Pennsylvania -- Fritz Used Cars

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George R

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Does anyone here remember this place near Reading, PA? Every summer a few friends and I would go to the Super Chevy Show at The Grove, and we would stop at Fritz on the way home. He wouldn't sell parts only whole cars, but he had some great cars there and would let us walk around, and into the building.
I haven't been there in almost 20 years, and was wondering what ever happened to the place.

George
 
I have a lot of pics from there. I bought the 62 polara and the COE chevy from there. He had some early cudas.
 
Is this the place where he had a Daytona or superbird setting in the showroom back in the mid 80s? I think it may be the same place...my buddy bought a 1970 Super Bee 383 car from him back in 85 or 86
 
Is this the place where he had a Daytona or superbird setting in the showroom back in the mid 80s? I think it may be the same place...my buddy bought a 1970 Super Bee 383 car from him back in 85 or 86
I don't know. I started going there in 92, and we went every year till about 98 or so.
I remember a 61 Chevy Impala convertible back there that was cherry on one side and totaled on the other. I guess it was hit pretty hard broadside, but from the one side, that triple black convertible looked great.
There was a 70 Galaxy XL, a few of those Christine cars, and I remember a few Cadillac limo's from the late 40's that had power windows.
Strange what sticks in a guys head, huh? LOL

Too bad it's all gone. I remember the first time we stopped there the owner was treating us like we were there to steal stuff. We even had our girlfriends (wives now) with us. Anyway, he quickly warmed up to us and gave us the grand tour. As we returned year after year it was almost like he was happy to see us. LOL

George
 
It was owned by John M Fritz and it was called Fritz Used Cars 6541 Perkiomen Ave Birdsboro, Pa. You can google map it and see what's left, they have street view for it. From what I know, In 2004/early 2005 the place went up for Sheriff's sale because he owed someone about $70k and lost the judgement case. I think the EPA may have been involved too. Most of the 600-some cars were auctioned off. I remember driving by there one weekend that they were cleaning the place out. It didn't really have a showroom, just a couple of little garages that looked like they were ready to crumble. He also owned or had some affiliation with the bible church across the street because he used to park his cars in their lot when he was in "business". The old cars were OUTRAGEOUSLY priced for the time and their condition. Probably would be considered reasonable prices today, but was really expensive then (80's & 90's). If you ever stopped there, he was a huge #!@#!. I don't know how he ever stayed in business. None of the cars ever seemed to move from their parking spots, probably (surely) didn't run. There was all kinds of talk about the shady dealings he was into and the car lot was just a front. He had some great old stuff sitting there from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's. The cars sat outside all the time and had so much brush growing up around them it was hard to see some of them. At first glance or just driving by, most people thought it was a junk yard, I'm sure. I'm sure the community was happy to see that eyesore gone and their property values went up. But, yes, its just an empty lot now, nothing left, not even buildings. JP Mascaro owns the land and last I heard they were crushing and removing what was left of the cars. The story was in the paper back in 2006 because Mascaro said they were abandoned and Fritz said they weren't.
I went to high school with his nephew and once in awhile he would drive a white '70 or '71 Challenger 440 to school that sat in a garage at the lot. It was nice, but probably the only "nice" car at the lot. Oh well, hope that helps.
 
Anybody know if Hofferts junkyard is still around? it was outside Reading off RT.61 I think? I was there once and got a ton of parts and he had so many cool cars, it was just a tough place to walk all up and down hills.
 
The only ones I know of off of rt 61 is A-Z U-pull-it in Shoemakersville and EZ Pull/Joes in New Ringold. There might be another one in Leesport off of rt 61. There's a Hoffert's in Bernville .... 418 Swissdale Rd Bernville, PA but I'm not sure if its still there. There's also Harry's U-pull-it in Hazleton, Pa and they have a "vintage" section that's pretty cool, but I haven't been there in years. You have to go to the one in Hazleton, the ones in Allentown and Pennsburg don't have a vintage section.
 
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