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jonb347

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Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
hey guys thanks for the compliments, I thought you would enjoy seeing it. we get a lot of people commenting on it when they come in. one thing not fun is rolling around on a creeper on the wood floor!!
 

Matasickle

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Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
56
Wow.. as a Ford fan.. I gotta say
drool.gif
 

Pyetime

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Joined
Nov 14, 2011
Messages
69
Location
Colorado
From a Ford fan, very nice! I grew up in Upstate New York and that place reminds me of many of the small town dealerships I saw back in the day.
 

racer8432955

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
172
I love the older style small dealers. they are all gone here (between chicago and milwaukee). everything is a character-less auto mega mall contraption....
 
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jonb347

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
look thru the pix a little more and youll see what we did. the wood wouldn't handle it at all, we had to put concrete supports in and cut holes in the wood.
 

bobemmerich

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 23, 2009
Messages
1,611
Location
Middletown, Ct.
As a Ford fan and a Ct resident, WOW! That is cool. Love the old wood floor and all. Love all the old memorabilia. If I'm up in that neck of the woods, I'll have to make it a point to stop in and check it out in person.
 

gezn2

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
240
Location
SW WI
Thanks for sharing!
It's incredibly cool that your family has managed to stay small, only close attention to customer service could let you pull it off :)
I'll bet there's a fair bit of stubbornness involved too, you've got to have suits from Corporate turning up every so often making 'Get Big or Get Out' noises...
 

Pete J

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2011
Messages
7
Love all the old remnants/ memorabilia you have around! I've always wondered about the two story shop, or shops with basements and what it would take to support everything.
 

RacerX

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Messages
377
Location
Caldwell, Tx
Love the parts counter and old display cabinet with product in it. Also love the large Ford sign with the glitter balls (or whatever they're called)
377151_311285208910463_100000869596188_902832_1749866731_n.jpg
 
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jonb347

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
lol, its a 30's vintage dealer sign. has holes punched in it with lightbulbs inside. we definitely take visitors, we are in eastford, ct. website is bowensgarageinc.com
 
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white500xl

Active member
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
32
Great pics of your family shop! I used to work in a family owned dealership, just about the same size as yours. What I miss is the old metal frame windows in the shop area. I really liked how much light they let in, to help you see under the hood.(even on cloudy days). Just wondering what size are your windows, and do they have the tilt out center section to let in air? Love the picture of all of stangs lined up!
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2012
Messages
7
Love the older car dealerships...way more character then these "New Mega Stores" we're stuck with now. Your building reminds me a lot of the Ford dealership I grew up in, my grandpa was a Ford mechanic for over 50yrs and my dad has been one for over 37yrs now. My grandpa worked in the same 2 stalls from 1948 till the early 90's when they built a new dealership to keep Ford happy.
 
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jonb347

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
hey sorry i never replied guys...the windows along the back of the shop are hufe, pretty much the height of the whole shop. and yes they tilt out in the middle!!! good for throwing scrap metal out of lol. we don't be building any new style building as long as im around, plus we dont have the money haha
 
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jonb347

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
need to do something about the showroom floor. checkerboard? tile? what do you guys think, nothing expensive!!! just make it look less...pastely
 

Amazzen

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Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
168
Location
Southern Ontario, Canada
need to do something about the showroom floor. checkerboard? tile? what do you guys think, nothing expensive!!! just make it look less...pastely

Beautiful place, I love the "patina", but not in the showroom if you're still in todays Market of selling New cars. The vintage stuff works in the shop because it promotes that sense of "old fashioned service".

I think the floor just needs some of today's epoxy paints to give a newer feel (you can do almost any pattern). And try to paint anything that looks dated, like the wood trim (many colors and textures out there at a reasonable price).

"Some things need to change and others are better left alone."

Congratulations on the long legacy and continued success...
 
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jonb347

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Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
all the different opinions ive heard about the floor and i never once really thought about a nice epoxy, ill look into it thanks! any places to start? hardware store? online?
 

Amazzen

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Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
168
Location
Southern Ontario, Canada
all the different opinions ive heard about the floor and i never once really thought about a nice epoxy, ill look into it thanks! any places to start? hardware store? online?

How about right here in the Forum "Flooring section"?!?

There are some beautiful granite looking designs that I know will interest you even more. Read a few threads and I'm sure you'll steer yourself in the right direction. If you decide on a DIY....check out youtube videos too.

You're welcome.....
 
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jonb347

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Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
How about right here in the Forum "Flooring section"?!?

There are some beautiful granite looking designs that I know will interest you even more. Read a few threads and I'm sure you'll steer yourself in the right direction. If you decide on a DIY....check out youtube videos too.

You're welcome.....

i meant on where to buy the epoxy for a decent price...
 
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jonb347

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Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
260
Figured I'd bring it back around for any new members to check out
 
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