J.C. Penny Speedshop

[mssl72]

Back around 1981 or '82 I had purchased rear window louvers for my '74 Z from Penny's through their catalog. Did they stop selling automotive stuff and if so when?

[rsatz28]

In fact one of your fellow Chicago area Yenko owners used to work at the JCP in Scahumburg. I bought my Cragar SS's (2 at a time) from this store to put on my 68 Firebird 400.

[COPO_Anders]

Another shot. I thought it was a 2-door post car, but now I know.

Anders

[whitetop]

A guy in my hometown built a hot '55 Chevy back in '68 and the local Penny's had a Lifetime battery deal going on. I think they wanted you to bring in the car and they would check out other things like the brakes, exhuast etc to drum up business. Of course people only kept their new cars back then 4-5 years and Penny's probaly did not figure into the equation antique cars or street machines the owners would hang onto. Of course the '55 was imaculate and well maintained by my friend. He would take the car in every 4-5 years and get a new battery as needed. When Penny's dropped the local service center in the early '80's he was out of luck and had to start buying his batteries.

[whitetop]

[ QUOTE ]
Did they stop selling automotive stuff and if so when?

[/ QUOTE ]

Our local service center closed in '82-'84. JCP probably stopped selling automotive stuff about the same time. My local service center did not sell alot of speed equipment(but was available through order) because we had a 4-5 other speed shops that did very well in my area but I think that was dependent on each location. I have talked with people over the years who said their local JCP store did stock a bunch of speed equipment on site. I also think the centers probbaly were into more speed equipment in the early '70's and then it started to die off in the energy crisis era and when summit started to get big into mail order.

[427TJ]

Article says the car began life with a 426 Wedge and the guys put the Hemi in. No doubt they swapped-in the "Hemi" A/FX-style 2-headlight grille too.

[427TJ]

Side view showing skinny Cragars and Blue Streak tires. Probably had a JC Penny heavy-duty battery too.

Skinny Cragars =

[Belair62]

Great pic !!!

[Mr70]

Bill
I really like that Picture of the "Penny Pincher" because it hits home with me growing up here.
Can I get a Color copy of it somewhere?

[427TJ]

I scanned the pics from the May, 1968 Cars. Here's what the cover looks like for all you fellow eBayers.