2780 Delaware Ave. today

If the address 2780 Delaware Ave. sounds familiar, car dealerwise, until very recently it was the home of Kane-Doyle Jeep. Back in 1965 it was the home of Brown Rambler, and by 1975 they’d morphed into Allen Brown AMC.  But back when this ad ran, it was Brown Motors, “Headquarters for imported cars.”

...from 1955 ad

This might not seem so unusual today, but we’re talking 1955 here — Brown was selling the “Amazing German DKW,” which was built by Auto-Union. Never heard of them? Their logo was four intertwined rings; we know them today as Audi. Brown was also selling Swedish Volvos and British Triumphs, and, in what might have seemed quite a coup at the time, they’d just added the complete British Vauxhall line! I imagine all of Brown’s Vauxhall buyers could hold owners’ club meetings in the dealer’s restroom — if they even needed that much space.

I’ll say this much for the Brown Motors’ folks: they were certainly ahead of their time.

1955 DKW

1955 Vauxhall Cresta