Today we have a pair of photos that are courtesy of Joe Sonderman, who has authored many books about the famed Route 66 Highway. We will be posting photos from his collection, that show us the automotive and human interest side of the American road. To start out and get some great background information on Route 66, check out the very well-done National Park Service site. It has an interactive map that will show you many interesting spots along the famed route.
The postcard (above) shows us the Cucamonga Garage, which appears to have been a a going, full-service concern operating during the mid-thirties. Note the neat, light-colored-shop-converted-tow-car equipped with a wrecker boom and a spare tire cover with Richfield Oil Co. signage on it. Just behind it, is seen a sport coupe, that has been converted into pickup by removing the deck lid and inserting a wooden bed.
* Update * Thanks to Reader Kevin Preston’s research we now know that there was also a gas station in front of the garage and it has has survived. The garage itself has collapsed and the front part of it has been torn down and removed. Visit The Good Life with Dutch Preston to see both Google satellite views and photos taken by Preston yesterday, where you can see the gas station and property which is for sale.
The photo of the Biddulph & Dunton Motors Ford-Mercury (above), which was located in Kingman, AZ, shows two racing cars that the dealership sponsored, one of which was the tow-car. The post-war number eighteen Ford Coupe, is towing a 1933-34 Ford five-window coupe on a hand-built trailer. Note the single chain holding the rear of the car to the trailer and the vertical racing tire rack on the tongue of the trailer.
To learn and see much more about this famed American highway, take a moment to check out Sonderman’s books which are filled with historic photos of this storied and legendary road.
Check THIS OUT! While the garage is no longer there, the service station that was built in front of it still exists–at least for the moment.
http://www.route66ca.us/
and
http://www.route66world.com/tag/rancho-cucamonga/
More information—for fun, Google Map Foothill and Archibald. Slightly west of the northwest corner you will see the station AND the ruins of the garage pictured above as “Cucamonga Garage”. You can’t miss it. If you go to street view, which was shot sometime later than the area view, you can see that the old garage has crumbled due to what appears to be weather damage. I am tempted to go over there today, it is only about 20 mins from my house.
Kevin, Thanks for all the great infomation
Friends, just shot over there in the ’89 Merc! Sad to say, the back garage–the one pictured above, is gone completely. There are some interesting clues about the building…it appears to have at least been partially constructed with 4×4 supports sunk directly into the concrete. It was not a massive building, it sat back a few yards from the service station. My guess is that the roof caved in from rain, and the building had to be torn down.
The service station station is there and complete. You can walk right up to it. There are remnants of gas station pump foundations too. It is such a cool little building. Not sure when it was built, or if it was always a companion to the garage as pictured.
Kevin, Again thanks for all of the leg work to check this out.
Posted for, L Wayne Ausbrooks Yes, this building still stands not far from where I live. There was a small battle with the owners of the property (a billboard advertising company) when the city decided to declare the site an historic landmark a few years ago. As a result, the owners were allowed to erect large digital billboards that stand out as oddities along old Route 66., the newer McDonalds across the street was designed and constructed using architectural elements taken from the old service station/garage.
Too cool, glad what’s left has survived and it somewhat protected.
Now to bring it back to it’s former glory!