Collier Motors

Collier Motors
Private
Industry Car dealership
Founded 1955
Founder Robert Collier
Headquarters Pikeville, North Carolina
Products General automotive repair and parts
Vehicle inventory in the front lot
The dealership as of February 2011
The front lot as of January 2012
Rambler vehicles, surrounded by overgrown vegetation

Collier Motors was an American Motors (AMC) franchised dealership located on business U.S. Route 117 in Pikeville, North Carolina.[1]

Background

Robert Collier established Collier Motors in 1955 as a single entrepreneur while in his 20s.[2] His father was also in the automobile business and continued working until he was in his 80s.[2] Collier transitioned from marketing Chevrolets to selling cars made by American Motors Corporation (AMC).[3] The longstanding relationship with AMC continued until the automaker was partially purchased by Renault in 1979.[4]

After AMC started importing Renaults, Collier decided he preferred to sell only domestic-designed and built AMC cars.[2] Rather than selling new Renault-derived passenger cars, such as the Alliance, Collier continued to sell the pre-Renault stock he already had on the lot and focus on older AMC cars and Jeep vehicles. American Motors was bought by Chrysler in 1987.[5]

The 5-acre (2.0 ha) property is on the west side of old U.S. Route 117. By 2010, the business was described as having "vehicles and parts slowly returning to the soil."[6] Collier died on February 11, 2018, at the age of 88.[3]

Business

Collier Motors sits frozen in time.[7] Although the lot is overgrown with trees and weeds, Collier continues to sell whole cars and parts, although many of them are in poor shape as they have been sitting on the lot since the early 1980s.[8] They include 1970s and 1980s-model AMCs, such as Gremlins, Pacers, Matadors, Javelins, Eagles, and Concords. Some still retain their original window stickers.[9] Everything is for sale, but an appointment is needed.

Historic vehicles

The AMC vehicles that were personally owned by Robert Collier include unique historic examples,[4] including Barry Goldwater's "flashy" black two-seat AMX muscle car with a "tricked-out dash",[10] two Alabama Highway Patrol Javelins, and a Nash from the 1991 movie The Marrying Man.[4]

Television

In 2015, Collier Motors was featured on two History Channel shows: American Pickers (episode "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" originally aired May 13, 2015).[11] and Lost in Transmission (episode "Fly Like an Eagle" originally aired June 4, 2015).

References

  1. ↑ "Company Profile: Collier Motors AMC". Manta Media. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Jones, Wigwam (2005). "Loyal To The End". Archived from the original on 5 June 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Obituaries: Bobby Collier". www.newsargus.com. Goldsboro News-Argus. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 gremlinx.com. "Collier Motors: The Last 'Surviving?' AMC Dealership". Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Holusha, John (10 March 1987). "Chrysler is buying American Motors; cost is $1.5 billion". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Hyde, Justin (15 September 2010). "America's Abandoned Auto Dealerships". Jalopnik. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Cranswick, Marc (2012). The Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History. McFarland. p. 318. ISBN 978-0-7864-4672-8. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Last Remaining AMC Dealership". AMC Hornet com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Truesdell, Rich (4 April 2009). "An AMC Weekend in North Carolina". Automotive Traveler. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Lemons, Stephen (19 October 2006). "Goldwater Uncut". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "American Pickers Episode #157: "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall"". The History Channel. May 13, 2015.

Further reading

  • Cotter, Tom; Martin, Keith (2010). "The good, the bad, and the lucky: Pikeville Purgatory". The Corvette in the Barn: More Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology. MBI Publishing. pp. 239–234. ISBN 978-0-7603-3797-4. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  • Jancer, Matthew (April 2012). "Collier AMC Dealership - The Living Dead". Hot Rod Magazine. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  • "Pikeville dealership sells cars of the past" (video). WRAL-TV. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 21 August 2014. Collier Motors in the Wayne County town of Pikeville sells cars made by the now-defunct American Motors Corporation, a small car company that made a big impact. Gremlins, Pacers, Matadors, Rebels -- all AMCs, all classic American icons.
  • "Collier Motors". www.bangshift.com. August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  • "Lost Dealerships of The Southeast US". route66rambler.com. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  • Strohl, Daniel (8 May 2008). "Still more old AMC dealerships spotted in North Carolina". Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  • "Today's trip to Collier Motors AMC". amccars.net. June–July 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
American Motors Corporation (AMC) road car timeline, United States market, 1954–1987 Eagle »
Type 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s
456789 0123456789 0123456789 01234567
Subcompact car Metropolitan LeCar Encore
Gremlin Spirit
Compact car Rambler Rambler American Hornet Concord
Jet Pacer Alliance
Mid-size car Six & V8 Six Classic Rebel Matador 18i/Sportwagon Medallion
Rebel Marlin Matador Coupe
Full-size car Nash Ambassador Ambassador
Hudson Hornet
Hudson Wasp
Sports car/Roadster N-H AMX AMX Fuego GTA
Italia Javelin
Crossover utility v. Eagle
SUV see early timeline of Jeep models see late timeline of Jeep models
Military vehicles Mighty Mite AM General
Vehicles sold under Renault marque in gold background

Coordinates: 35°29′23″N 77°58′57″W / 35.48972°N 77.98250°W / 35.48972; -77.98250

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