Old NW car dealers

[The Infidel]

Pistonho said:

There was a place on the A6 in Adlington near Chorley who also used to have Cosworths.

Was this the place that used to sell fast fords/hot hatches back in the 80's - I think it was called Coppull Motors.

The one on the A6 was Brooklands then Red Rose I think, did specialize in fast fords. Guy I used to work with owns Coppull Motors now!

ETA, another blast from the past, Gathurst Motors, Vauxhall dealer at the bottom end of Shevington. Anybody local to the area also remember Foxfield Motors in its original location at the top of "the S bends" when it was an Austin Rover dealers with a petrol station that did a nifty sideline in caravan sales?

Edited by The Infidel on Wednesday 15th September 23:13

[GTDB7]

Crescent Garage, Kelso Avenue, Cleveleys (gone at least 50 yrs ago now)

BOC, Victoria Road, Cleveleys, Went 10 - 15 yrs ago, now an indoor market

Queens and Brighton, Waterloo Road, Blackpool, closed a good 30 yrs ago, now an indoor market.


I had it on good authority that Q&B in Blackpool sold the North West's very first Austin Mini back in the late 50's, later during the 70's they became Renault Dealers.

[MarsellusWallace]

I don't remember crescent garage or q and b-they must have shut maybe 40 years ago as I always remember austin rover etc as being on vicarage lane as a kid(35 years ago or so)

[GTDB7]

Crescent Garages (Cleveleys) LTD's phone number used to be Tel: 2000

Shows how long ago that was for a 4 digit phone number :-)

I have some original pencils for the garage complete with lettering and phone details on them.. probably old enough to be antiques now. :-)

[sider]

The Infidel said:

ETA, another blast from the past, Gathurst Motors, Vauxhall dealer at the bottom end of Shevington. Anybody local to the area also remember Foxfield Motors in its original location at the top of "the S bends" when it was an Austin Rover dealers with a petrol station that did a nifty sideline in caravan sales?

Edited by The Infidel on Wednesday 15th September 23:13

I remember that. My Dad test drove an L reg Montego there. Must've been one of the very last registered. Never bought it.

He had a few cars off Foxfield when they moved to Martland Park - all Fiats though - shame they've gone now - always seemed a really busy dealership.

[North West Tom]

There was a dealer at the Shevy S-bends? It's all fields now with a couple of houses. Must have been before I was born.

[hawkeye37]

quicks became evans halshaw anyone remember the toyota garage in st helens there was a lada and proton dealers in st helens gb and e now lookers st helens

[hawkeye37]

quicks are now evans halshaw all 4 taken over

Bought a new Ford Capri Mk 2 from Skippers in Burnley in 1977.....

also new Triumph Spitfire from Henley's Burnage, Manchester in 1973

Let's see......

Drabble and Allen...Jaguar/Manchester
Cliff Holden...Jaguar/Bury
Lockwood & Greenwood....Rover/Audenshaw
Hollingdrakes....Stockport
Henleys....Oldham & Victoria Avenue Middleton
Gordon Ford....Stockport
Quicks....Ford....Bury, Old Trafford, Ashton
Ian Anthony....Wilmslow
[/quote]

Whatever happened to Quicks? They used to be massive!
[/quote]

[brt900]

The Infidel said:

sider said:

Also, not a franchise, but does anyone remember Fast Lane Sports cars in Standish?

The 2 owners went their separate ways, one to become Ron Hodgson Specialist Cars, on the other side of Wigan and now at Up Holland; whilst the other moved to Bolton and became Warrender, then relocated to Blackburn, eventually going under and relaunching as SP Motorsport i think, before moving back to Langtree Garage where FLSC were in Standish, and setting up Wicked Kit, again before going under. Not seen much of them for a couple of years since going under.

Also, another local name were Dimma, at Weaverham; now Adamsons Sports and Performance.

Anyone remember when Aidan Piers were quite big too??

Not only do I remember Fast Lane, I remember years ago when I was a wee nipper going in there to look at an old mini somebody had spent god knows how long covering with old pennies. And a bit later going looking at the RS200 they had for sale. Can even remember how much it was up for...£125K. That was more money than I'd ever even heard of back then! Also remember E328 GTS being in there, and being blown away when it appeared in (I think) Performance Car Magazine a short while later because I'd seen the actual car!

Edited by The Infidel on Wednesday 15th September 23:10

im pretty sure that rs200 which stood in that shop for quite some time is now for sale in ron hodgson as it is advertised on PH being such a rare car i assume its the same car

[sider]

brt900 said:

im pretty sure that rs200 which stood in that shop for quite some time is now for sale in ron hodgson as it is advertised on PH being such a rare car i assume its the same car

Thats the one. I think Mrs Hodgson has made Ron try to sell it - but i was once chatting with him and he said he'd never sell it!!

[F1GTRUeno]

One of my earliest car memories was going as a family to pick up a dark green Audi 80 brand new from Rigby Turner when I was four years old (20 now). My grandad also bought two Golf Mk.3's from there as well. If I remember correctly the bloke we got all the cars from was called Darren but I couldn't be sure.

Still check that the car is around on the DVLA site, M233 MNA. We had it for three or four years and then we part-exed it at Ian Skelleys/Advent (though I think it was still IS back then) for a Polo.

Was sad a few years back when the Rigby buildings were knocked down to make way for those flats. Everytime we drove down the main road I always used to look down the side road for the showroom.

Also one of my last memories of my nan was going seeing her at home watching the 94 Italian Grand Prix almost immediately after going looking at Renaults with my dad at Dutton James at Windle Island. Just not quite the same now it's a Tesco garage (though I do spend pretty much my entire life going to and from that shop).

St. Helens Ford was pretty much round the corner from me as well. I remember going into the back where all the new cars were stored to see the new Mondeo when it came out, my dad had a Sierra Sapphire at the time and the dealer was desperately trying to get him into a Mondeo I think. Even gave us a new one for the weekend which we went to the lakes in (funnily enough remember the old petrol pumps that they took out from the front of the showroom)

Weird that they're all gone now I think about it 'cause I've got clear memories of both as a kid.

[stormont ford]

Hi Guys, spotted this thread and just had to join up an add some that i think have been missed (appologies if they have been repeated!)

C&T Garage Ditton Road Widnes (Citroen)

Robert S Lightfoots, Balfor Street Runcorn and Leigh I Think (Austin Rover, Rover)

Currie Motors, Balfor Street Runcorn and Long Lane Aintree (Rover)*bought out Lightfoots then went bust!

Drive Direct Balfor Street Runcorn and Widnes (Rover then Diahatsu) Also went bust

Cliftons Of Runcorn Church Street Runcorn (Renault)

Dougertys Of Runcorn (Ford) bought out by Polar Ford

MTB Widnes (Vauxhall) Went bust

Barras Walkers Island Runcorn (Vauxhall)

Halls Motors Widnes (Austin Rover then Rover)

Glebe Garage (Ford)

If I remember any more I Will add em!

Phil

[binlicker]

North West Tom said:

There was a dealer at the Shevy S-bends? It's all fields now with a couple of houses. Must have been before I was born.

There's houses there now, as you go from Shevington towards Wigan it used to be on the left about 50 yards after the big white house on the corner. Think its called Foxglove Crescent or something like that now.

[Blown2CV]

stormont ford said:

Currie Motors, Balfor Street Runcorn and Long Lane Aintree (Rover)*bought out Lightfoots then went bust!

not entirely sure that's true... they were still are a large chain in USA with a few shops over here. I think they just closed that one place and are now mainly in London

[sider]

binlicker said:

North West Tom said:

There was a dealer at the Shevy S-bends? It's all fields now with a couple of houses. Must have been before I was born.

There's houses there now, as you go from Shevington towards Wigan it used to be on the left about 50 yards after the big white house on the corner. Think its called Foxglove Crescent or something like that now.

Foxfield Grove? That was where the original Foxfield garage was before they moved to Challenge Park and then went under.

[North West Tom]

Opposite the church? Jesus! (no pun intended) when did the houses get built? Or when did the dealer move?

[binlicker]

Flippin eck, you are only a nipper aren't you!

[problemchild75]

just found and loving this thread.
Ian anthony Porsche in bury hmmm
car spares place on deansgate was automotif
i remember the old man buying a brand new merc from ensor in bury in 1990 and they used to have stewart wilson fit replica (that they had made a mould From a real one) zender spoilers and there lowering options were Shocks and springs, springs or chop the springs lol i remember the old man going for the later option lol can you imagine a main dealer offering to have your springs chopped PMSL no wonder they didnt last long.
the garage where awsome gti used to be that did R19 16v s etc was school lane garage.
and the girl from transound lol no there is a story.
Aiden piers still going strong my mrs is friend with his daughter.
North West alloys in Sale????
oh happy happy days

[aw51 121565]

problemchild75 said:

Ian anthony Porsche in bury hmmm

That site is now part of (the ever-expanding) Bury College, it's a training/conference venue. I used to visit there for BMW and Porsche brochures aged around 14. One time, I wanted a BMW sew-on badge; they sent us to the depths of Whitefield (Well Lane?) as that was where their service/parts depot was... Got my badge after a longish ride on a couple of buses, anyway.

Anyone remember Lex Cockshoot on Bell Lane, Bury? It became Lex Mead in the early '80s, still selling BL tin, then changed to selling Land Rover at some point but kept the Lex Mead name.

Much the same happened to Southern Brothers, Manchester Road, Bolton (kiwijohn mentioned them). Sold BL stuff in the 60s and 70s, then changed name to Lex Mead at some point and changed product to Land Rover vehicles after that.

I have a Maestro VDP with its service book/warranty card etc and original number plates in the garage; it was originally sold by Southern Brothers of Blackburn. Don't know that garage's current status though, as I never visit that bit of Lancashire.

[sider]

North West Tom said:

Opposite the church? Jesus! (no pun intended) when did the houses get built? Or when did the dealer move?

Well my Dad tested a Montego there and it was one of the very last ones they did - probably about 1993.

Foxfield opened in their new garage in late 1995 as my Dad bought a new Fiat there on 1st Aug 96 as a P reg.