Automotive Engineering (Gone)
Largo, FL
Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack

This sign for the Automotive Engineering, located on US 19 in Largo, FL, may have been around since at least the 60s. The top lights go down in succession. When they hit the center it makes neon swirls. Quite a buzzing hum when you are standing under it. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.

The sign captures an era when even a practical automotive business could advertise with plenty of personality. Instead of settling for painted lettering above a garage door, this shop put its message up in lights. It’s easy to imagine how the neon would have stood out after sunset among the passing cars and surrounding storefronts.

UPDATE: The shop’s later history and the fate of its sign could not be independently confirmed. This 1956 photograph preserves the display during its working years, offering a glimpse of the craftsmanship that once brightened Tampa’s commercial streets. Quite a bit of advertising flair for a place devoted to helping motorists stop. 07-26

Brake Shop (1956)
Tampa, FL
Photo courtesy John Cinchett

Here is an old photo from 1956 for a brake shop. This shop is or was located in Tampa, Florida on North Nebraska Avenue. This is another neon beauty by Cinchett Neon Signs. Many thanks to John Cinchett for info. 01-09

The sign captures an era when even a practical automotive business could advertise with plenty of personality. Instead of settling for painted lettering above a garage door, this shop put its message up in lights. It’s easy to imagine how the neon would have stood out after sunset among the passing cars and surrounding storefronts.

UPDATE: The shop’s later history and the fate of its sign could not be independently confirmed. This 1956 photograph preserves the display during its working years, offering a glimpse of the craftsmanship that once brightened Tampa’s commercial streets. Quite a bit of advertising flair for a place devoted to helping motorists stop. 07-26