Members in Eugene, Oregon -, I need your help retreiving a piece of my car's history! Options

[tumamilhem]

Hey Eugene! I am on a quest and need your help. My LE Can Am Creamsicle was first sold new at Centennial Porsche/Audi in Eugene, OR where as far as I can tell it has lived and remained it's entire life until I purchased it. Because these are such rare cars and very few still left on the road (and by half of the LE Bumblebee), I have been painstakingly searching for OG parts (switching aftermarket to OEM) and period-correct accessories (ie. Cocomats) to keep my LE as authentic and original as possible. In doing so I am also trying to collect as much actual physical history of the car as possible. Not only to do so from a collector standpoint, but if (and that's a BIG and unlikely 'if') I were to ever sell the car, it would be extremely cool and unique to pass along some actual memorabilia along with a very rare car. For example, I am currently trying to hunt down an original license plate frame from Centennial Porsche/Audi to put on the car (with absolutely ZERO luck, btw).

Through extensive research on the dealership, I recently came across a postcard of the dealership from the same time my car was sold. The postcard was sold a few years ago on eBay. So I now have a picture of the dealership from the same time the car was sold (see below).

In my research, someone who used to be affiliated with the dealership and another person in Eugene contacted me and told me that the dealership, though long closed for many years now, is still there as an empty shell of a building - AND the Centennial Porsche/Audi dealership sign is just sitting there in the back of the building! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif) I presume if someone buys the building, they will just toss the remnants of the dealership as it has been abandoned for some while. I do not know if it is the sign that was out front or another sign, but it's apparently just sitting there in the back. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

I was hoping that some fellow members in the area might retrieve this sign for me. I would like to hang it on the long wall in my garage alongside where I park my LE as a very cool decoration. Should I ever sell the car, I would pass along the sign (if they wish) to the next owner. If anybody would be willing to retrieve this sign for me (and anything else related they find) I would be most grateful. It's just sitting there for years and will eventually get tossed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) If it's the sign in the front then maybe the legs could be cut off and the top part could be sent. If not, then at least just the flat inserts with the lettering on it.

I've included the picture of the postcard of the dealership from the mid-70's. You can see a pair of 914s in the window too! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)
The address of the dealership was:
Centennial Porsche Audi
80 Centennial Loop
Eugene, OR

Thanks in advance and if anybody is willing to help me I would greatly appreciate it! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[cary]

Google Maps. Looks like the building is owned by Lithia motors. HUGE car auto dealership company here on the west coast.

Get a hold of these folks.They come to every swap meet with a VW bus full of books.
http://www.wwautowerks.com/
Looks like they don't throw ant thing away.

Good Luck ...........

[tumamilhem]

Thanks for that! I looked it up. Apparently that location is the Lithia Motors Fiat dealership now:
http://www.lithiafiateugene.com/dealership...eugene-fiat.htm

I'm told that the Centennial sign is still in the back somewhere. Hoping it can be found! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[tumamilhem]

The gentleman who was affiliated with Centennial Porsche Audi messaged me yesterday about the current location of the sign:

"Hi Tommy, yes that was the dealership and no, they closed up many years ago. Any frames are long gone I'm sure. The building is still there, as is their outdoor sign on the backside of the lot. Good luck. Cool car!"

[cary]

When my kids get up I'll have them run by and see what they can see.
Oldest son and wife go to the U of O.

[tumamilhem]

When my kids get up I'll have them run by and see what they can see.
Oldest son and wife go to the U of O.

That would be FANTASTIC! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) THANK YOU! If they see it maybe they can take a picture where it is exactly?

I received an email from a guy who lives in the area on The Samba because I posted a WTB ad for a vintage Centennial Porsche Audi license plate frame. He confirmed the sign is right there!:

"I see you are looking for a Centennial license plate frame. I am in Eugene and know some people who might have them stashed away. Interestingly, even though the dealership has been gone 20 years, there is still a Porsche/Audi sign still up along the freeway."

I'm not sure if it's taken down and stashed away or actually still upright. If upright, maybe the dealership will take the sign panels down if asked. Tried calling them today but they're closed.

[cary]

Hmmmm.............

The lot full of signs is in Springfield, I think.
Right by the kids house.
I was down there a couple weeks ago.
Dad, can you come down and fix my car
Lots of old stuff ....................

I was thinking more along the lines of old Mobil stuff. I guess we'll send them on another mission after I hear from them.

[dlkawashima]

"Hi Tommy, yes that was the dealership and no, they closed up many years ago. Any frames are long gone I'm sure. The building is still there, as is their outdoor sign on the backside of the lot. Good luck. Cool car!"

Based on what that gentleman wrote you, i.e. "the outdoor sign on the backside of the lot", could it be this sign (circled below), which appears to be old and abandoned, but still upright?

[sixnotfour]

google earth you can see the sign outback, still standing,
looks blank ??

IM Slow

[andrewb]

google earth you can see the sign outback, still standing,
looks blank ??

IM Slow

No, keep going - go a few yards further down the road and you can see that it has PO(rsche ?) and AU(di ?) written on it. I don't think it's the sign shown on the post card though.

Sounds like a fun quest - don't give up.

[cary]

Ditto,
Drive by gave the same info.
Both sides good. But no Cenntenial on it.
Just Porsche Audi.
I'd say call the dealership and ask to talk to the GM.

[RobertK]

The sign is still standing, it's not nearly as nice as the one from your postcard. It also does not state that it is Cennential Porsche Audi from what I could see. The sign looks to be about 6 by 8 feet and is on the top of about a 20 foot pole.

Also the dealership should be open today, when I drove by it looked like there were at least a half dozen people there working. May have just opened late like everything else in town.

Thank you cary for volunteering me.

[cary]

Some peoples kids .....

[mstein95]

Bought my first Porsche there in 1988. Everytime I drive by the sign I wonder if it will become a historical landmark. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[tumamilhem]

WOW that is amazing guys! Thank you so much! If I'm not able to obtain the sign, at least I have a picture of it! Hopefully this will be hanging on the wall in my garage! Just called the dealership and left a message on the GM's line. We'll see what happens! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[tumamilhem]

The sign is still standing, it's not nearly as nice as the one from your postcard. It also does not state that it is Cennential Porsche Audi from what I could see. The sign looks to be about 6 by 8 feet and is on the top of about a 20 foot pole.

Also the dealership should be open today, when I drove by it looked like there were at least a half dozen people there working. May have just opened late like everything else in town.

Thank you cary for volunteering me.

It looks like this was a second sign. The one in the postcard reading:

CENTENNIAL
POSCHE
AUDI

was in front of the building in line with the left side of the building. This one is further away from the building and out to the left side of the building. I presume the "Centennial" sign was the main sign in front of the dealership while this sign was for the highway behind the dealership. I'm sure when the FIAT dealership moved in they took the main sign down because it was in front. I'm surprised this one is still standing though as it looks to be viewable from the highway. Could be a good reason to finally take it down! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[tumamilhem]

Well I've called the GM at this place (his office is actually at a different location at the company's Dodge store). Left three messages in three days. No reply. I guess he's "Dodging" me. That's a bit dodgy. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[cary]

Maybe move up the food chain and call the corporate offices.
Could be the facilities are handling by different folks.
Then maybe its leased ..................

[Black22]

I actually do some work for all the dealerships in Eugene. Mostly the Kendall group, but some for Lithia. I'll see what I can come up with on Monday.

[tumamilhem]

That would be fantastic! Thanks, Mike!