Glasgow car dealers in the 60's -70's

[ian2144]

irc said:

Bogsye said:

Perhaps not quite the correct thread, as it’s a repair garage and not a dealership, but worth a shot.

I believe my grandfather was a partner in this business, so perhaps 50’s. The location is somewhere in Glasgow’s west end.

I’d be interested if anyone can figure what street it is. A long shot, I know, as I assume it’s long since been demolished and built on.

Brian

That looks to me like the former garage in Garrioch Road. In the 1980s it was Jim Watt's Garage. Now a block of flats as per google streetview.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.8829961,-4.28814...

Edited by irc on Wednesday 15th November 19:02

Good shout, Jim watts place did cross my mind, but thought the forecourt looked a bit on the shallow side......but things do change over the years.

[ian2144]

HendryG said:

Yeah I was thinking about this earlier and in a lot of franchises there are literally zero independent groups now, and with others they are mainly run by the large companies, only the likes of Ford have kept some small independents.

If you look at Mercedes, BMW, Mini, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Audi, Volkswagen, these are pretty exclusively ran by groups, be it small groups like Camerons of Perth and Hawco or Ingrams, or larger ones like Eastern Western, John Clark Specialist Cars, Pendragon, Peter Vardy and Arnold Clark.

Even in the volume sector there are very few independents, for example, im fairly sure except from Donald Mackenzie of Inverness, Arnold and Parks are the only Fiat dealers the length and breadth of Scotland, those 2 run the vast majority of the Renault dealer network in Scotland between them, it is only in the smaller more niche franchises like Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Subaru, Isuzu, SsangYong, MG, the what id say were unattractive and not big selling, hugely profitable franchises where they dont have a foothold.

I think the only Independent Ford dealer left in Aberdeenshire is Huntly Motors. A nice father & Son family business, I purchased my Focus RS from them back in 2009 with superb after sales service. I’m now looking at buying a Mustang, but my nearest official Mustang dealer is Parks in Inverness or its down to Peoples in Edinburgh. I’ve been told the Fordstore can now supply the Mustang, locally for me that would be AC in Aberdeen.

[ian2144]

Thank for resurrecting this old thread. my old man was in the Plant hire business and had his yard on Netherton rd, just along from SASCO. I have a vague memory of young Hank trying to shock me ( early teens) telling me about dismantling a badly smashed car and finding bits of body in it.
Regarding Watson’s Airdrie, the old man bought one of the first HC Viva SL ‘s when the came out 1970 on a J plate.

[ian2144]

Dimebars said:

r.s.logan said:

Prossers were never in Jordanhill .

Are you sure?

I recall them being in the old Clarkston Motors building next to Jordanhill Garden Supplies

Peat Road Motors were across the road, before Clarkston moved in to both sides

Prossers were on Crow Rd next to Jordanhill station, opposite Appleyards (now AC VW) if memory serves Roy Prosser raced bikes at Knockhill.

[ian2144]

joyless lobotomised parrot said:

ian2144 said:

Prossers were on Crow Rd next to Jordanhill station, opposite Appleyards (now AC VW) if memory serves Roy Prosser raced bikes at Knockhill.

That was Denis (sadly deceased far too young).

Yes, you are correct, it was Dennis.......now the wrong side of 60, memory not so good :

[ian2144]

r.s.logan said:

" Prossers were on Crow Rd next to Jordanhill station, opposite Appleyards (now AC VW) "

I think you are wrong on this , only thing across from Appleyards was a small used car place at the corner of Beechwood Dr.They were at Charing Cross and parts dept at Arlington St before moving to Blochairn Rd . Glad to be found wrong with any proof of Jordanhill premises .

I do remember the little showroom at the bottom of Beechwood drive and yes it was directly across from Appleyards. Prosser’s garage was nearer the station on the same side. There was two filling stations almost opposite, I think it was a Fina one on the Appleyard side and Prosser’s on the other. They lockup’s behind both, if memory serves.

[ian2144]

In 1975, I was in and out of Prosser’s showroom a few times. They had a yellow Marta Simca Bagheera for sale, I was running about in a Simca Rallye 1 at that time, which had almost the same engine. I so wanted the Marta, because it was LHD, I ended up giving it a miss.
The following year I bought a new MG Midget 1500 from Appleyards........not one of my greatest decisions.

[ian2144]

Plastic chicken said:

I worked, albeit briefly, for Halley's of Milngavie back in the day, run by the two brothers Jack & Ralph. Both very pleasant fellows, Jack was the sensible one, Ralph mad as a box of frogs (I mean that in the nicest possible way!). I recall he dabbled in rallying in a prepared Vauxhall Nova, but I don't know how successfully.
A quick Google search suggests that they ceased trading in 2012..anybody know any more than that?

I remember Ralph well. We watched him race (saloon cars) many a time at Ingliston, in the late 60’s and most of the 70’s. Sadly I can’t remember all the cars he raced - Austin A40, Honda Civic series 1 and an Opel Kadett GT/E.