Individual picture of employees at Ballou & Wright. Ballou & Wright always had one of the best selections of automotive parts. They had been in Tacoma for over fifteen years. View of unidentified employees from Ballou & Wright standing behind an Allen battery charger.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Employees--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Ballou & Wright Wholesale Auto Parts (Tacoma);

Rehn Motor Company. Exterior of the chevrolet dealership in Gig Harbor.

Automobile dealerships--Gig Harbor--1940-1950; Rehn Motor Co. (Gig Harbor);

Interior of a Lincoln-Mercury dealership service area for Standard Oil. A portion of an automobile can be seen on the far right. Motor oil in large containers stand along the wall on the right. A hoist and lubricating cannisters can be seen towards the left.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile repair--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Ray Ridge Motors for Robert Sconce Advetising. During the open house over 8,000 visitors crowded the showroom. Five new Mercurys were displayed. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers drom around the state welcomed Ray Ridge, the newly named Mercury and Lincoln dealer for Tacoma and Pierce County. Mr. Ridge is standing on the far left. (T.Times, 7/18/1946, p.7 & 7/23/1946, p.14)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Showrooms; Ridge, Ray;

Munson - Smith Motor Company, Dodge and Plymouth dealers, interior view of staff, seven men and two women, gathered around a 1946 Dodge. One man in US Army Major or Lt. Colonel's uniform. Glassed in offices in background.

Business Enterprises - Tacoma - Automobile Dealers - New Automobile Dealers - Dodge / Plymouth Dealers - Munson - Smith Motor Company

Titus Motor Company started engine rebuilding during World War II, in order to maintain and improve essential transportation needed during the war. The first month of production they rebuilt 20 engines and designated three mechanics to work full-time on engine rebuilding. Interior view of Titus Manufacturing Company's engine rebuilding shop, men working on Ford "flathead" V-8 engines; tools, parts and supplies in factory area.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Engines; Mechanics (Persons)--Tacoma; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

In 1943 Titus Motor Company was designated as an authorized engine rebuilding plant by Ford Motor Company, they would serve the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Interior view of Titus Manufacturing Company's engine rebuilding shop, men working on Ford "flathead" V-8 engines; tools, parts and supplies in factory area.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Engines; Mechanics (Persons)--Tacoma; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

Leon E. Titus is a pioneer car dealer in Washington, starting in Centralia in 1912, and taking over the Tacoma dealership in 1937. Exterior view of Titus Manufacturing Company, view into engine rebuilding shop, many rebuilt Ford "flathead" V-8 engines, tools, parts and supplies in factory area. This shop occupied the upper ( Court C ) level of the Titus Motor Company building on Broadway.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Engines; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma);

Leon E. Titus was the President and General Manager of Tacoma's Titus Motor Company. This dealership offered delivery of Ford authorized auto parts to their customers, which included individual owners, garages and other Ford dealers. Interior view of Vanette delivery truck showing cabinets and shelves for parts, "Ford" pistons, oil pans and spark plugs are among some of the parts in truck.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Vanette delivery truck from Titus Motor Company's parts delivery department. View of truck from cab looking to rear, cabinets and shelves for parts, overhead panel holding gaskets in lowered position, similar panel in closed position at top in photo. Ford authorized shock absorber fluid, chrome cleaner, cleaner and polish and top dressing in black are in containers located in right, forefront compartments.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies; Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Holroyd Company manufactured concrete blocks, bricks, and other types of building materials. Holroyd quality products could be found in homes and businesses throughout Tacoma. Exterior view of Shell Gas Station, gas pumps, "Shellubrication" signs, tire and auto accessories in window; building has a concrete foundation, photo ordered by Holroyd Company. TPL-10060

Automobile equipment & supplies; Automobile service stations--Tacoma; Signs (Notices); Concrete--Tacoma; Foundations--Tacoma; Reinforced concrete construction--Tacoma; Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Holroyd Co. (Tacoma);

Showroom at City Motor Company, Oldsmobile, Anson Hart. A large, artificial cake with artificial candles stands next to the drapery covered frame announcing the "Futuramic" Oldsmobile. The "Futuramic" series of "98" Oldsmobiles was the top of the line for Oldsmobile. The "Dynamic" was for medium price buyers. General Motors' hydra-matic drive, providing automatic shifting in all forward speeds, hydraulic controls for raising and lowering the windows and adjusting the position of the front seat were optional equipment throughout the Oldsmobile line. (T.Times, 2/16/1948, p.8 and TNT, 2/15/1948, p.A-7) TPL-3555

City Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Showrooms--Tacoma--1940-1950; Merchandise displays--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Showing of 1949 Lincolns, Robert Sconce Advertising Agency. A crowd has come out at night to admire the new 1949 Lincolns and Mercurys at Ray Ridge Motors. Lincoln and Mercury were the first to have their new models for 1949 available for the public as early as April of 1948. Neon signs attached to the building facade are bright against the dark evening. TPL-1516

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Ray Ridge Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Electric signs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Mercury automobile; Lincoln automobile;

Interior view of Irwin-Jones Motor Company, Dodge and Plymouth dealers, service department showing equipment installed by Equipment Supply Company, automobile supplies manufacturers and distributors. "Approved lubrication" sign is beneath the Irwin-Jones sign. Auto hoist, enameled cabinets, sign with Plymouth and Dodge crests, Quaker State Motor Oil clock.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Irwin-Jones Motor Co. (Tacoma); Equipment Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Interior view of Mallon Motors Ford Sales and Service shop, service area shows equipment installed by Equipment Supply Company, automobile supplies manufacturers and distributors. Firestone Tires sign on right wall, above Quaker State motor oil signs and car lifts in center. Photo ordered by Equipment Supply Company.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Mallon Motors, Inc. (Tacoma); Equipment Supply Co. (Tacoma);

Mallon Motor Company, interior of service area showing equipment installed by Equipment Sales Corporation. Lift racks, motor oil tanks, overhead hoses, etc. Two workmen servicing a Ford sedan.

Business Enterprises - Tacoma - Automobile Dealers - New Automobile Dealers - Ford Dealers - Mallon Motor Company

Standard Oil Co. started doing business in Western Washington in 1886. They were shipping oil from Cleveland, Ohio to Tacoma in box and tank railroad cars. They have consistently grown and expanded and have new offices in the Tacoma Tideflats area. View of new Standard Oil service station located at 9212 South Tacoma Way. It was purchased by Gene L. Myers in 1961 and is still owned by him in 2003. The business is now Gene's Towing.

Automobile service stations--Lakewood; Garages--Lakewood; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Lakewood; Standard Oil Co. of California (Lakewood);

In June of 1947 George Cramer (first man from rt), a logger from Morton, WA, won a brand new 1947 1/2 Frazer Manhattan Sedan after his name was entered into a drawing by his brother. The car was the top prize awarded at the Izaak Walton League picnic held at Point Defiance on June 15th. Standing next to Mr. Cramer is his thrilled wife. Members of the Tacoma Chapter of the Izaak Walton League stand at the back as well as handing over the car to the Cramers are: (l to r) Woody Wilson; Harry Smith; Walter Witte, league secretary; Orville Winston; Dean Sheeler; Erling Bergerson, league president; and Barbara Walentiny, daughter of a Walton member. They are all standing in front of the Wilson Motor Company dealership at 6233 South Tacoma Way. (T.Times, 6/21/1947, p.3)

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Wilson Motor Co. (Tacoma); Kaiser automobile; Wilson, Woody; Smith, Harry; Witte, Walter; Winston, Orville; Wheeler, Dean; Cramer, George; Bergerson, Erling; Walentiny, Barb; Izaak Walton League (Tacoma);

Standard Oil Company. A view of Clarkson's Chevron Station at night. An automobile is seen in the service area on a hoist. The station advertises Atlas Batteries, Chevron Supreme Gasoline, and lubrication and washing services. A large Coca-Cola cooler sits outside the garage doors. It was apparently the first Chevron station built in Washington State after WWII. The station eventually closed after the I-5 freeway was completed; it was reopened in 1961 as Gene's Richfield Service. The station stopped serving gas in 1987 and is now the main office of Gene's Towing. For view of building under construction, see D27166-5. TPL-2021

Automobiles--Lakewood--1940-1950; Automobile service stations--Lakewood--1940-1950; Clarkson's Chevron Station (Lakewood); Standard Oil Co. of California (Lakewood);

Old time truck for contest, South Tacoma Motors, Ted Hoakinson. Three men stand with an old time truck in front of South Tacoma Motors. The older gentlemen in the middle, probably the owner, tells the other two men, wearing white lab coats, about two parts which may be brake shoes.

South Tacoma Motor Co. (Tacoma); Trucks--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Chevrolet trucks;

New equipment at Titus Motor, Jim Will. The multiple boring bar pictured here rebores four cylinders at a time. This machine holds the engine block in such a way that it is rebored in exactly the same alignment as at the factory. After reboring, each cylinder is honed to a mirror finish. James W. Will was vice-president of the Titus Manufacturing Company at this time.

Automobile equipment & supplies; Titus Manufacturing Co. (Tacoma); Gasoline engines; Drilling & boring machinery; Drilling--Tacoma--1940-1950; Workshops--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Titus Motor Company was an official Ford automobile dealership, most commercial and personal Ford automobiles in the Tacoma area came from Titus Motor. They offered their customers complete automobile maintenance and servicing, and were the authorized dealers for "Champion" car products. View of window display featuring "Champion" oil filters and spark plugs at Titus Motor.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Vehicle maintenance & repair--Tacoma; Window displays; Merchandise displays--Tacoma; Titus Motor Co. (Tacoma);

Sanford Nash Company's annual Christmas party was a wonderful success, well attended by the company staff and their families. View of adults and children looking on, Santa was distributing Christmas gifts to the children and company employees. Advertising materials on walls, Nash accessories on display, Christmas decorations and neon signs in windows.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma; Automobile equipment & supplies stores--Tacoma; Christmas trees--Tacoma; Parties--Tacoma; Families--Tacoma; Sanford-Nash, Inc. (Tacoma)--Employees;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Percy Dunlop, a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards, visited the Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Here he is checking the curing system of one of the large molds, a Lodi Recap Mold. L-R, Mr. Poston of Wilson Brothers Logging Company, Rudy Searle, shop foreman, Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10), (See D19520-2 for an exterior view of building)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Searle, Rudy; Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Percy Dunlop, a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards, and Lloyd Suiter test a tread cure on a recapped tire. The tags on the tire are attached to thermocuple wires, testing tread cuts from one to six ply depths. L-R, Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Lloyd Suiter Tire Company. Lloyd Suiter and Percy Dunlop show the findings of their test on a cross-section cut of a recapped tire. Mr. Dunlop is a representative of the National Institute of Treading Standards from Washington, D.C. (T.Times, 6/6/1945, p.10)

Tires; Lloyd Suiter Tire Co. (Tacoma); Suiter, Lloyd; Dunlop, Percy;

Rudolph L. (Bud) Abraham's Standard Oil service station in September of 1945. The station was built in 1927 for the Delin Tire Co. It was remodeled in 1934 to be a Standard Oil service station. In the photograph, it is shown next to the Home Electric Co. at 1316 A St.

Abraham's Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Rudolph L. (Bud) Abraham's Standard Oil service station in September of 1945. The station was built in 1927 for the Delin Tire Co. It was remodeled in 1934 to be a Standard Oil service station.

Abraham's Service Station (Tacoma); Automobile service stations--Tacoma--1940-1950;

A salesman assists two soldiers who are buying a Pontiac from the dealer's large, used car inventory. Tacoma Auto Sales Co. has two locations, on Broadway and South Tacoma Way. They are ready to capture the used and new car market as automobile manufactures gear-up for new models after stopping production during the war. In an ad placed in the Tacoma News Tribune, the dealer asks that "patriotic and grateful citizens--two-car families--trade one car NOW on a new Pontiac or Cadillac, so a returned soldier will be assured of good transportation." (TNT, 9/2/1945, p. A9, ad).

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Auto Sales Co. (Tacoma); Pontiac automobile; Soldiers--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Economic & industrial aspects--Tacoma;

This small Standard Oil gas station is little more than a kiosk and appears to be located in a parking lot. The location of the station is unknown but two slender smokestacks can be seen in the background.

Automobile service stations--Pierce county--1940-1950;