Carter Carburetor Service Sign

[Provincial]

I was driving down the I5 freeway south of Portland, Oregon the other day and passed a pickup towing a car trailer. The trailer had a Ford Ranger pickup truck on it, and in the pickup bed was a large neon sign that said "Carter Carburetor Service" with whitish lettering on a blue background. The sign was longer than the bed of the Ranger and looked to be about four feet tall. It was in excellent shape. I didn't get a photo since I didn't have a camera with me. I have a camera in my Nextel phone, but it isn't worth trying to take a photo with it.

Someone will have a great conversation piece!

 

[Coach James]

One of my friends used to work for them.

Coach

 

[oldgoaly]

they had a large manufacturing plant in St.Louis, they made good carbs for big engines, epa didn't run them out of business imported cars and oil did.

 

[Outlawmws]

they had a large manufacturing plant in St.Louis, they made good carbs for big engines, epa didn't run them out of business imported cars and oil did.

Actually I think FI had a much bigger role.

 

[Gort the giant robot]

Also in Portland is a large wooden building that can only be seen from a freeway offramp. Painted on the back side of the building is the words STUDEBAKER WAGONS AND SHOVELS. I have not been on the offramp in quite awhile, so I don't if it's still there. In Vallejo Calif there use to be a building marked Tucker Tires. Owner told me many years ago they were going to be a Tucker car dealership, but never got any Tucker cars, so they started selling tires.

Gort.

 

[Provincial]

Also in Portland is a large wooden building that can only be seen from a freeway offramp. Painted on the back side of the building is the words STUDEBAKER WAGONS AND SHOVELS. I have not been on the offramp in quite awhile, so I don't if it's still there. In Vallejo Calif there use to be a building marked Tucker Tires. Owner told me many years ago they were going to be a Tucker car dealership, but never got any Tucker cars, so they started selling tires.

Gort.

I remember that sign from when I was in college at Portland around 1970. I believe it was on the north side of the east end of the Broadway bridge. I think it said carriages, rather than shovels.

 

[camarotoolman]

Sort of like the mail pouch tobacco signs on barns.

 

[Provincial]

Sort of like the mail pouch tobacco signs on barns.

Exactly, except this was right on a commercial street in the heart of the East side commercial district. The sign was very high on the building, so it probably was painted above the roof of the adjacent building. It should have been visible for blocks when going north on Union Avenue. That would mean it was painted before the Union/Grand one-way street change, which would have been a long time ago! Upon reflection, it could have been on the ramp for the Morrison or Burnside bridge.