J.C. Penny Speedshop

[whitetop]

Yes, J.C. Penny used to sell speed equipment at one time. This is from an old Car Craft ad but I also have a 1970-71 J.C. Penny catalog and the speed equipment was in there also-about 10-12 pages. For you younger guys Pennie's used to have autoservice centers and they would install the speed parts for you. In the ad it says "drive in and charge it" Looks like they stocked all the Edelbrock, Hurst etc.

I also have alisting of the JCPenny speed shops and most were in hardcore car areas, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Dayton Ohio, Cleveland/Youngstown, New York Burroughs etc

In my area there was a store called Harts. Kinda like a Ames etc. and they also had an autoservice center which sold a bunch of speed equipment in my area cira early '70's. Stuff like intakes, wheels, shifters, gauges etc. Right after checking out the new model cars I would run over to the automobiles section and checkout the speed equipment. They shut down the service center in mid '70's to expand into groceries and they literaly gave away all of the speed equipment at rock bottom prices. My brother bought thrush mufflers at this sale for something like $2.00 each.

I also remember the local Nationwise auto parts had a section within their store called "The Rod Shop" Also sold a bunch of speed equipment. Matter of fact much of the speed goodies on my car came from there.

I've been to the new Summit retail store but it is nothing like the old days IMO.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-...2/File0042.jpg

[JoeG]

One think hasn't changed whitetop---they're still getting a piece of my paycheck--My wife sees to that......Now if Avon sold racing fuel..........

[budnate]

JC Penny ran there auto shop here in North Seattle into the the 80's...I barely scraped together enough money to buy two brand new front cragars and Pos a Traction tires and did some wierd trade for the rear used cragars with bald tires for my first ride..I hopped there garbage tire fence about every other month and would find a pair of 245 15 50's that had 1/8th tread left..buzz over to Penny's and the guy would mount and balance them for a 20 cash...man that brought back some memories...thnx

this about '81

[Mr70]

There was/is a J.C.Penny Dept.store here in Lombard Il.In the Yorktown shopping center.When this Mall opened up in 1967,it was all the rage.Everything under one roof,you spent all day there,& my Family & cousins always did.Something for everyone.
We used to enter & exit the mall everytime through the J.C. Penny store,& at age 10,I gauked & oohed over the cool car parts & HotRod displays in their speedshop.
They had a Movietheater next door,and Herbie the LoveBug was showing.After we saw that movie,and went over to the J.C Penny Speedshop..I remember trying to buy One shiny Mag wheel with all our allowances combined,but the salesman refused to do so to such young punks.We ended up buying a single shifter knob instead...what did we know,we were kids.
I remember going back there in 1980 to buy speed parts for my 1st Chevelle,but they really weren't selling to much by then.Not like 10 years previous.

[whitetop]

The Lombard store is one listed in Illinois in the ad.

[Mr70]

Dave I didn't even notice your Picture link.
Very Cool!

[427TJ]

Here's a 1968 photo of a Penny's Auto Center in Bay Shore, New York. These guys were running that '65 Hemi Belevedere called the "Penny Pincher" in B/MP. Photo is from the May, 1968 Cars Magazine.

[Belair62]

I used to deliver parts to the JC Penney auto center !!! They had all kinds of cool stuff in the 70's there. When I was a few years younger my brothers and I got a mini bike from them...a Golden Pinto 3 1/2 horse Tecumseh !!...man that thing must have been 150 bucks...it was like a present from heaven for us...

[Salvatore]

Loved the J.C. Penny drag slicks!

[hvychev]

Whitetop this is a great thread! A while back when I heard that JC Pennys had a speed shop I was suprised!

Here is an ad from Hot Rod June 1970