Anyone know what became of Kleinman-Cole Ford in Oakland California? Believe they built dealer performance cars and faded into obscurity in early 1970's. Would be interested in finding a Dealer License plate frame and any info about the cars they built. A Google & HAMB search has a few references, but no real info. Thanks.
The partners in the Dealership had a falling out after Ford pulled out of racing in around '68-----Cole bought a dealership in Sebastopol ca---I worked for Cole on the race team from '64-'66 till drafted and then from 69 to 86 when he retired, all the cars were sold off---the C/FX Galaxie was sold so they could get back from Tulsa after Ford refused to pay the bills--the Quarter Horse went to someone in San Diego, and was last seen in Phoenix in a muscle car collection, Cole went down to see it
Si Kleinman opened up Capitol Ford in San Jose in maybe 1968 or so. Ford Dealer Development put in Al Ligons into the Oakland dealership succeeding Kleinman and Cole, which also financed them in their new locations. It was a time when Ford was trying to make some type of outreach to the black community because of the civil rights movement - Al was black. Ligons was left little to build upon. Kleinman wound up making a mint in San Jose. I don't think that Rod Cole did that well in Sebastapol either. Ligons went out of business within a few years, I believe.
Anyone knows if among any of the cars that Cole sold in Arizona was a 1968 Shelby convertible color Candyapple red that Ford used for experimental purpose? Thanks!
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