O'Reilly Chevrolet Tucson Arizona
 

Tomorrow O'rielly Chevrolet in Tucson Arizona celebrates it 100th year anniversary. Since both of my Camaros were purchase from there when new, I'll be taking my 1969 ss396 down for their little show. I don't know haw many cars they were able to find that were actually sold there. Could be fun. It will be a long day for me. I will be there for almost 12 hours. I'll try to get some pictures....Joe

How did you get a copy of the MSO? Pretty cool. Have fun tomorrow!

Since I bought the car in 1981, you could go to MVD & get most anything you wanted. I neglected to ask for a dealer invoice. Those days are gone....Joe

Very cool Joe! BTW your cars looks awesome! Safe travels.

Very cool for you to bring it out for the anniversary. Enjoyed talking to you and checking out your car (yellow houndstooth interior!) at MCACN.

O'Rielly Chevrolet
 

Just to add on to the O'Rielly Chevrolet theme here, my dad bought a 1957 chevy 2 door HT from them new and here is the original invoice for the car showing their dealer header, etc..

That's cool. That was when they were on 6th ave. The building is still standing. It appears your grandfather was a saleman at O'riellys & sold the car to your father

Here's a question for you. Is that the same Bill Edel that sold cars on Stone ave across from NAPA? If it is, I bought a blue Honda trail 70 from him in the early 70s....Joe

Have fun at the show, Joe.

$122.95 for an AM radio & antenna in 1957 was a very pricey option!

O’Rielly Chevrolet Tucson Arizona
 

‘

Here’s a few O’Rielly Newspaper Ads and more, lots exist from earlier years but seems less later.
Note the picture w/ employees including Bill Edel in the July Christmas ad from 07/57.
No luck w/ specific ads for the ’57 or Yellow ‘69 SS396, there was Green also Red 396 Coupes listed plus the White 396/M40 as below, what’s your other O’Rielly car Joe?
Have fun at the show!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

‘

:beers:

.

The pic of the new truck center is so clear. What a modern design and huge space for display and service for that era.
Would be cool to know if any of those trucks are still in the area. The Cameo would be a hard sought after vehicle now.
My eyes were drawn to the stake bed. Be a cool ramp/roll back unit...:biggthumpup:

Wow, that last picture shows some awesome cars and a custom mid-year Vette around 1968 is pretty epic.

Hi Joe,

Yes, that is the same Bill edel. I remember that blue honda, do you still have it? he replaced it with a yellow honda trail 90 which I tore up the desert with before jumping to larger bikes.

He was the salesman and my dad who was in the air force ordered the 57 chevy from him to replace a 56 porsche speedster which my mother thought was not a family car as they just got married..

My grandfather started selling cars in 1936 at his service station turning it into Precision Motors selling at times Hudson, American motors, Jaguar, MG, triumph, Mercedes, sunbeam, austin healey, and several other european sports cars. sold 11 mercedes gullwings out of the little dealership on stone. He sold it to Jack Roe (later precision toyota) late 1956 and went to work selling chevrolets for O'rielly chevrolet. That only lasted about a short time as O'Rielly has limits on how many cars a single salesman could sell and he didn't like that. He opened another shop selling chevrolets he brought up from a dealer in nogalas that could not sell his whole alotments so chevy's to tucson then used trade ins to nogales and mexico. worked for a while and then MB came back and asked him to take the franchise again as Jack Roe dropped several lines he was carrying before. He opened up again this time as "Bill Edel Motors" and was selling MB, land rover, and others through the 60's and then took on datsun in 1970 which sold more than any of the others.. He retired in 1975 and sold out. mercedes eventually became Beaudry motors now owned by chapman and datsun is now Jim click.

History in a long paragraph.. his Orielly time was short but he and Frank O'rielly were friends for years.

‘

Lots of Old Newspaper Ads w/ your Dad and Grandfather’s Automobile operations have been scanned into the AZ Newspaper archives.
Here’s a few examples below also I’ll shoot some more through to you in a PM.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Thanks for the info. Great history. Sadly, I sold the CT70 to buy my 1st car....Joe

So, did you enjoy the day ? Lots of pics to post later ?

Only 17 cars showed up. For a 100 year, they should've had a huge show. I didn't take any pictures. It was too upsetting....Joe

Well that's disappointing for sure. Sorry to hear that.

Thank you for those Pete and look forward of anything else you find. Bill.

According to my dad it was a wonderbar pushbutton with dual power rear antennas at that cost. still a lot I would think back then..

If your dad is still alive & kickin' and can remember that detail, it's priceless :smile:

Speaking of dual rear antennas, I recall those being a cool fad back in the 50's, but I have always wondered if they were both functional, or if one was just for appearance sake.

It's a shame that more cars didn't turn out for the show....car dealerships that have been around for 100 years under the same name and in the same town are few and far between.

Bill, My dad is still kicken and remembers. He will be 91 in June. One antenna was functional and the other a dummy. I purchased him a 57 convertible almost 20 years ago which is being restored and he had us put the duals on it just like his original one.

As far as I know, only 1 antenna was ever functional with duals. They were a fad into the mid 60's on Impala's too. I see them on '64's quite often but I don't know if they could be had from the factory, or the left one was only over the counter.

Interesting! I never knew either, but assumed their was probably a wye type cable setup for both to be functional.

Those antennae appear to be much further back than any I remember, but have no clear recollection of a '57.

----My 64 Grand Prix 421 HO/4-speed had two power antenna's on the car, on the build sheet, and on Jim Mattisons paperwork! It was featured on Members rides quite a while back! ....Bill S

Cool, but did they both supply reception to the radio...:dunno:
I have seen twin power but assumed the owner did that. Didn't know it was available from the factory.

Here is that 57 chevy in 1957 showing the placement of the antennas as factory cut them in.. they are further back than I would think you would put them but that is correct for front to back position. The side to side location is a mystery as this original car they were inside the rear quarter panels (between the quarter and inside trunk panel) but have seen cars with it inside trunk which requires going through 2 panels and hangs inside trunk space and in the way of cargo..

----Nope, The drivers side had power to the motor but no antenna lead ever! Even had two dash switches for up and down....Bill S

Looks like a (2) Top L-88 Convertible next to the Novas in the last picture Bill

Thanks, Bill, that was what was wiggling on the cob webs upstairs, just one reception lead. Good to know some of what is stored in the attic is still, somewhat, accurate. I've never been known as a person with a "photographic memory"...:no: