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:10 am

What about Nix Volkwagen, in Columbia SC?
I used to buy parts from them.

Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:40 pm

my brother durg a 72 supper to my house 3 years ago for me to part out.it had allkinds of neet stuff on it.no hotrod stuff that I saw.I ended up giving it away(it was a compleate car,just rusted way beyond repair)all i wanted was the trans for my bug.(turned out the trans didnt have the 388 gear it should of had,but did have a closer 3rd ratio&super diff&hd side cover&all parts looked like new.)my brother had this car for about 12 years in his back yard,somebody gave it to him,he never drove it or messed with it. as I was going through the car,it had a nice wood wheel,all kinds of chrome goodies&fender protector/guards.the owners manul was in it too.it was bought at the local vw dealership that was hear then.now to the posters question. what is the old vw dealership now....a new vw dealer ship.

Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:06 pm

mark tucker wrote: my brother durg a 72 supper to my house 3 years ago for me to part out.it had allkinds of neet stuff on it.no hotrod stuff that I saw.I ended up giving it away(it was a compleate car,just rusted way beyond repair)all i wanted was the trans for my bug.(turned out the trans didnt have the 388 gear it should of had,but did have a closer 3rd ratio&super diff&hd side cover&all parts looked like new.)my brother had this car for about 12 years in his back yard,somebody gave it to him,he never drove it or messed with it. as I was going through the car,it had a nice wood wheel,all kinds of chrome goodies&fender protector/guards.the owners manul was in it too.it was bought at the local vw dealership that was hear then.now to the posters question. what is the old vw dealership now....a new vw dealer ship.

All of that, and you don't even tell us what dealership it was from?

Thu May 14, 2015 11:12 am

Sheibe Motors, Walla Walla Washington:

It would be so tempting to name the business WWVW!

I did some Street View surfing. Other than the microwave tower in the background I can't find any remnants of the original buildings.

Sat Jul 02, 2016 11:21 pm

a.wilson wrote: Al Johnson VW in Dalton, GA is still operating, along with selling Volvo's in the mix.

Updating / digging up an older post from page 4.

Received an email from Al's, vaguely stating that they've Closed their doors, and the Chattanooga dealer (Village Volkswagen of Chattanooga) will be handling with VW's parts and services.

Rode by there just a few days ago.. nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Not sure if they're closing down completely - or going with another auto brand.

*Edit: Found out the owner (Al) is retiring, and the other VW dealer bought out his VW franchise. But didn't want to deal with Volvos.
Mr. Johnson is in his 80's and wants to retire.

Sun Jul 03, 2016 12:09 am

Marable Motors in Aberdeen WA became Hanson Inc. in the mid '60's. The property is now the site of Aberdeen Station, a Grays Harbor Transit hub.