A Last Look at Dellinger Auto Sales
It was April 21, 1993 and David Hume in Kentucky received a fax from Red Dellinger asking him if he would like to make an offer to purchase all the SM cars and parts at D. Dellinger Auto Sales in Lewisberry, PA.
Although Red had just bought some SM parts from David, he had been contemplating selling his business and on Halloween 1992, hoping Dave might be interested in more than just SMs, Red faxed David his Statement of Income for the year 1991.
At the time David had started his own Citroën repair and restoration shop, Excelsior Motors, in Midway, KY but had nothing close to all the Citroën Cars and parts that Red had amassed.
While David mulled the offer over, what interested him most was just the SM cars and parts that Red had on the property. Also a factor in his preference to just stick with SMs was this article that he clipped from Car & Driver in May 1993 — where Red described how a Tornado ripped through the property at 926 Lewisberry Rd. The way Red recalls the disaster, it along with his describing the business, his love for Citroëns yet total detest for the 2CV, is pure Red put to paper:
After a year-and-a-half of back and forth discussion transpired with Red. He even sent David a hand-written list of his SM Parts inventory:
David ventured over to Lewisberry to assess their value and took the following pics of the SMs in October 1994.
While he was there he took the following pictures of the other cars on the property and all the inventory:
At the time David could not agree with Red on the value of the SMs and parts and decided to pass on their purchase. He did however, hold on to all the correspondence and pics for all these years and now is willing to share those treasures with Citroënvie readers.
What a great look into the legendary Citroën dealership of Red Dellinger and the man himself.
You can read more about Red and how he acquired the the Madame Michelin Traction Avant 15-6 cabriolet in the interview we did with him on May 19, 2007 (Citroënthusiast publication – Winter 2008, Page 5) and Red’s termination correspondence with Citroën (Citroënvie publication – Winter 2009, page 22).
Sad to see all those cars rotting away like that.I got my car from there in 1976, as a third owner. I’ve kept it 46 years and “restored” it 3 times, to various degrees. Much better now than when I got it or ever, for that matter. I used to go up with my brother when he was getting his serviced and poked around “the graveyard.” I liked to sit in the back of one with almost a different color on each door and panel, but appeared to be mostly gold and yellow and eat my lunch. Sunny with that Citroen smell. Went to a pig-roast one year. He said it was a whole pig. I asked if it “had been eviscerated”… he got a big kick out of that. And a memory of Brad in “the pit” … a hole dug so you could service under a car without jacks. Found service in my area and never went back.
Went to Red’s for a meeting of the Quacker City Chapter of the Citroën Car Club and won a yellow Citroën sign which I took home in my ’53 Traction. Don’t recall seeing that many cars as in these photos.
Mes Amis,
This is really a “Deja Vu”…Yes, yes ole Red. I go back I dare say..further. I came back from Vietnam in l969 and was stationed at Fort Richie, across the border from Pennsylvania…and being a Francophile I happened to see an ole ID19 sitting at a garage in the Town of Blue Ridge Summit, Maryland. I bought the ID and was told of Red at his place in and/or near Harrisburg. Of course I within a couple of days presented myself at Red’s. (At the time Brad I think was a small boy?) I bouught another DS from Red and traded him the ID, etc,etc. One time it arrived that Red was going on a ‘buying” spree to France. Ask me to go…as I spoke fluent French..I was an asset! We went and I think drove around in an CX (One of the first) (And later sold it to my son who was stationed at the time in Germany)…we and or Red bought approximately five (5) DS’s and shipped them back. The complete tour was something like two or so weeks. (One guy ask me “how in the hell did you stand being with Red for TWO WEEKS!) Ha, Red (He was redheaded) could be a trip…more to himself that anyone else….but a temper…..ask Brad! So since l969…until his demise I was always a friend of Red Dellinger’s and consequently Brad…his nephew. Today I have two DS’ two 2CV’s…sold the SM’s and have a l954 Chapron-bodied SALMSON 2300s (Having own Delahayes, Talbots, Hotchkiss..etc)
Vive la France
JP Bandy again here…..FORGOT
Have a Deutsch Bonnet HBR5 and a Panhard 24BT
Vive la France
jpb