Hot Rods My new,...Old Hot Rod Shop !!! 1937 Mobil Station

Hi all,.....

Well I can finally officially post about it because it's in my name now,... (thanks to big blessings,... Thank you Lord !)

Quick history, This old Mobil station was built in 1937 by a local man, at that time the road it's on was the only highway to get to northern Michigan. His son started working for him and the business was thriving,.. The little town was originally a stage coach stop in the 1800's and then a road house stop when the railroad went through.

In 1942 when duty called, the son went off to WWII and his Dad ran the station, after the war, the Dad turned the reins of the ol' Mobil station over to the son and again the business thrived, things were going on just fine with hunters and skiers traveling north during the winters and vacationers traveling north all summer long,..... Then in the late 50's the big news came that I-75 would be continuing all the way north,.... bypassing this little town,....

They tried to keep it going, but the loss of income to the town all but turned out the light on it, the Father and son seen the writing on the wall and closed the station, pulled the tanks and pumps and just used it for a general shop to work on there own projects from time to time.

In the 50's we were one of those vacationing families going "Up North" to Higgins lake,... it was like magic to travel through all those small towns, to see and smell all the spruce & pine,..... the fresh air and forests, you knew you were far away from Detroit,.... you were on vacation.

Fast forward,.... My wife and I moved our family up here 11 years ago,... and back then my curiosity was peaked to see what became of the old town,... it was just a couple miles away, and there it was, almost exactly the way I had last seen it when we had the streamline car top luggage rack on on the folks new red & white 1957 Ford custom 300.

I kept driving through the little town from time to time,... paying special attention to the old Station thinking to myself "that would make such a cooool shop !",..... then about 3 1/2 years ago I decided to do some detective work,..... as it worked out the widow of the son that had gone off to WWII had just decided it was time to let the old building go,.... we came up with a deal and wrote it up.

We ran across many logistical problems including property lines, incorrect recordings, a family feud that led to a law suit,... unknown tax liens, you name it we ran across it,... but I made it clear I was in for the long haul.
during this time they threw me the keys about 2 years ago and I have lightly been working in it,..... (they are truly good people)

Well I received a truly huge Blessing today when we finally went to the courthouse and filed all the documents, and that building I had seen all those many years ago, is in my name. it's been terribly hard to keep a lid on this for all this time (just in case something didn't work out) and you don't know how many times I wanted to share this with the HAMB family.

So there you go,... its a 3 bay curved front 30' X 75' piece of Automotive Americana !,..... and I am so happy , you couldn't wipe the smile off my face with a 2X4 !







Here is a picture of it in 1951,..... you can see the old pumps in the reflection on the glass.


Here it is the other day,... the Buick is kind of a big car,.. so you can get the scale of the place.



And the corner of the office,.....


I will post some more pictures as the renovation continues,.. if you guy's are interested. I'm not trying to brag,... just really excited about this.

 

Congrats, That is a beauty. Love the curved front.

 

Awesome great I would move in tomorrow. You gotta be grinnin. Looking forward to your seeing what renos you do.

 

That's not bragging.... That's just cool, VERY COOL!!! Keep us posted. Are you gonna put the old signs back on the building?

Kevin

 

Wow! Not only did you know Frank Mack, now you have this. Way to go!

 

You are living the dream man, so cool congrats.............

 

Sweet. I love the old gas stations.. that one has a cool look to it...Congrats!

 

That's really kewl man

 

Very cool place!!! Any plans of putting the signage back or pumps?
Clark

 

damn...i am jealous. i dig old gas stations.

 

That is so cool! Post up more pics as you can.

 

Man thats too cool . . . Congrats!

 

That ain't bragging...just fact.

 

Thanks guy's, If there is no legal ramifications, I would like to put the old signs up (which the one son has, the one that brought up the suit,... a really screwed up deal) but I think I'll pass on the pumps, I can use the space up front for guys to park,... besides there are no tanks in the ground and there's no reason to make the EPA nervous.

 

Very nice! I'm curious to hear about your plans for fixing it up. It'd be really neat to see it looking like it did in the vintage picture you have.

 

Awesome. Congrats

 

that would be cool to restore with all 1937 tools and gas pumps and old junk .

 

that`s great and you saved it . looks like a great place for a cruse night party

 

That is SO awesome!!! Congrats!!!

 

That's way bitchin man. Congrats on your place!

 

Wow...really neat! Great history there. Can't wait for your shop updates.

 

WOW...I'm jealous! Away's wanted a station or old fire house. Good luck with it!

 

Damn man, good for you! I see the decline of small towns first hand a lot around these parts, and many of these cool old buildings getting torn down. Glad you saved one!

 

Really cool, all the way around. CONGRATS

 

Very cool! Keep us posted when you "set it up".

 

Fantastic! Congratulations, and keep us posted with pics of what you do ti it please.

 

reminds me of the old Chevy dealership down the street from my Grandma's house. Same Blonde brick, and curved front. I've loved that place since I was five. Congratulations. Great Score!

 

Brag away....I envy you. Hot Rodarama.

 

Beautiful old building..really happy for you, and a bit jealous..The glass survived?? amazing, you didn't have to replace that did you?..maybe some sort of cool awning out front, well, I'm a Texan and its scorching hot here so we think like that...

 

great shop u have love the real bricks and ?? biuld hot rod,s?? fab part,s ?? and big bay doors , u are a lucky man