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

1981 = TCH. ©Allrights Reserved to Owner
TC Harrison. Derby  ©Owners Rights

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!

Audi Belfast
Audi Belfast  ©AudiUK

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…

©mertrux
©Mertrux, Derbys.
©mertrux- inside
©Mertrux, Derbys.
@Rob Baker
©rob baker
Vauxhall c86
©ownersrights

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.

Pug Garage
Mann Eg. Elstree?
Mann Egerton in Elstree. Late 80’s ©ownersrights

There are some great old garages pictures and interesting information at www.jensenmuseum.org

Bell-and-Colvill-showrooms-use
Jensen-House-St-Annes1-use

Have a quick look at their website. http://www.jensenmuseum.org/


Now a few more…

Normand-Garage-1970s.
Norman Garages mid-1970’s ©ownersrights
Steve Jones cars in South Wales, classic picture! ©www.stevejonescars.co.uk
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

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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 were always intrigued to visit.

It has gone now and new homes are in their place…

©HowManyMade. Abandoned GarageIMG_5554 copy
The Abandoned Garage at Castle Gresley ©HowManyMade.co.uk
©HowManyMade. Abandoned GarageIMG_5549 copy
The Abandoned Garage at Castle Gresley ©HowManyMade.co.uk
©HowManyMade. Abandoned GarageIMG_5548 copy
The Abandoned Garage at Castle Gresley ©HowManyMade.co.uk
©HowManyMade. Abandoned GarageIMG_5546 copy
The Abandoned Garage at Castle Gresley ©HowManyMade.co.uk
©HowManyMade. Abandoned GarageIMG_5544 copy
The Abandoned Garage at Castle Gresley ©HowManyMade.co.uk
Pendragon
Pendragon Used
7281031640_649990b523_n
Canterbury Motor Co. ©ownersrights
A W Watkin site 1994 - Biggleswade
A.W Watkin site 1994 – Biggleswade.

Here’s a selection of pictures from the South West area…
Readers Rover. May 1998 ©Plymouthherald
Renwick’s Volkswagen Garage, Weston Park Road, 1971 .©PlymouthHerald
Plymouth BMW dealership, Grevan, on Union Street in May 1998 .©plymouthherald
Peverell-Garage ©plymouthherald

AND THEN SOME OTHERS…

c1996. East Bilney Garages, Dereham, Norfolk. ©East Bilney garages
A new Reno 5 GT Turbo awaiting a sale…next to a Reno 25 ©East Bilney Garages, Dereham, Norfolk
Note the 1995 Megane is a demo car… ©East Bilney Garages, Dereham, Norfolk
On a slightly different theme, the first Tesco Petrol Station in 1973 with a selection of cars. ©tesco-plc
Smiths of Ilkeston, Derbyshire – c1982 ©smiths
Smiths Hyundai Newark Avenue – 1995 ©smiths
Smiths of Millfield – 1971 ©smiths


An evening of celebration at Sandicliffe, Notts. c1980 ©sandicliffe



Keith Motors of Christchurch through the years ©keithmotors
Clare’s Garage Esso / Colt / Mitsubishi of Bedford c1978 ©clare’s garage
Northfield Toyota site in Warminster 2001 ©platinum garage
Romans Toyota, Bath. 1996 -©platinum garage
Causeway Saab in Chippenham 2008 – ©platinum garage
Stratstone Daimler Jaguar in Mayfair c1975… This is now the new Rolls Royce Mayfair. ©stratstone
This looks like the service centre near kings cross that became the Aston Martin service centre, I’d visited that place a few times in the early 90s… I may be wrong but a great picture of Jags & Rangies galore… ©stratstone

Wadham Kenning, Burton-on-Trent ©Burtonmail
Wadham Kenning, Burton-on-Trent ©Burtonmail
Land Rover Duckworth’s early years… ©Duckworth
Great photo of the new look required for JLR at Duckworths Land Rover c1990 ©Duckworth garages
Sytner Nottingham c1995 ©Sytner BMW
Sytner Nottingham c1998 Spot the Aston DB5 in the window ©Sytner BMW

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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!

Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade
Bristol Street Motors, Leeds c1989 ©onetonlandrover.co.uk / ©howmanymade

A Selection of unseen pictures now… as they are mine.

Graypaul Ferrari in Loughborough, Leicestershire. Aug 1989 – ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
Inside Graypaul Ferrari Aug 1989 – ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
This is Michael Hinde that was formerly Ron Stratton in Knutsford. this being 3rd May 1992. It went through a few changes of ownership before becoming the Mclaren. Today it is the current Overfinch dealership for the area. ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
A shot of legendary garage Hendon Way in North London from 28 Aug 1989. ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
TC Harrison Ford, of Derby. 6 June 1999. Shortly closed down after then. ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
TC Harrison Ford, of Derby. 6 June 1999 Also a Rallye Sport Centre too! ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
Bauer Millett, Manchester. A VW approved with a Great selection of cars in the 80s later specialising in US cars.
27th July 1986. ©www.howmanymade.co.uk
Nearly New & Used Dealer, Bramley of Surrey. Hasn’t changed much from today. This being 2nd July 1991 – ©www.howmanymade.co.uk

©howmanymade

SO MORE TO COME… WHEN I GET TO SEARCH THEM OUT.

PLEASE ONLY USE THESE PICTURES WITH A CREDIT TO THE SITE – THANK YOU.

IF YOU HAVE ANY YOU WOULD LIKE POSTING LET ME KNOW.

Mike

8 thoughts on “Old Main Dealers, Car Showrooms, Specialist Dealers, Car Auctions… Vintage to Recent.

  1. Have you got any photos of the old Ron Stratton showroom in Wilmslow, Cheshire, mid to late 80s at all ?

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    1. 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

      Like

  2. 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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    1. 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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  3. 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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