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 Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:21 PM |
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Swantons VW at Hurstville
This is a business card for Swantons that I've had lying around for years - can't even remember when I got it.
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:22 PM |
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Typical local paper ad from around 1960
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:25 PM |
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This one's a bit more impressive, from around the same era. If you look closely at the photo, you can see it's an oval-window Beetle that has been
retouched to have a larger rear window.
Also they mention they are in 'temporary' premises - what was that about?
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 17th, 2010 at 10:27 PM |
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This one is very interesting. It features two of Swantons' dealer people, Bill Baldwin and Norm Livett. But it also gives their home phone numbers -
and their home addresses ! Obviously so that the new Volkswagen owner can contact them about any matter, no matter how small, any time of the day or
night. Or pop in for a cup of tea. I'd like to see car dealers do that nowadays...
I guess the cartoon figure would be the owner, Dick Swanton (Swantiski I believe?)
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 vw54
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 07:13 AM |
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Laurie is a Club Vee Dub member and lives up at Port Stevens
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HappyDaze
A.k.a.: Greg Mackie
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 07:30 AM |
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Dick Szwantowski had the Square Deal garage on Forest Rd. I think he chose that name to annoy Ottens, who had the Four Square garage, almost opposite.
He changed his name to Swanton later. The Square Deal garage WAS where he started the VW bussiness, while setting up the Hudson St premises. Dick
Swanton was highly respected, and (I think) later became Mayor of Hurstville.
Bill Baldwin worked for John Owen Motors, Kirrawee when I worked there - he sold me my new Beetle in 1961, the car that I later raced. We all
(unkindly) called him 'Baldy Bill' - you probably wouldn't be 'allowed' to do that now. Bill was a 'good bloke'.
Cheers, Greg
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
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1303Steve
A.k.a.: Steve Carter
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 08:59 AM |
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Hi
Your correct Greg, Dick was the mayor of Hurstville for sometime, he was a fantastic person to work for. The cartoon looks just like him.
I often used to give him a lift home in my yellow bug, when the local highway patrol gave me a hard time and defected my car he went to see the RTA
and the head of the highway patrol to find out what all the fuss was about, I had 14x7 inch wheels and tinted windows, he always wanted me to park my
bug at the front of building.
Here is an article on about Dick http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/23/1071941734845.html?from=storyrhs
Steve
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 11:23 AM |
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Steve what a nice eulogy from Pedr Davis, a long-time motoring journalist. Dick Swanton sounded like an amazing guy; I'm sorry i never got to meet
him. It makes me gladder that I bought my first VW from him!
According to the White Pages, there are two G. Swantons, one living at Connells Point and the other at Beecroft. There is an M. Swanton at Burraneer.
Steve maybe we should send a copy of the next club magazine to them?
Greg it looks like Bill Baldwin's place at Cronulla hasn't changed much since the days when he used to live there...
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1303Steve
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 11:50 AM |
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Hi Phil
Gary works at Sandersons Mercedes at Rushcutters Bay (google is your friend)
Pedr Davis owned the motoring bookshop at Blakehurst near where Dick lived.
Steve
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 02:23 PM |
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Hi Steve,
Yes I knew Pedr Davis' shop (Marque Publishing) on King Georges Rd very well. I went there and spoke to him a number of times when I was doing the
dave Long book. He let me photocopy his VW press release files. I think it's a ballet shop or something now. Last I heard Marque Publishing moved up
Gosford way somewhere; I guess Pedr is retired. Pedr's son Tony is the motoring editor of the SMH Drive now, and his column is on Fridays.
Hmm looks like Gary Swanton might not be into VWs if he works at Sandersons Mercedes! Maybe you could stop in there and have a chat one day if your
NRMA van takes you that way. One of the first VW dealers in Sydney was Grenville Motors/Lanock Motors/Jack Jeffrey at Rushcutters Bay but that's
another story...
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1303Steve
A.k.a.: Steve Carter
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| posted on August 18th, 2010 at 11:24 PM |
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Hi Phil
Did you ever notice the street address of Marque publishing? 911 King Georges Road, I thought that was lucky for them.
Steve
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Phil74Camper
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| posted on August 19th, 2010 at 08:27 AM |
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Hi Steve, no never noticed that! I just remember it was on the corner of Terry St, I think it was. There always used to be a late '50s Skoda Octavia
parked in the side street. Now they're at 15 Belina Ave Wyoming, the other side of Gosford. They've still got some good stuff on their website:
http://www.marque.com.au/
I'll try to find the slides i took at Swantons in the early 80s and see how they scan up. I haven't been past the old Swantons dealer yard in a long
time as I don't usually go that side of Hurstville any more...
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