I am new to your forum and two years ago I bought a 79 Firebird from Davidt's in Edmonton (#717 on website) and imported to the UK where I live.
I believe the car was supplied by Adams Motors, Highway Street, Wetaskiwin - dealer code 82-307. This is the "charged to" information on the build sheet (ship to info is blank).
I was wondering whether anyone our there has any information about Adams Motors, now Adamsgm but at another location. Toyota City now occupies the original Adams Motors site.
My car was built last week October/early November 1978 at Van Nuys so probably arrived at Adams sometime in December of that year.
Any information would be appreciated.
I am still finding my way around your site so hope to add some details about my car soon.
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I'm quite familiar with Adams Motors as I grew up in the Wetaskiwin area through the 60s. Owners name was Nick Adams and I'm guessing he owned it from around the mid 60s and thinking he sold sometime in the 80s. Name stayed with it though. Just about think an NHL player named Grant Fuhr bought it from him. Many of us Canadians know him as he was one of the goalies of the Edmonton Oilers during their 5 Stanley Cup championships. Wetaskiwin is less than an hour south of Edmonton. Will try get you a little more info as a good friend of mine is good friend's of his family.
I hadn't heard of Adams Motors, but am familiar with Wetaskiwin Motors who was the other GM dealership in Wetaskiwin. We knew the family that owned it. (Originally owned by Bob Colborne, he sold the business to his brother Hank, but kept ownership of the building)
I hadn't heard of Adams Motors, but am familiar with Wetaskiwin Motors who was the other GM dealership in Wetaskiwin. We knew the family that owned it. (Originally owned by Bob Colborne, he sold the business to his brother Hank, but kept ownership of the building)
You're right as Wetaskiwin Motors was the GM dealer with the Colbornes and Adams had the Chevy brand. Wetaskiwin Motors got squeezed out when GM did their down size 10-12 years ago. For many years they had the auto mile and advertised heavily that "cars cost less in Wetaskiwin ". It worked well as we had a population of 6000 people but had 2 Ford Dealerships, a GM and a Chev, a Toyota, and a large Dodge dealer. They all seemed to make a good living as many people from Edmonton bought all their vehicles there including fleets.
They still run those ads, and they still have the auto mile there. It's pretty crazy to see two competing Ford dealerships within 6 blocks of each other.
As for David T's, I drive by that place quite often. Must be better than two thousand F body's there, maybe more.
I appreciate your responses to my post. I should have said that I had contacted Adamsgm and the sales manager told me that his family took over the business in 1988 and then they later relocated to their current site.
I was hoping to try to track down a picture from the late 1970's showing when Adams was the Pontiac/Chevy dealer. I have even been in contact with the Heritage Centre in Wetaskiwin but as yet have not heard anything.
I also asked Adamsgm if they had any records going back to the late 70's but alas not, as would have liked to try and find out more about actual history of my car.
Did you contact GM Vintage Vehicle Service? They can provide you with production date, shipping date, selling dealer (which you know), options and production number etc
So were Adams Motors the Chevrolet dealer in Wetaskiwin in the 70's then?
If so then would anyone know why my car was "charged", I assume ordered and delivered to them?
Welcome. Lived all my life in Alberta so I know some places to look for this kind of stuff. Adams Motors sold Pontiacs...
First off, here's a picture of Adams Motors from 1985, from the Provincial Archives of Alberta - not bad result for a total of 10 minutes of searching. Cut and paste the link: hermis.alberta.ca/paa/PhotoGalleryDetails.aspx%2fpaa%2fSearch.aspx%3fst%3dadams%2bmotors&dv=True&DeptID=1&ObjectID=A13566 Slightly more useless is this 2010 picture with the dealership sign www.pbase.com/poundstone/image/121261317
The part you likely didn't know is that automotive culture had a big influence on Wetaskiwin over the years mainly through one guy - Stan Reynolds. He was a collector of vehicles and farm equipment, and other "stuff" so there is a a world class museum named after him and his (donated) collection, along with lots of antiques shops in the town. Here are some potential resources for you to contact for pictures or help:
Well a little follow up as I met up with my friends today and asked about Mr. Adams. He is healthy and well in his mid 80s and they will be seeing him in 3 weeks down in Arizona. He also has a place in Hawaii so gets away for the winter. He is the kind of guy you like to see who has done well as he has helped scores of people with very generous donations. They are going to try send me some pictures of his garage from the early years in the next month or so when they get together with him.
It is very kind of both you and your friends to make enquiries with Mr Adams.
Any information and pictures would be much appreciated.
If Mr Adams wishes to see what has happened to one of the cars he sold 40 years earlier, he can see a photograph of it in the "Newbies" section on the forum (Newbie from UK).
Again many thanks.
The archivist at "City of Wetaskiwin" has also done some research on my behalf and she is suggesting that Adams Motors also sold AMC cars from the same location in the late 1970's, although there is no mention of them selling Chevrolets and Pontiacs at this time.
They also say that in the sixties they sold VW, Honda and Ramblers.
I think he actually started out selling tractors and equipment but didn't pay much attention to when he started selling the various brands of vehicles. My dad bought a couple used vehicles from him.
That would fit with what the information that Mr Adams purchased the New Holland Versatile Farm Equipment dealership on HWY 2A.
There is also reference to an Indian Head sign that was bought from Stan Reynolds.
Your dad didn't buy a 79 Sierra Copper Firebird from him did he!?
That would fit with what the information that Mr Adams purchased the New Holland Versatile Farm Equipment dealership on HWY 2A. There is also reference to an Indian Head sign that was bought from Stan Reynolds.
Your dad didn't buy a 79 Sierra Copper Firebird from him did he!?
No, he couldn't haul any hay bales or any pigs in that Firebird! Pretty sure Mr. Adams first business burned down and when he got his insurance settlement the farm equipment dealership owner approached him to sell. Mr. Adams bought that and from that point on he was a very busy man and did very well.
I have this one at the back of my garage. Guessing from around the 80s as the dealers used them for advertising as Alberta just required a rear plate. Pretty sure Adams Motors was running them at the same time.
I was pretty sure that Wetaskiwin Motors was Chevrolet / Oldsmobile. My sister bought her Camaro Ralley Sport there in about 1976. She got a deal as we lived beside the Colborne's in Calgary in the early 70's. That would leave Adams as the Pontiac / Buick dealership.
That 64 SD disc has a lot of road rash but the spinner looks decent.
I have a few of them that I want to play with when I fully retire. Actually picked up a couple pretty much NOS ones in the last year. One I paid dearly for but the other one was a fair price from the Abbotsford swap meet.
