Grand Spaulding Dodge ~ Vintage Photos or otherwise?

[Magnumcharger]

I'm looking for a few shots of this dealership, "Mr.Norms" place, formerly located on the intersection of Grand and Spaulding streets in Chicago.
I've been to Mr.Norm's website, and there are several shots there, and those shots keep circulating on the web, popping up in various discussions.
I'd like to see some new pictures of the old days, if possible.
I've got this picture to start with. Maybe somebody else has a better quality copy of this?

[2Gunz]

wow to go back in time.......

[Magnumcharger]

There must be a shot of the car lot out there?
This WAS the #1 Dodge dealership in the world!!

[Ghoste]

I have a number of photos of it as it exists today if you want? 

[Hemidoug]

I've got a shot of a car that was sold new from GSD........

[Magnumcharger]

I have a number of photos of it as it exists today if you want? 

Are they the ones on Barry's site?

[Ghoste]

Don't know.  I don't recall sending them to anybody but if he has some and they are from another source I doubt if they are much different.  An empty lot and an old building.

[Magnumcharger]

Why sure, I'd love to see what you've got!

[C_stripes]

Here is a vid I found on Youtube.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=N0ymfZOuBOY

[Magnumcharger]

Seen...pretty cool too!
Left a comment for the videographer

[1FastCharger]

Hmmm....anyone been inside that place? Maybe some NOS parts left behind!!

[Magnumcharger]

Hmmm....anyone been inside that place? Maybe some NOS parts left behind!!

Yeah...maybe there's a whole bunch of NOS parts....still in their "Mopar Parts" boxes.....he he he 

[Chris G.]

Here is a vid I found on Youtube.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=N0ymfZOuBOY

Cool video until he flips the camera around and does his "Blair Witch" impersonation. 

If I lived around that area, I would have "borrowed" those street signs long ago. It's not like anyone in that area of town would care.

[Magnumcharger]

Here is a vid I found on Youtube.  http://youtube.com/watch?v=N0ymfZOuBOY

Cool video until he flips the camera around and does his "Blair Witch" impersonation. 

If I lived around that area, I would have "borrowed" those street signs long ago. It's not like anyone in that area of town would care.

I don't believe it! Chris! Are you condoning thieving?.......Cooooool......

[Chris G.]

I don't believe it! Chris! Are you condoning thieving?.......Cooooool......

I said borrow.   

[Magnumcharger]

Of course you know...now the race is on!
I predict an ebay auction, featuring that very item, within the month!

[mopar-or-no-car]

I don't believe it! Chris! Are you condoning thieving?.......Cooooool......

I said borrow.   

and the difference is???
      

[Ghoste]

I stepped just inside the service bay through a big bay door and all of that part was empty except for a small collection of guys at the far end who running some kind of car detailing business there.  I think it was around 2004?  Anything good is long gone and as for the street signs, Chris is right about the area.  Some of the locals were tending their drive through non prescription pharmaceutical enterprise on the corner and they weren't too happy to see my caucasian stupidity wandering around with a camera.  I took my pictures and split.  Norm has been saying for a few years that someone was negotiating with him to buy it and turn it into some sort of automotive museum but I can't see that happening myself.

[Charger_Fan]

Norm has been saying for a few years that someone was negotiating with him to buy it and turn it into some sort of automotive museum but I can't see that happening myself.

From my mental picture of your description of the neighborhood, I can't imagine a museum opening up there either. Or if it does, the museum artifacts probably won't be there long...

[Magnumcharger]

Unfortunately, it was probably the demise of the Grand-Spaulding Dodge dealership that precipitated the economic decline of that neighbourhood, resulting in the conditions that now prevail.
In other words: It's Mr.Norm's fault.

[moparstuart]

  knowing norm he wants a mint for the land also . 

[Magnumcharger]

Got this email re: this thread (and one like it on Moparts)

Darryl Dayton :<darryl@sedonarental.com> wrote:
There isn't much else to see. There was the building which was an old converted gas station. They then bought the lot next to it and that is where there were a few used cars. G-S rented empty lots and warehouse buildings all around the area to store their inventory. The building/service area/lot were less than impressive or what you would expect to see from one of the worlds largest Dodge dealers in the new hipo cars days of the era. There was no comparision to what you would see for a dealership holding that designation today.

I was a salesman for a Dodge dealership in Illinois from 68-74, about 150 miles from G-S. Some of my Mopar buddies and myself made a couple of trips to G-S in the years 69 and 70 just to check out his inventory and to check out the street action at Skip's Feista. I was really disappointed in what I saw. Basically, as a customer you want into the small showroom, contacted a salesman, and after qualifing the customer, the salesman would then take you to a lot or warehouse to look at the car you were interested in.

Skip's Feista was the local drive-in not too far from G-S where all the heavy hitter street racers hung out. It is the only drive-in resturant I ever saw that had speed bumps in the drive way. There were cars cruising the drive-in with the headers uncorked. It was really a trip and an episode right out of American Graffiti.

Darryl Dayton

From: Robin McQueen
To: Darryl Dayton
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: Grand Spaulding Dodge ~ Vintage Photos or otherwise?


Darryl,
Sounds like it would have been very interesting to have seen that place in it's heyday!
Did you happen to take any pictures of the place when you were there, way back when?
And would you mind if I posted your story, as you wrote it?
And of course, credit goes to you!
Robin

From:  Darryl Dayton
To: Robin McQueen
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: Grand Spaulding Dodge ~ Vintage Photos or otherwise?


Robin,
    No I didn't take any pictures.
No problem if you want to post the story.
BTW, when I went there in 1970, sitting in front of the showroom on the street was a Challenger with dealer plates on it. It was a 440 SIX PACK, 4 speed console, Panther Pink with Black top, Black rear window louvers, Black interior, Black T/A hood and Black side stripe. The car was STUNNING.
Darryl

[Hemidoug]

Here is some GSD stuff from my 71 Sixpack car....

[bull]

 

[hemi-hampton]

I got some Ads from old late 60's magazines if Interested in seeing them? LEON.