McNamara Pontiac (Gone)
Orlando, FL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Long before digital billboards took over, a giant neon dealership sign like this was enough to bring traffic to a crawl. Towering above Colonial Drive, the McNamara
Pontiac sign became one of Orlando's best-known roadside landmarks, glowing with bright red, yellow, and white neon beneath the familiar Pontiac emblem.
For decades, the sign welcomed customers to one of Orlando's best-known Pontiac dealerships. Even people who had no intention of buying a car often remembered driving by just to admire the brilliant display. It was the kind of oversized roadside advertising that gave America's commercial strips so much personality, turning an ordinary dealership into a destination.
McNamara Pontiac day shot
Orlando, FL Photo courtesy Robert Droz
The dealership earned a reputation as one of the region's top Pontiac sellers during the muscle car era, and the sign became just as recognizable as the business itself. It stood watch over the busy intersection for years as countless locals and vacationers headed toward downtown Orlando or the nearby attractions.
Although the dealership eventually closed, the story has a happier ending than most. Before redevelopment claimed the property, the massive neon sign was carefully taken down and preserved instead of being scrapped. Today it survives as a reminder of the days when neon signs were every bit as exciting as the cars they advertised.
UPDATE: The McNamara Pontiac dealership is gone, but its famous neon sign was preserved after being removed from the site. 07-26
ABC Auto
Tampa, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
ABC Auto on Florida Avenue in Tampa has a neon outlined auto perched
high above their car lot. The red lights twirl to give the illusion of
moving car wheels while white dancing neon simulates smoke rising up from
the engine. The two photos show a view from each side. As if this was not enough to get the attention of potential car buyers
on this densely populated road, a twinkling star looms even higher a few
feet from it. Banners proclaim that ABC is "your shining dealer." Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
It's the kind of sign that makes you glance over your shoulder after you've driven past. Before electronic message boards became the norm, animated neon like this was about as eye-catching as roadside advertising could get. Whether you were in the market for a used car or simply heading down the street, the sign was almost impossible to ignore after dark.
ABC Auto
Tampa, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
ABC Auto has been a familiar fixture in this part of Tampa for decades, and the vintage sign has become just as recognizable as the business itself. While many animated dealership signs have disappeared over the years, this one continues to flash, spin, and sparkle, giving today's drivers a small taste of what America's commercial highways once looked like.
For neon fans, it's one of those places that's worth a second look. Sometimes the sign is every bit as memorable as what's being sold beneath it.
UPDATE: ABC Auto remains in business, and its animated neon car sign continues to brighten North Florida Avenue. 07-26
Holler Chevrolet (Gone)
Winter Park, FL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
There was a time when buying a new car meant driving past rows of shiny chrome, colorful pennants, and plenty of glowing neon. Holler Chevrolet fit that picture perfectly, with a pair of eye-catching signs that brightened Orlando Avenue in Winter Park and welcomed drivers from blocks away.
The dealership was part of the longtime Holler automotive family, a name that became familiar to generations of Central Florida motorists. Whether you were shopping for a new Chevrolet or simply passing through Winter Park, the bright neon helped make the dealership one of the more recognizable stops along this busy commercial strip. After dark, the glowing signs added just the right amount of color to a highway already filled with motels, restaurants, and other roadside attractions.
Like so many classic dealership signs, they became landmarks in their own right. Even people who never bought a car there often remembered the neon, proving that good roadside advertising could leave a lasting impression. It was another reminder of an era when businesses tried to outdo one another with bigger, brighter, and more imaginative signs instead of electronic billboards.
Holler Chevrolet (Gone)
Winter Park, FL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Chevrolet dealership closed in 2010 after General Motors ended the franchise, and the property was eventually converted into a Hyundai dealership. Sadly, the familiar neon signs disappeared during the transition, leaving photographs like this to preserve a colorful piece of Orlando's roadside past.
UPDATE: Holler Chevrolet closed in 2010, and the dealership now operates as Holler Hyundai. The vintage neon signs have been removed from the Winter Park landscape. 07-26
Eric's Auto (Gone)
Tampa, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The funny part about that section of Florida Ave. is that it appears
car dealers must have a thing for cars on a stick. Directly across from
ABC is Eric's Auto. They also flaunt an auto on top of a pole although
not quite as glamorous as the one at ABC. You can see their star shining
in the background. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
Back when North Florida Avenue was lined with colorful used car lots, Eric's Auto found a simple way to stand out from the crowd. The dealership hoisted an actual automobile high atop a pole, creating one of those unforgettable roadside sights that practically begged passing motorists to take a second look. 09-10
The elevated car may not have been as flashy as some of the neighboring displays, but it had plenty of charm. Sitting just across the street from ABC Auto and its animated neon sign, the two dealerships gave this stretch of road a distinctly mid-century feel, where creative roadside advertising was just as important as the cars waiting below.
The dealership is gone today, and the familiar roadside display has disappeared along with it. Fortunately, photographs like this preserve another quirky piece of Tampa's automotive history and a reminder of when Florida's commercial strips were filled with fun surprises around every corner.
UPDATE: Eric's Auto is gone, and the car-on-a-pole landmark has been removed from North Florida Avenue. 07-26
Bond Auto
Tampa, FL Photo courtesy Steve/Back on Tack
The prize for largest neon auto sign has to go to Bond Auto. It just
may be the largest neon sign in Tampa. It proudly announces that they
have sold over 8000 cars. Given the age of the sign, it is not that impressive
of a number. Many thanks to Steve/Back on Tack for info.
For years, it was one of the best-known landmarks along this busy commercial strip, glowing brightly while competing with the many other neon signs that once lined the avenue. It was the kind of oversized roadside advertising that made a simple used car lot impossible to miss.
Unlike so many classic dealership signs, this one has survived. It remains a colorful reminder of the days when bigger really was better, and neon was the best way to bring drivers through the front gate.
UPDATE: Bond Auto's giant neon sign still stands along North Florida Avenue. 07-26
ABC Auto
ABC Auto
Eric's Auto (Gone)
Bond Auto
