Norm Kraus AKA...Mr Norm
 

What a Legacy He Built.

RIP Sir

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...highlight=Norm

Dan

What a pioneer in the performance car industry. RIP.....

RIP Mr.Norm.

'

Sorry to hear, thoughts and prayers for his family.
Of course there were other key salesmen through the muscle car years too but if there was a way to add up Total HP, it wouldn't be surprising if Mr. Norm sold more than anyone else.
RIP
:flag:

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I've put this here before ... Back in the day there was a Mr Norms commercial played on WLS in Chicago -- it was the same theme as the Superman; ... here it is (the best I can remember)

Faster than a 440 Magnum, more powerful than a street Hemi, can leap wide intersections at a single bound. What described as a small subcompact at a large Chicago dealer fights a never ending battle for street, strip and the interstate … Mr Norms Grand Spalding Dodge.

Commercial played on WLS – talking about Mr Norms 440 powered GSS Dart ...

Absolutely!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVyKyJYhmPg

Yep, Mr Norm was waiting down at Grand Spaulding Dodge. RIP Norm.

I remember his adds on WLS and WCFL Chicago radio stations.

Mr Norm
 

R.I.P. Mr Norm a great Guy! I had been to the dealership many times Back in the day. I remember going there in 69 and the lot porters trying to start an A12 Super Bee they had like 4 batteries on a cart for a jumper. He went on later to open up Buffalo Grove Dodge in Buffalo Grove Il. He also had some custom 3 wheel Harley project going years ago where he would buy old Chicago P D 3 wheel Harleys and customize them. i worked with his niece Debbie and one of his top salesman Al Silvers at Schaumburg Dodge in the 80's . My condolences to the Kraus Family. Tom

A few years ago later on Saturday evening at MCACN, I walked up to his booth and he was by himself. I bought a few things from him and we engaged in about a 20 minute conversation. He told me how he got started in the dealership business.

He told me that he didn't back then and didn't at the time we spoke really care about the musclecars. He said that he started selling cars to make money. He said his father had a gas station that he worked at as a young man. He said his Dad would sell cars in his station lot every so often. He saw how quick and easy it was to flip cars and make decent money so he started doing it against his father's advice.

One thing led to another and he acquired the Dodge dealership as a young man. He said that Dodge mandated that he carry performance parts in his parts department. He said one day a guy came in and bought numerous Dodge performance parts from the parts department. He said that this fella wanted a price break on the parts and in return he advised Mr. Norm he would put his dealership name on the side of his racecar that he drag raced at local area Chicago tracks.

Mr. Norm said he cut the guy a break on the parts and thought the guy may have been full of BS. He said low and behold the guy was for real and did what he said he was going to do. He said the advertisement spiked his business. He said people starting coming in ordering performance cars. The rest is history.....

The one thing that I could not believe during our conversation was that he was not into these cars. I even asked him repeatedly thinking he was joking with me. He told me for real that he didn't care and he was just a car salesman. I remember him laughing telling me that he gets a kick out of coming to events like MCACN and meeting people who loved his dealership. I remember him saying "what else do I have to do with my time I'm retired" as he laughed.

He also shared a funny story about his wife. He told me that he took home a Hemi Charger that was a dealer demo. He said he gave it to his wife to drive and she took it to the grocery store. He said she came home upset at him for giving her such a powerful car to drive. He said she had traction issues with the car. LOL. I asked what he did with the car and he said he put it out on the lot and sold it.

Mr. Norm was very nice to me . I was fortunate to have the conversation I had with him and for him to take the time to talk to me. May he rest in peace....

Rich