Base of Operations Program 11/44

[thoffman]

Can anyone tell me what these two building have in common?

 

[dmerkle]

They started out as an IH dealerships. IH wanted their dealer(s) to look the same.

 

[thoffman]

That was fast! The red one was a Coopersville Michigan, and the blue one is in Belvidere, Illinois.

This has been a sublsct that I've wanted to talk about for some time.

IH wanted all the stores/dealerships to be alike. This was called the IH base of Operation Program. The first "prototype" store opened in in Lincole, Illinois in 1945. The dealership name was Charles C. Strohl Co.

If you see any old IH dealership buildings post them here!
Thanks!

 

[thoffman]

Posted by Steve Blunier years ago. The Peoria, Illinois Block House.

 

[thoffman]

More Peoria;

 

[thoffman]

The IH dealership I wan to as a kid, A.J. Firnbach & Sons, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

 

[thoffman]

These are of the Aurora Illinois Block House about two years ago.

And the same Aurora Block House in 1915

 

[thoffman]

Former Payline West St. Charles Illinois

 

[jbaker]

Tom the red one in the bottom photo is missing its "mast" above the roof line. Should there be one there and if so is that the signiture part of the building?

 

[thoffman]

Yup, they removed it.

 

[mgonitzke]

There used to be an IH dealership in Rockford about a mile from me...I'll have to see if the building looks like that next time I'm home.

 

[jbaker]

Matt where at? I will drive by it tomorrow

 

[mgonitzke]

It's on W. State, either the boat place or the building west of it on the north side of the road, before you get to F&F as you are heading east into Rockford.

 

[kmcconaughey]

I'll have to take some photos of the old <FONT COLOR="ff0000">I</FONT><FONT COLOR="000000">H</FONT> dealership that was in Houlton, WI. The building is still there. When I was in grade school in the late 60's and early 70's it was known as Carlson Brother's. A good classmate lived nearby it and would get old pads of various forms with the company letterhead on it to use as scrap paper. I loved it when I was able to get some to scribble on, oh how I would love to have some of that paper today, only without all my scribblings... Since they went out of business there's been a fiberglass boat factory and several small businesses in the building. Presently they are storing boats overwinter on the property not sure what business, if any, is in the building. Here's a dealer decal from them that was on a 105 that Art Aytay had for a short time. (I should have bought it if only for the decal...

)

 

[jbaker]

Was there any type of dealer location maps back then? It would be neat to see how many we could find.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Here's the old dealership that's in Houlton, WI. The building was remodeled many years ago. The old sign post is still there.

 

[kpeaney]

Once the weather clears some here, I will go by our old IH dealer and snap a couple of pics for the thread. I started out operating backhoes on an IH when I was just a pup. I still remember the IH 1-ton we had to pull the trailer. Just made a left turn, getting ready to shift to 4th and the right hand duals decided to part company with the rig. That was a ride with the trailer and hoe pushing everything.

KennyP

 

[thoffman]

I'd like to make a 1/4 scale sign "Post" to put up out next to the toy shed. That would be cool. Aaron/Mike???? Are you hearing this??

 

[digger]

Tom H.
You mean something like this!

10-1/2" high, 5-3/4" wide

 

[thoffman]

Kinda, more like 6-7 feet tall would be good.