Guest Straight eight Posted August 15, 2006 Posted August 15, 2006 This operation is almost identical to Staal Buick in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The tower guy, the ramps to various floors of service, the dynometer, the same lube racks, even the air tubes for transferring paper work. What a step back in time to the "good old days" as a white coated leather bow tied service salesman!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Centurion Posted August 15, 2006 Author Posted August 15, 2006 Straight eight, does the Staal Buick facility still exist? If so, is it still utilized as a Buick dealership? I'd enjoy seeing any photos.
Guest Straight eight Posted August 16, 2006 Posted August 16, 2006 The Building still stands on the corner of Cherry and South Division. The last I knew it was being used as a Savation Army building. Wish I had photos, but all I have are in mymind's eye.These guys went modern to a gas station like dealership on the South Beltline, not half as nice, but it is Modern! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
RocketDude Posted August 16, 2006 Posted August 16, 2006 I really ejoyed your photos, and put them in my "Save" file. I studied all the photos, very carefully. I just wound up a 46 year career as a "wrench", and looking at those old photos was like going home again. I spent most of my career in independent garages, and many years in Goverment Fleet service, but I put in some time working for an Olds dealer in the 80's. I started my career in 1960, so those pictures are a little older than my experiences, but they sure bring back a lot of memories. Looking at the pictures of the technicians, remembering some of the guys I worked with long ago. My retirement project is restoring a '51 Olds S-88, and I often think about ghosts while working on my car. By ghosts, I mean, I wonder about the guys that assembled the car, and the mechanics that have worked on it since. I'm thinking, if the guy was close to retirement, he has probably passed some time ago, but there may have been some young trainees, who would still be around. No longer working, but still around. I think about who they were, and what they were like. I think about my father. One of the reasons I picked the '51 S-88, is because My father had one exactly like it when I was in High School, and it was the first car I ever worked on. Taking differnt parts off of the car, I remember doning the same job, laying on my back next to dad, oh so many years ago. Another point of interest in the pictures. I noticed that above ground hoist were the state of the art at that time. Then the industry got modern, and most lifts were in ground, and remained that way for many years. Now, for the last few years, shops are getting away from in ground, and most all new hoists are going back to above ground. Right back where we started from! I didn't mean to get off the subject, or get all misty on you, but wanted to let you know the photos are appreciated for a lot of reasons......
Centurion Posted August 16, 2006 Author Posted August 16, 2006 Rocket Dude, thanks for sharing your great memories, and I hope you'll keep us updated on your '51 88 project. Interestingly, the same guy who told me that his father had taken him to see the 1950 Buick unveiled at Mueller-Harkins Buick is now doing a beautiful restoration on a 1950 Olds 98 4-door fastback. That particular model saw production of only about 1600 units. When it's completed (soon), I'll try to capture some photos and share them on the Olds forum here.
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