How do you remember Phoenix? Stories from long time residents... (selling, roads)

[baby sinister]

Originally Posted by FadedGlory

Are you thinking of Automotive Sales?? I think that's the name. They are no longer open 24 hrs but are still there in the same location.

You are right...it was called "Automotive Sales". I believe they are called "Fleet Pride" now. Charlie C Jones went belly up sometime in the mid 90's...they had been in business since the 1920's. I actually met Charlie himself back in the 80's...he was very fragile and confined to a wheel chair.

[t.t.]

westside willie...
Those are great pix. Wow!!! Well, the good ole' days are just that... good ole' days. We will never see prices like that again!

[locolobo13]

Originally Posted by FadedGlory

Are you thinking of Automotive Sales?? I think that's the name. They are no longer open 24 hrs but are still there in the same location.

I think that's right. I can remember my Dad and I going in there at 1 in the morning, taking a number behind 10 other guys, and waiting 1/2 hour to get served. But there was literally no where else to go at that time in the morning.

[desertratz]

To all of us natives and other long time Arizona kids, this was the ultimate in racing in the 60's and 70's.

[roosevelt]

Here are some photos of Phoenix or Arizona Raceways and Manzanita.

[slowesthand]

I remember a parts store that was very popular on VanBuren and around12th st. I think they had a big orange sign. They were always busy. Also "Arkies" on Mc Dowell just west of 24th st. Also there was and old motorcycle junk yard arcross from that. I think the name was "GILS". I once went there looking for a part for an old Ducati I had, sure enuogh he had one!

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by slowesthand

I remember a parts store that was very popular on VanBuren and around12th st. I think they had a big orange sign. They were always busy. Also "Arkies" on Mc Dowell just west of 24th st. Also there was and old motorcycle junk yard across from that. I think the name was "GILS". I once went there looking for a part for an old Ducati I had, sure enough he had one!

That sounds like Royal Auto Parts in the 50's. They carried a lot of bolt on stuff for customizing. They had a machine shop too. It was near 12th Street. That's where I bought cat eye tail lights but every time I took the car to school, some jerk would steal them. Gils was owned by Gilbert Greer and sold Indians but they were located about 900 Grand Avenue in the 50's. There were also several scooter places in Phoenix back then, Powell, Eagle, Cushman, Lambretta and Vespa. Earlier there was the Salsbury scooter in the 40's that is very rare and collectible today. A friend dug one out of an irrigation berm on a farm 2 years ago and sold it as is for $5,000 to a guy in France! I seem to remember something called the Doodle Bug scooter. I think they were banned for being so small.

[desertratz]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

That sounds like Royal Auto Parts in the 50's. They carried a lot of bolt on stuff for customizing. They had a machine shop too. It was near 12th Street. That's where I bought cat eye tail lights but every time I took the car to school, some jerk would steal them. Gils was owned by Gilbert Greer and sold Indians but they were located about 900 Grand Avenue in the 50's. There were also several scooter places in Phoenix back then, Powell, Eagle, Cushman, Lambretta and Vespa. Earlier there was the Salsbury scooter in the 40's that is very rare and collectible today. A friend dug one out of an irrigation berm on a farm 2 years ago and sold it as is for $5,000 to a guy in France! I seem to remember something called the Doodle Bug scooter. I think they were banned for being so small.

Attachment 71424

Would sure like to have the Hudson and the Studebaker in that photo. Thanks Roosevelt!

[Donalumni]

Originally Posted by roosevelt

That sounds like Royal Auto Parts in the 50's. They carried a lot of bolt on stuff for customizing. They had a machine shop too. It was near 12th Street. That's where I bought cat eye tail lights but every time I took the car to school, some jerk would steal them. Gils was owned by Gilbert Greer and sold Indians but they were located about 900 Grand Avenue in the 50's. There were also several scooter places in Phoenix back then, Powell, Eagle, Cushman, Lambretta and Vespa. Earlier there was the Salsbury scooter in the 40's that is very rare and collectible today. A friend dug one out of an irrigation berm on a farm 2 years ago and sold it as is for $5,000 to a guy in France! I seem to remember something called the Doodle Bug scooter. I think they were banned for being so small.

Attachment 71424

I bought a few parts from Royal Auto Parts years back. Yes, they were the best at having hard to find parts and all the old timers knew everything about their business unlike the kids who only know how to punch the make and year of your car into the computer at the local Auto Zone or the likes. The old timers would even tell you how to change the part and give ya some short cuts if you were young. On the subject of scooters, my buddy and me found an old Lambretta scooter in an alley and took her home and got her running. We tore up the area around the east side of the Army Natiuonal Guard butte at Papago park where the old POW camp was and before the ball fields arrived. We'd run out of 2 stroke oil and just put in some of my dad's auto trans fluid figuring, hey's oils oil right? Darn thing would run on anything and we thought we were moto-X racers. Them were the carefree days of leisure and a few broken arms.

[baby sinister]

My dad frequented many auto stores as he was an auto mechanic...Fred's auto and machine shop on 24th st across from the county hospital. Royal auto parts. Phoenix Auto Wrecking on south 7th st. Southern Auto on 16th st and Southern. Thompson Auto Parts on 7th st and Broadway. McIntyre's Auto Wrecking on 24th st and the riverbed.