Oldest Car Dealer in Tulsa?

[dbacks fan]

This was one of the cars that I competed in.

[inteller]

well, amazingly I think Joe Marina may still be the oldest if we aren't counting dealerships that changed hands, which I think we should not.

[tulsa1603]

Jim Norton Toyota?  What about them?  They used to be on Sheridan at 36th but now are at 98th and Memorial...

I seem to remember Riverside Chevrolet from way back.....were they not downtown for a while?  Maybe they were one of the old original dealers, but renamed. Of course, way back to me is the mid-1980's.

[AMP]

Story has it Anatolli laid out Hallett driving a Pontiac Firebird through the grass field where the course is now.  

He kept remodeling and re-designing the furnishings in his dads offices in Bartlesville and his dad asked him what he wanted to do.  Answer, own a racetrack and race automobiles.

Thus Hallett and Automobiles International.

The Auto dealership was to fund the racing and racetrack.   Anatolli had a collection of exotic automobiles at AI and the tale of the High Speed non-DOT approved european car that one of the glossy national auto magazines did an article on.  Raised some eyebrows at the DOT, and believe they got very intereested in just what kinds of illegal cars Anatolli had in his posession and was driving on the Highways.  LOL

Not sure when Joe Marina entered the story, but I believe it was around the same time the Honda franchise appeared.  Got to remember the first Honda was a two cylinder car equipped with an air cooled twin cylinder engine around 600ccs.  I had one for a while got over 40mpg which did not seem to be a big deal then as gas was around 30 cents per gallon in 1972 it seems.  

He raced wooden chassis vintage Morgan automobiles, that had amazing speeds for their age.  Thus the narrow track.  W.T. was the crew chief for Anatolli.  His father, an engineer, was one of the head persons at REDA Pump.  He invented and perfected the down hole electrical oil pump that replaced theo old style rocker arm type above ground unit that used thousands joints of sucker rods, and were very mechanical.  

"Armais Arutunoff, a Russian immigrant, was another Bartlesville pioneer. At the urging of the Phillips brothers, Arutunoff came to the community with his invention—an electric pump that pumped oil from deep in the ground. His efforts eventually became REDA Pump."

Don Carlton had a dealership located on east 11th street at one time.  I bought my second Honda automobiles there.  Gary Hancock sales and Homer Jackson service worked there.

Honda seems to of outlasted all the rest in Tulsa, makes sense they also are very dependable automobiles and motorcycles.  

Just a matter of time that some other brands and modles seem dissapear off the face of the Earth, like their heavy gas guzzler dinosaur cousins did in the past.  Oh, forgot they turned into petroleum in theory.  LOL  

[Conan71]

I believe Joe Marina is Toli's ex son-in-law, so I don't know if you would consider it same ownership or not with the name change and change in majority ownership.

In the Tulsa trade area, not Tulsa proper, probably Bolin in Bristow, Doenges in B'ville, or the Ford dealer in Okmulgee might be the oldest under the same ownership.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I believe Joe Marina is Toli's ex son-in-law, so I don't know if you would consider it same ownership or not with the name change and change in majority ownership.

In the Tulsa trade area, not Tulsa proper, probably Bolin in Bristow, Doenges in B'ville, or the Ford dealer in Okmulgee might be the oldest under the same ownership.

i'd like to visit the oldest car dealer (in its original location) in the country.  that would be pretty cool to see.  i think it is a ford place up near detroit.

[AMP]

The Toyota dealership at 36th and Sheridan was first called Toyoto of Tulsa.  It was there for many years.  Believe the owner either died or suffered from illness and the franchise was sold.

Not too many have survived the roller coaster economy of Tulsa.

Gary Henry Chevrolet, which became Sand Springs Chevrolet may still be under the same family ownership.  Last time I was out there Phil Henry was the parts manager and his younger brother was some management person in sales manager.  He always said "What are we lookin; at, a Corvette or a Chevette?

Still not operating under the old Gary Henry name.  Wat Henry, his dad was located downtown in Tulsa off of Denver I believe.

[NormDPloom]

Jim Norton Buick was Chick Norton,now in west Tulsa/north Sapulpa, maybe even 3rd Gen.?
Ernie Miller maybe 2nd Gen.
If Fred Jones Ford is still in Bartlesville,
they would be my bet.
Jones may go back to the 20s.

[ttownclown]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

The Toyota dealership at 36th and Sheridan was first called Toyoto of Tulsa.  It was there for many years.  Believe the owner either died or suffered from illness and the franchise was sold.

Not too many have survived the roller coaster economy of Tulsa.

Gary Henry Chevrolet, which became Sand Springs Chevrolet may still be under the same family ownership.  Last time I was out there Phil Henry was the parts manager and his younger brother was some management person in sales manager.  He always said "What are we lookin; at, a Corvette or a Chevette?

Still not operating under the old Gary Henry name.  Wat Henry, his dad was located downtown in Tulsa off of Denver I believe.

Keystone is now owned by a guy named Mike Farley.

[Conan71]

Slightly O/T, but one of the oldest Yamaha franchises in the U.S. is K&N Yamaha.  I believe they were the third franchisee and still longest in business.  How's my aim AMP?

Old motorcycle humor:  "You meet the nicest people riding a Honda"  "You meet the strangest people riding a BMW"