Picturing the Past 163: Dixie Motors

Here's a look at Dixie Motors from October 1959 when they sold Studebakers on Madison Street.

If I'm not mistaken, the building these people are standing in front of was the service department and is still there, between Handy-Dandy Market and Domino's Pizza. The Domino's building was the sales office and the new and used cars were parked in the lot in front of the service building.

Seems like I remember some sort of a garden-like area with small shrubs near the sales office where a new Studebaker was always showcased.

This photo hangs on the wall in 91-year-old car salesman Tren Payne's office at Pirtle & Howerton Automotive; I've got a feature story on him coming later this week in the T-G.

Tren remembered that David Enochs ran Dixie Motors for years and also, at one point in the 1950s, sold Mercedes in Shelbyville. I've read that Studebaker had a marketing agreement for Mercedes in the U.S. at one point. Seems like someone told me once that Enochs also had a BMW franchise at one point and the dealership may have been on Depot Street.

Dixie Motors later became one of the nation's earlier Nissan (known as Datsun in those days) dealers after Studebaker faded away in the mid-1960s.

Speaking of old cars, the Antique Automobile Club of America and Celebration City Car Club are holding the Grand National/Southeastern Special Fall Dual Meets from Thursday through Saturday at the Celebration Grounds. (Fall? Yes. A meet normally held in the fall is being held in June this year.)

These feature some of the best showroom-quality old cars you'll ever see, competing for top national honors. Model T rides will be available. Well worth the visit.

Picturing the Past is featured each Tuesday in this blog. Reader contributions are welcome.