Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: AMC dealerships (was 1970 Hornet...)
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Re: [BaadAssGremlins] Re: AMC dealerships (was 1970 Hornet...)



In the 70's we had 2 dealers here in town one was an old nash dealer
from the mid 30's that I worked for a short time. The second one is
where me and my father bought our cars from.There was another in the
next town over, one south of us in the Bronx, one in Manhattan. We also
had one just north east of us, this is the one I bought my parts from
because they had such a good parts man and the Zone office just north of
us. All the dealers mentioned including the Zone office were within a
10-15 mile radius except the one in Manhattan. Being the Zone was so
close I rarefy had to wait for parts long that a dealer did not have.
The one I bought my parts from used to send me to the Zone to pick up
the parts I needed he didn't have. I drive past the old Zone office now
and then as my wife works near by. The old Nash dealer is now a Duncan
Donuts with the original service garage behind it an auto repair shop.
The other dealer is a real estate office and its service garage is also
an automotive repair shop.  
"Doc"



 
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--- Begin Message --- Very interesting. While I seem to remember a lot of AMC's around here there
probably wasn't all that many in reality. If I remember right there was only
two AMC dealerships in town and I think both sold AMC's as a sideline. One sold
Pontiac and the other sold Mopars. Ford has two large plants in town and they
had a big presents in the area. So I guess around here there never were that
many AMC's and the ones that were here rusted to death. That makes sense.
Terry




--- Begin Message ---
Good point. However another is also that some states were 'hotbeds' where AMCs sold really well in the 1960s and into early 70s. Therefore more cars were in those regions. Other areas you could not give away a AMC even if it was a two for one special people didn't want, nor like them. (Thier loss!). Some of the highest volume states for example were NY, PA, IL, MI, OH; while some of the lower end were AR, AK, MT, to name a few. There were about 2200 AMC dealerships in late 60s, and about 1900 in 73, however those were cranking out more vehicles per dealership.
 
AMC had large and modern facilities in most key markets; and in the top 100 metro areas that accounted for 65% of all new cars sales for say, 1974, AMC owned, or had the prime lease on 129 of those facilities (that is a LOT of real estate!) and was buying 13 more. And of the 100 largest dealers, of which almost 1/2 of those had been appointed since 1969, almost 1/2 of them sold not only AMC but the hot selling Jeep series. So 750 AMC dealers were also handling Jeep.
 
And the domestic sales rate per passenger car dealer increased 100% from 1970-74, and the company's dealers had risen from 7th to 3rd in the industry for average number of units sold. So you had 179 dealers selling more than 500 cars per year in 1974, compared to 50 selling same in 1969.
 
AMC was happy to deal with dealers who might have sold a dozen cars per year. It didn't seem like much, but they made their money on oil changes, tune ups, suspension, brakes and all the other things that go bump in the night on vehicles, not just AMC.
 
For instance one of the dealerships my dad worked at in Corpus Christi, the service bay areas were always full and lots of work to be done, or other models like Buick, Ford and ather GM cars, besides AMC. It was a mixed make dealership. But even at the aMC only dealerships they serviced lots of brand x cars....and that is true still today. I have a good buddy who is service manager at a Archer Chrysler (Archer has been around since the 1900's here in Houston, and several were AMC, like on 59, I-45, 290 ect) but it is not uncommon to go to that dealership and see cars they don't sell being worked on.
 
Anyhows, you will find a ton of this stuf on my website under "amc dealerships" on the front page. And yes, you also had some hotbeds of areas where AMCs could not be kept in stock and sold like hotcakes like Erie and York PA, which were probably #1 and #2 respectively in sales for AMCs for several years.
Eddie Stakes'
Planet Houston AMX
713.464.8825
eddiestakes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.planethoustonamx.com
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 3:54 AM
Subject: Re: [BaadAssGremlins] 1970 Hornet...

Washington does not use salt on their roads in the winter. Cars there tend to wear out long before rusting out.

Terry.Atkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Can I ask a stupid question. Why does it seem like 75 to 80% of the AMC I see
for sale are in Washington. About as for away from me as you go and still be
in the states. This might be my imagination but it sure seems that way. LOL
Terry


> I found a 1970 Hornet 2 door today for dirt cheap. Sorry Doc, its not a
> hatch back like your sweet rides are!! Just a sedan.  The body is
> really straight and it has very-very minor surface rust on the fenders,
> has a good dash and is a 3 speed on the collum with the 232 six. Just
> alittle over 100,000 original miles.  One headlight bezel is cracked
> and it needs a couple of tail lights, looks like to me the wife beat on
> the tail lights so the "old man" woundnt drive it. Finally she threw
> away the keys to it so he wouldnt drive it. LOL!! :) ISNT LOVE JUST
> GRAND!!  The car is very drivable!! Its been sitting for atleast 4
> years, the last time it was licensed was 2002. If anyone here is
> interested post a reply and I will give you the guys number and go get
> ya some photos. The car is located in Pomeroy Washington.
> Bill Lewiston Id.
>
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