Nankivell Chevrolet Indianapolis Indiana

[Nasblu]

Does anyone know anything about this dealer or have any memorabilia from Nankivell Chevrolet Indianapolis Indiana. Didnt they donate cars for the Indy 500?

[PeteLeathersac]

Zone # 25
Dealer Code # 373

Nankivell Chevrolet Inc.
3800 South East Street
Indianapolis Indiana 46227

* Yenko Network Dealer

Besides Yenko cars Nankivell delivered lots of Performance and Copo cars too including 1 or more ZL1's!.
Is Marlin's Deuce a Nankivell car?.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Yea, my Deuce is from Nankivell, as is the green deuce on the cover of the NOVA SS book by Steve Statham. They sold some ZL1's, several Yenko Camaros and Chevelles and even 1 '69 Yenko Nova.

The dealership was sold in the mid '70's to the Huebler chain, Huebler was his brother-in-law. The actual Nankivell building currently houses the used cars for Huebler. Nankivell retired to Florida and ran a fishing business, he expired a long time ago.

There was another Nankivell dealership in Shelbyville, IN that was run by brother Morgan Nankivell. I've been to that one as well, it is now a Firestone tire shop. Morgan sold it shortly after the US31 location was sold, it remained a dealership for the next two owners but than became the tire shop. Morgan and wife Evelyn were very helpful in explaining the Nankivell story, even the history behind their name (of Welsh origin). Morgan passed away a few years ago. Evelyn sent me a nice packet a year or so later that contained some key holder and match books from Nankivell. Super nice lady.

I've only seen 2 license plate frames, and one of them is on my car (thanks to JeffL, [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img] ). I've never seen an emblem.

The Shelbyville dealership:



Inside:



My frame:



Ricks frame:

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Pic of some matchbooks that a fellow member tipped me off to on ebay:

[Nasblu]

I have spoke to a guy who worked there: Here is what he wrote:


&quot;I started working at Nankivell in '65 when I was 17 as a summer helper/apprentice. Nankivell had just opened in '63? and around '85 the name was changed to Hubler Chevrolet (Frank Hubler was Jim Nankivell's accountant and brother in law and bought the company when Jim retired) Hubler relocated to a new building at its present location about 3 miles south in Greenwood in &quot;87. For many years I've had several &quot;Nankivell&quot; labeled things around my garage.(your more than welcomed to them if I can find them) I remember a cast chrome Nankivell license frame and some metal dealer emblems maybe some decals yardsticks keychains. Nankivell were one of the first dealers in that area to switch to stickers. Ill try to see what I can find. I talked to 3 people today who are going to see what they can find as well&quot;.

I was shocked when he was so willing to help a stranger. I had another guy send me these matchbooks

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

I have the blue one, haven't seen the other one before - looks cool.

I'm surprised it was '85 that Hubler bought Nankivell out, as I had heard from several sources that it was late '70's at most - they were some type of partners for a bit. The original Hubler died several years ago - otherwise I'd have called him! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

[Nasblu]

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Wanna sell one? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img]

[Nasblu]

Marlin,

No, I dont want to sell any but if he comes through and actually gives them to me Id be more than happy to give you some. Let you know.

Matt.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Ok!

I dug out my notes from my last conversation with Morgan Nankivell, not much on the dealerships but...

- Nankivell = English origin, 'Nan'is Welsh meaning 'From', 'Kivell' is their equivalent of county, so the name literally meant From Kivell.

- Morgan owned the Shelbyville dealership from 1963 - 1980, his brother owned the Indy one for about the same period of time.

- The Indy site had plate frames with red lettering and INDIANAPOLIS, while the Shelbyville site had frames with black lettering and SHELBYVILLE

- Morgan's brother convinced Frank Huebler to move up from Florida, where he was working as an IRS agent, to be his office manager.

- He then sold the Indy dealership to Frank and himself moved 'back' to Florida (Marco Island) and ran a fishing business. He died in '88.

- Morgan sold the Shelbyville site in 1980 to another dealer from Edinburgh, IN who had sold his previous dealership in order to buy it from Morgan. The new owner wanted his son to be a dealer, but after a year he changed his mind. The son became a doctor, and the dealership was sold to an Oldsmobile dealer from Seifert, IN. This owner kept it for ~ a year, and then sold it to Frank Huebler. It is now the Firestone tire store.

- Frank Huebler has 4 sons, they each have their own dealership.

- Franklin Woodward Huebler was born in '23 in Jacksonville, FL. His sister Helen married into the Nankivell family. In '57 Frank and Jim Nankivell moved to Indianapolis and stared an Oldsmobile dealership, which they later sold in order to start Nankivell Chevrolet. In '71 Huebler it from Jim, and went into business with his 3 sons and was renamed Huebler Chevrolet. It was located at 3800 S. US 31, in '87 it moved to its current location at 8220 S. US 31. The Huebler Group now owns 12 dealerships in IN and one in FL. - Franklin Woodward Huebler died in 2005 at 82,

- Would like to find the salesperson for my car, his last name was JEKEL!