After months of seeing the “Dodge Brothers” television ads showing the Roaring Twenties hijinks of fictionalized versions of John and Horace Dodge, who actually each died in 1920, do you yearn for some more authentic nostalgia from the car business? If so, this Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep dealership spotted in Skokie, Illinois during a visit to Chicago may be what you are looking for.
With (from right to left) a 1949 Dodge sedan, 1948-50 Willys Jeepster, 1936-38 Dodge truck, and 1949-53 Willys CJ-3A, this dealership provides a slice of vintage Dodge and Jeep offerings, mostly clustered around the year 1950. In my opinion, this collection needs a 1950 Chrysler Town & Country or Windsor (not a New Yorker, not in Chicago) to be complete, or perhaps a black and white 1974 Dodge Monaco as a nod to the Windy City’s signature Mopar. Even without them, though, this dealership appears to be doing nostalgia in the right way.
CC Outtake: Suddenly It’s 1950!
If he is going to show the ’48 Willys Jeep, shouldn’t he also show an early Fiat 500??
Funny, your extending the Fiat-Chrysler connection into the past. But in that case, you should have done it right.
Your photo shows a late-1960s Fiat 500. Until 1965, Fiat 500s had suicide doors which this one has not. The bumper bar makes this one a 1968 series or later.
The Fiat 500 was introduced in 1957 (as successor to the small two-seater Topolino) so it has little to do with the 1948-1953 era anyway. A Topolino, that would have been the right suggestion here!
A Fiat would make as much sense as the Jeepster and CJ-3, which would have been at Willys dealers in 1950.
Actually the Jeep does belong there, long before this was a Dodge dealership it was an AMC/Jeep/Renault/Oldsmobile dealership. I lived just a few blocks away from here 86-89. It didn’t become a Dodge dealer until the late 90s, Skokie’s Dodge dealer before that was another mile or so north on the same street (Skokie Blvd….or Cicero in Chicago) Gerald Dodge/Lincoln/Mercury.
Very cool, Robert. And I have been enjoying those ads featuring the adventures of John and Horace Dodge.
Glad that you liked this find. I felt a bit like I was intruding on your territory by posting from Chicago!
😀
Now, time for the question they would have hated to hear – which looks better, this or the later model ’49?
I’d vote this one!
*SIGH* .
=8-) .
-Nate
It’s cool when dealers do this kind of thing. It humanizes them a bit. There was a local Imperial club doing a show at my then CPJE dealer when I was shopping for my 1995 Chrysler Concorde. I had gone to the dealer to scout for ideas, so my wife was not with me and I was able to spend some time walking among the Imps. It was the best part of that particular buying experience.
Those Dodge brother commercials are aimed directly at 20 something dudes, probably in the high tech field, who could have afforded a Hellcat, but got their 19 year old girlfriend pregnant instead. And It probably saved their lives.
Pellini Chevrolet in Sebastopol, California used to keep restored classic Chevrolets in one of its showrooms, fronting on one of the main streets through town. I don’t remember exactly what, now; and they rotated through the showroom; but there was one from the 1920s, one from the 1940s, a 1958 and a 1960 Impala and a 1953 Corvette. And more.
All are now gone along with the dealership, which closed in 2008 after 76 years in business. The collection (which also included other cars beyond the ones on display) was sold off. Sebastopol no longer has a car dealer (the Ford dealer closed up shop, too) and is now a haven for overpriced gift shops and thirtysomething wannabes. And a Toyota Pious (OOPS, make that “Prius”) police car.
Needless to say, it’s a “nuclear-free zone,” too.
Ha! I drive past the dealership all the time. I’d love to see a 40s Powerwagon.
Jonathan
That 1937 dump truck is very similar to one my father had. His was originally black but he got it painted in a weird blue-green color that he liked. In addition to its normal dump-truck duties I remember one summer day when I was 6 or so riding up in the dump box with about a dozen other neighbors to Salt Water State Park. Part of the way we all sang…remember when people would sing when they got together?
Years ago, a local ChryPly dealer used to occasionally keep a beautiful 1933 Chrysler in the showroom. IIRC, the dealership traced its roots back to that year.
Great bit of imagination for a car dealer.
Please let it catch on.