Car Dealers, Garages, Petrol Stations

Similar shot and era to a previous one I posted but a slightly different view of Coventry Garage - probably not long before it was bulldozed -

With the threat of fuel rationing being introduced during the fuel crisis, from November 1973, motorists were issued with ration books. These two were issued to my dad:

I remember those. I had three of them: one for my car, a Vauxhall Viva FXE 610C; one for my bike, A Norton 350cc ABW 374A, and one for a Raleigh Roma scooter, 80cc BRW 24. In the end they were never used, so went into the bin.

We had 2 cars, an Austin Cambridge, which had failed its MOT at the Godiva Garage (but kept for a few months parked-up), this was replaced by a P6 Rover:

On the face of it, this MOT failure was not catastrophic with shock absorbers and kingpins both relatively simple bolt-on jobs. However a 10 year old Austin Cambridge would not have been worth much back in 1973 and possibly the dreaded rust would have been a limiting factor for the car's longevity. Godiva Garage always had a fair reputation so their judgement would have been sound. Maybe their advice was to not spend any more money on what was seen then as a car near to the end of its life (my current car is 11 years old this year). In the 90's my son did his work experience at Godiva Garage and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also recall that the father and son were involved in banger racing with the Coventry Avengers team. Like so many other former garages, the Godiva Garage site is now occupied by a block of flats.

I do recall the old fuel ration books of 1973. You probably know this, if not, you might be interested to know, I had to have a nosey to see if the Norton was still around (I have a soft spot for old Brit cars and bikes), and it seems the reg is associated with a blue Norton 350cc.

Yes, it was a blue Navigator, a 350cc twin with separate cylinder heads, like the Jubilee, which was the same bike but 250cc. It had the old Amal Monobloc carb, which I changed to a Concentric, which gave it a crisper throttle response. Apparently, BW reg was originally from Oxfordshire.

Chatting to a nearby neighbour about former local garages in Coventry, after discussing the old petrol pumps once owned and operated by Charles Hudson on Tile Hill Lane on the corner with Ash Priors Close. BTW, I confirmed Charles Hudson after reading through this thread. See P13-15 for posts 209-215 inc. Another was Corts on Beech Tree Avenue, now Raymond J Smith Automobiles. Incidentally Corts also sold 'National Benzole' Petrol on the forecourt. QUESTION Does anyone recall the garage Bedford Street, Earlsdon, which I think was originally Princes Motors, where later Ron Callender moved into the premises? If I recall correct, Ron Callender, moved from Arden Street, Earlsdon, where his garage was close to the end with Earlsdon Street (at the rear of what is currently Park Lane Blinds), before moving to Bedford Street which provided very much improved workshop facilities. Ron, and his sons, specialised in repairing what was called BMC transverse front cars (for those not familiar with the term, the engine and transmission combined and fit across the front of the engine bay, driving the front wheels, not inline as a conventional configuration), Austin Mini, 1100/1300, 1800/2200 (Land Crab), and not forgetting the Austin Maxi. Where I presume the former garage workshop premises were, is now residential properties called Bedford Mews.

If I remember right the garage in Arden Street sold rotary engine cars, NSU?

You might be right. My memory has faded over the years. I do remember Ron Callendar moving from a small garage to somewhere around the Butts area of Earlsdon. I always thought that the former Spon End dealer, Cowies, which sold predominantly German brands Mercedes, Audi, VW and the Audi-NSU cars. Again, my memory has faded over the years, and I'm happy to be corrected. When Cowies lost the Mercedes franchise, FIAT cars were sold (FIAT cars were later sold by Spot Garages Radford), but I'm not sure on the years, but a guess would suggest circa 1977. I do remember the Laverda motorbikes, which I drooled over, that used to be sold by Cowies. That was circa 1975-1978.

I thought that was the garage on the corner of Green Lane & Kenpas Highway. They had a big underground tank leak ?

Correct. I used the Green Lane garage for many years, first on two wheels, then later in my first car, a battered up rust bucket, a 1965 Viva HA reg FXE610C. The garage eventually closed because of the underground fuel leak, I was told by our former next-door neighbours, who had recently moved just over the road in Green Lane. I believe the ground has to be left for years for the contamination to disperse. Eventually they built flats there. The first time I went there for fuel, aged 16, was on my BSA Bantam. A gallon would last me two weeks. Always an impatient young man, I pulled up and had to wait. There was a big Jaguar (pronounced Jagg Warr by the Americans - well they can't pronounce things properly - same in this country in the north-east, where police is pronounced polliss... LOL). An old bloke in a suit, with short back and sides and spectacles, was filling up his tank. He was there for ages. I'm muttering "hurry up, I ain't got all day". He must have put 15 gallons of petrol in his tank. Then he eventually closed the chromed filler cap. I thought good, he's finished. But no: Petrol holster in hand, he walked round to the other side of the boot, where there was another filler cap. Then he proceeded to put about 15 gallons into that tank. Unbelievable. Apparently, some Jags had two tanks! I eventually gassed up my motor bike, but by the time I did, the price of petrol had gone up.

Can anyone remember when petrol stations became self service?

1972 Telephone directory. Callender & Smith: Earlsdon Garage, 87 Arden Street:

There is still a working garage at the same location as Earlsdon Garage in Arden Street. Now known as CPS - Craig is a one man operation. I use him. TBH it still looks like 1970 in the back of the old workshops!