Import Auto, Long Beach CA, 1964

Comments and faves

1. 

   eyelightfilms (15 months ago | reply)

   I've never seen an Imp in the US before.
   Can't imagine they were a popular choice there.

2. 

   aldenjewell (15 months ago | reply)

   One of my bosses had one, but that was before I knew him. No, the Imp was not a big seller here.

3. 

   aldenjewell (15 months ago | reply)

   At this address today is Long Beach Collision Center and/or Amigo's Transmission and Clutch.

4. 

   Eastbtm - I am back online again ! :):) (15 months ago | reply)

   Wow! Sunbeam Alphine and Hillman Imp are georgeous! :):)

5. ★

   Eastbtm - I am back online again ! :):) added this photo to his favorites. (15 months ago)

6. 

   Cad-Kyiv (15 months ago | reply)

   British and FRENCH subcompact imports under Googie-style signage. Interesting times!

7. ★

   dave_7 added this photo to his favorites. (15 months ago)

8. 

   aldenjewell (15 months ago | reply)

   They sure were. I remember them well!

9. ★

   mcmsdmike added this photo to his favorites. (15 months ago)

10. 

    Martin van Duijn (15 months ago | reply)

    On my first trip to the USA as an adult in 1993, I foumd an Imp in garden in Massachusetts. I was surprised to find one, noit having sen one here in The Netherlands for 20 years maybe. They were rustbuckets.

11. ★

    THE ENIGMATIC TRAVELER and jamu94579 added this photo to their favorites.

12. 

    Orphan Baby (13 months ago | reply)

    Import Auto had two owners during its first 23-years: First, the team of Dick and Elise Scatchard, and later Frank Marshall. Richard W. “Dick” Scatchard grew up in Tacoma, Washington, and was stationed in Long Beach as a Naval architect in 1942. He was later employed there by the American Bureau of Shipping before he turned his attention to automobiles. On January 25, 1954, Scatchard and his wife, Elise, established Import Auto Service and Sales at 516 E. Anaheim, in Long Beach, for the sole purpose of servicing foreign cars. However, when Import Auto entered into agreement with Renault a short time later, the firm became California’s oldest Renault dealership. Scatchard added Peugeot to the lineup in 1958, and expanded the operation in 1959 when he opened his lot at 1460 Long Beach Blvd (shown here). At that time, he drafted Jerry Craven, from the Portland Renault dealership, to manage his new lot. Construction of the new Renault showroom (shown in the photo) soon followed. In 1963, Scatchard announced his intent to double the facilities with the addition of the Rootes Motors line of Sunbeams, Hillmans and Humbers. Johnny Johnson was service manager and Frank Marshall had taken over the sales manager position. Locations were also opened in Lakewood and Bellflower. By 1968, Marshall had acquired Import Auto, leaving Scatchard to pursue yachting and other pastimes. Unlike Scatchard, Frank Marshall was not a West Coaster by birth. He was born in the New York theatre district to opera soloist mother and a producer father. The family relocated to Long Beach when Frank was a child. In 1942, Frank Marshall joined the Air Force, entered the world of finance upon his discharge, switched to auto sales in 1950 and focused on imported cars in 1958. Ten years later, as the new owner of Import Auto, he was elected president of the Motor Car Dealers Association, served on the board of directors of the Salvation Army and was vice president-director of Downtown Long Beach Associates. He also was an accomplished chef. When the local newspaper asked him to submit a recipe for publication, he initially provided “Poule a la Renault” (translation: chicken hit by a French car). It took more than a good sense of humor to keep the operation going. By 1972, Renault sales were on the decline, so Import Auto added SAAB to its offerings. Things were looking up for a while and Marshall became National Chairman of the Peugeot Dealer Council in 1976. But he had hitched his wagon to falling stars. Sales of all of Import Auto’s brands rapidly declined as Japanese brand sales surged. Import Auto remained at 1460 Long Beach Blvd at least through August 1977. It may have lasted longer, and perhaps under another owner. But the premises was eventually renamed Long Beach Collision Center, followed by Amigo’s Transmission and Clutch, which also sells used cars. The original showroom is now painted red and yellow, and the entire property is surrounded by a tall iron fence. A square structure at the far north end of the used car lot now houses the Un Mundo de Amigos Preschool.

13. 

    retrocounty (13 months ago | reply)

    Glad to see the building is still standing. All the European import cars drove straight here after arriving at the boat docks

14. 

    tooSavvy (13 months ago | reply)

    

    There is an IMP parked [in shot] as Bullitt parks his Mustang, before buying TV Dinners.

    www.imcdb.org/vehicle_268021-Sunbeam-Imp-1963 .html

    tooSavvy

15. ★

    holloway steve added this photo to his favorites. (13 months ago)

16. 

    holloway steve (13 months ago | reply)

    gotta love an imp

17. ★

    Riley1300 and njsimca added this photo to their favorites.

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