Collier Motors

Collier Motors property from across US-117 Vehicle inventory in the front lot The dealership as of February 2011 Rambler vehicles, surrounded by overgrown vegetation

Collier Motors was an American Motors (AMC) dealership in Pikeville, North Carolina.^[1] Owner Robert Collier still sells AMC cars, parts and scrap parts that are kept at the original location of the business.^[2] AMC was bought by Chrysler in 1987.

Background

Robert Collier established Collier Motors in 1955 as a single entrepreneur while in his 20s.^[3] His father was also in the automobile business and continued working until he was in his 80s.^[3] The Collier family had a longstanding relationship with AMC from the 1950s until the company was partially purchased by Renault in 1979.^[4] After AMC started selling Renaults, Robert Collier decided to only sell the domestic designed and built AMC's.^[3]

Rather than move toward selling the Renault-derived vehicles that AMC increasingly concentrated on marketing during its last years in business, Collier continued to sell the pre-Renault stock already on the lot. A report in 2005 estimated that the dealership had about 275 old AMC's in various condition on their lot.^[5]

Business

Although the lot is overgrown with 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.^[6] They include 1970s and 1980-model AMCs, such as Gremlins, Pacers, Matadors, Javelins, Eagles, and Concords. Many retain their original window stickers.^[7]

Historic vehicles

The AMC vehicles that are personally owned by Robert Collier include unique historic examples.^[4] Among them are Barry Goldwater's "flashy" black two-seat AMX muscle car with a "tricked-out dash",^[8] two Alabama Highway Patrol Javelins, and a Nash from the 1991 movie The Marrying Man.^[4]

References

1. ^ "Company Profile: Collier Motors AMC". Manta Media. http://www.manta.com/c/mm4dfl7/collier-motors-amc. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
2. ^ Marr, Gary; Marr, Jesse (May-June 2006). "Why we weren't at Dale's house (or the winter meeting)". AMX-Clamation (American Motors Owners Association) 15 (3). 
3. ^ ^{a b c} Jones, Wigwam; posted by "Kelvinator" (25 September 2005). "Loyal To The End". Archived from the original on 31 July 2005. http://web.archive.org/web/20080331133335/http://www.growlery.com/wigwam/2005/07/loyal-to-end.html. 
4. ^ ^{a b c} gremlinx.com. "Collier Motors: The Last 'Surviving?' AMC Dealership". Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080527160919/http://www.gremlinx.com/AMC-Pikeville.htm. 
5. ^ Pilotte, Kevin (21 February 2005). "American Motors/Body parts". All Experts (About.com). http://en.allexperts.com/q/American-Motors-2560/Body-parts-1.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
6. ^ "The Last Remaining AMC Dealership". AMC Hornet com. http://www.amchornet.com/Departments/Archive/DealerInfo.asp. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
7. ^ Truesdell, Rich (4 April 2009). "An AMC Weekend in North Carolina". Automotive Traveler. http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=578&Itemid=131. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 
8. ^ Lemons, Stephen (19 October 2006). "Goldwater Uncut". Phoenix New Times. http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-10-19/news/goldwater-uncut/4/. Retrieved 6 February 2011. 

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 9780760337974. http://books.google.com/books?id=OYMbIZnaKJIC&pg=PA239&dq=Pikeville+Purgatory+Collier+Motors+AMC. 
• Strohl, Daniel (8 May 2008). "Still more old AMC dealerships spotted in North Carolina". Hemmings Motor News. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2008/05/05/still-more-old-amc-dealerships-spotted-in-north-carolina/. 

External links

• "Loyal To The End". AMCRC. http://www.amcrc.com/feature/march2007feature.html. 

Coordinates: 35°29′23″N 77°58′57″W / 35.48972°N 77.9825°W / 35.48972; -77.9825