The photos in these pages were moved here from my Signs section to accompany an article which I've written for the Society for Commercial Archeology's Journal magazine. These pages and the article cover vintage signs with depictions of cars.

Like-Nu Auto Paint & Body Works Dallas, TX
2011:	2017:

Like-Nu Auto Paint & Body Works was established in 1947. This sign was built then and was attached to the building as a projecting sign. When the business moved to its current location in 1997, the sign was installed on a pole. The panels are about seven feet wide. The sign has been continuously lit with red and white neon. The radiating neon surrounding the car suggests shining, new paint. What's under the tacked-on piece of metal on the side of the car is anyone's guess. It might be the original owner's name or a phone number. [map]

Bliss Auto Sales [gone] El Paso, TX 2012:

2017:

Bliss Auto Sales opened in 1947. This sign appeared to be from the 1950s. The "Bliss" name and details were painted over sometime after 2013. Much of the neon was also removed then. In 2025, the sign and letters were removed. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Parsons Mobile Homes Endwell, NY	Acapulco Drive Inn [gone] San Antonio, TX	Del Rio Loan Company Del Rio, TX

Parsons Mobile Homes is now known as Parsons Recreational Vehicle. The sign was repainted shortly before this photo was taken in 2010. [map] I believe the Acapulco Drive Inn opened in the early 1970s. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s when the restaurant went by another name. In 2011, the Acapulco Drive Inn closed and the sign was removed. The Del Rio Loan Company has been here since 1937. The sign may be from then. The neon is long gone but there is blue LED tubing around the outside of the sign. The sign was painted blue in 2007. It was painted black by 2013. The photos above are from 2018. [map]

Sandman Motel Reno, NV

The Sandman Motel was built in 1949 as the Travel Lodge. This nearly 40-foot-tall sign was erected then. Some of the painted "MOTEL" letters still reveal the shapes used when those sign panels read "LODGE." That text was changed in 1955 when the business was renamed the Travis Motel. Some say the name change took place because of pressure from TraveLodge which was founded in San Diego in 1940 and was already an established budget motel chain by the early 1950s. In 1966, the Travis Motel became the Sandman Motel and the sign's top panel was altered again. The car on the sign has been there since the beginning. At one time, the neon wheels flashed to simulate motion. While the motel is still open, the sign has been dark for many years. The car was lit in red neon, the letters in green and blue and the bullnoses wrapping around the side of the sign were yellow. Three 1960s era, backlit plastic credit card signs attached to the pole are still intact. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill [gone] S. Congress Ave. Austin, TX	Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill [gone] W. 38th St. Austin, TX

Doc's Motorworks Bar & Grill opened in 2005 in a former auto repair shop. The sign on South Congress Ave. was built by Todd Sanders who owns the Roadhouse Relics studio and gallery in Austin. Sanders has created many other vintage-inspired signs for businesses in Texas and elsewhere. His pieces feature classic shapes and faded-looking paint that fools many people into thinking that the signs are far older than they are. The car for the Doc's sign was modeled after the one on the Sandman Motel sign in Reno (see above). The sign is seven feet wide. The panel attached to the bottom of the message board was painted to read "Body and Garage" with "Bar and Grill" in neon overlaying it. The car was outlined with turquoise neon but one side was later changed to green. The bullnose accents are gold while the text is red. In 2016, the original location closed and the sign was removed. I was told that it would be moved to a new location in town. Doc's Motorworks had four locations. Two of them had very similar signs to the one that Sanders created including the one shown above that was at the W. 38th St. location which opened around 2014. That location closed in 2019 and the sign is gone. I don't believe there are any Doc's Motorworks still operating now.

Dana Forgy Motors [gone] Lawton, OK	Yakima Grinding Company Yakima, WA

This Dana Forgy Motors sign might have advertised for another car dealership originally. This photo is from 2011. By 2013, the sign was gone. The Yakima Grinding Company was established by the 1930s. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. [map]

Trotta's Pizza Cincinnati, OH	Daytona Motor Inn Wildwood, NJ

This Trotta's Pizza sign is from the 1950s. It originally advertised for a Ferguson Car Wash. After the car wash closed, a Sight In Sound audio store opened on the property. The sign was repainted and the neon "FERGI" text was replaced with a neon sound wave pattern. Since 1996, the building has housed Trotta's Pizza. The owner maintains this sign since he believes it is appropriate for his drive-thru business. [map] There were several Ferguson Car Washes in the Cincinnati area. It is not known how many of these Fergi signs were produced. The only other one known to exist is at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH. It came from the Norwood, OH location and features the original flashing stars and spinning wheels. It is about six feet wide. In the late 1980s, Terry Carter noticed the sign being taken down. It was headed to the scrapyard but Carter made a $50 offer and took the sign home. He had the sign restored and installed on top of his Neon's Cigar Bar & Tavern. When the bar closed in 2003, the sign changed hands a couple of times until it was donated to the museum in 2005. The Daytona Motor Inn sign is from 2000. It originally read "Pulaski Motor Inn". The name and sign were changed to Daytona in 2003. For more, see this website. [map]

Hawkes Motors Boise, ID
2014:		2022:

Hawkes Motors opened in 1969 and this sign appears to be from then. Around 2020, the dealership moved. The sign was brought along and the text panel replaced. The readerboard and original sign pole stayed behind. For more, see this website. [map]

Sam's Auto Parts [gone] Hazel Park, MI

Sam's Auto Parts opened here in 1931. The sign looked like it was from the 1950s. It was removed around 2008 and sold at an auction. For more, see this website.

Car Signs page 2

Car Signs page 3

Main SCA Article Companion Page

Main Signs Page

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Copyright. All photos at this website are copyrighted and may only be used with my consent. This includes posting them at Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, other websites, personal use, etc. Tips & Updates. If you have suggestions about places that I haven't covered, historical info, or updates about places/things that have been remodeled or removed, I'd love to hear from you: roadarch@outlook.com.