Dream Used Car Lot

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

I thought this might be a pleasant diversion from bickering about whitewall tires, modified cars and locking of CLC Forum threads. 

Herewith is something which I think we can all agree to like. The picture speaks for itself.

[gary griffin]

 Very nice but isn't  that a Chrysler Imperial rear end on the right side towards the camera?

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Very nice but isn't  that a Chrysler Imperial rear end on the right side towards the camera?

Remember it's a used car lot so theoretically, anything could be in inventory. Obviously the guy did well with Cadillacs.

Also note the red '61 4-window flattop sedan (2 cars to the left of the yellow '59)- even rare back then.

[Dan LeBlanc]

Very nice but isn't  that a Chrysler Imperial rear end on the right side towards the camera?

Here in Canada, Imperial was it's own brand.  In the US, it was Chrysler Imperial.  My dad had a '56 Imperial he said that he couldn't use the a/c in because the vents would build ice.  Now that's what I call a/c!

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Here in Canada, Imperial was it's own brand.  In the US, it was Chrysler Imperial.

That was also the situation in the States as well, Dan. From 1955-1975 Imperial was listed as "make" on titles and in NADA Used Car Appraisal Guides. The same also been the case for at time with Continental as a make, but the practice was short lived as everyone continued calling them "Chrysler Imperials" and "Lincoln Continentals".

[quadfins]

Great pic.
What a Fine Festival of Fins!!!

Jim

[David King (kz78hy)]

Nice inventory for that used car lot.

[n2caddies]

Looks like Ken Perry's back yard!!
Randy

[C.R. Patton II]

Hello

This is an occasion where I would love to have Rod Serling as a close friend.

[Ken Perry]

Kinda does look like my back yard ! Anyone know the storie behind the picture? Is that a poster that can be bought? Thanks for posting the cool picture. Ken Perry

[Big Fins]

Man. I need to get to know Ken a little better. 

[Ken Perry's Photography]

As a young guy that loves Cadillacs I could not have it any better as I'm Ken's son. Hints the username. Sometimes I just sit in the front yard on the bench and just stare at the cars and think of how lucky I am. I mean who else gets to see the view from their front yard of four 59's, three 60's, and one 62 and that's just a little taste of all of it. A cadillac lovers paradise if you can stand the heat!

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

You know what would be neat to know what this used car dealer "crook" wanted for these cars. Sorry Eric I could n't resist the cheap shot on the used car guy.

Too bad I couldn't buy the whole lot with today's $$$$.

...and probably not a legit odometer reading in the entire pack. Ha!

Back in those days, just about everybody spun 'em. You would've had a difficult time staying in business if you didn't.

I wonder if that "old" '55 Chevy was about to be traded...

@Cadillac Ken- Good question. I'll see what I can find out. -Eric

[Walter Youshock]

Eric, you would be in your GLORY with an inventory like that.  Although I don't see any black convertibles... 

I've never seen that many '60's together even at a Grand National.

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Indeed, such stock would've make any dealer proud.

Besides convertibles, what is really missing is black coupes. 

Amazing as it may seem, Eldorados were generally avoided by dealers back in the day. Cars with multi-carbs and air suspension were looked upon like the plague.

[R Schroeder]

and here I thought Eric pulled his cars out to wash them.

By the way those are 60 Chevy's in the picture.

Mr. Mulberry

[Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621]

Chances are he had an "in" with the local Cadillac dealer.

The car business was very different back in those days. New car dealers couldn't get rid of trades fast enough. You had two or three year styling cycles so cars looked dated really quick and resales plummeted. My father bought a '59 Series 62 Coupe for $1,800 (dealer to dealer wholesale) in 1962 with low mileage in mint condition and he still lost money on the car.

What a change in the business model from then to now: New car dealers not only cling to choice trades, but actually go out to auction to purchase used car inventory. Such a practice would have been thought practically unimaginable 30 years ago.

**Correction: Art Archambeault pointed out the red car-  second to the left of the yellow '59 Coupe is a 1960 Chevrolet, not a 1961 Cadillac. If that's the case, it could be new car inventory after all, as George suggested.

[76eldo]

It's also a posed picture. Very possible that the guy arranged to have more Cadillacs than usual on hand for this photo. It's also taken from a raised vantage point so it's possible that this is not just a snapshot of a normal day.

Brian

[Big Fins]

Maybe for a print ad in the local fishwrapper or community magazine.