The Desert Motors car dealership in Victorville, California, best known for its vintage neon sign along Route 66, recently changed owners for the first time in more than 60 years, according to the Victorville Daily Press.
Not to worry, though. The newspaper said the new owner, Sam Shihab, will continue to keep up the sign after longtime caretaker Patrick Matlach hands over the keys to the property. Desert Motors has been located on Route 66 since 1954.
Matlach, 85, said he decided to sell to Shihab because of declining health and the fact he trusts Shihab to support the legacy. Shihab has owned Sid’s Automotive across the street for 20 years.
Shihab said he understands the cultural significance of Route 66 and its shared history with the rise of the automobile industry, and he spoke of the importance of keeping “Patrick’s legacy alive through the dealership.”
“Long after the popularity of Route 66 faded, Patrick continued to sacrifice so much to keep this place thriving,” Shihab said. “The place will still remain Desert Motors and we will keep that nostalgic feel. We will also be known once again as the Route 66 Car Garden, a fitting name for the longest running used-car dealership on Route 66.” […]
Shihab said his dream is to restore Desert Motors back to the prominence that it once held by transforming the lot back to the shining gem that once sparkled along Route 66.
As you might imagine, Matlach brims will memories. He knows the full make an model of the first car he sold — a 1933 Chevy Deluxe — and the customer’s name. And that’s not all:
According to Matlach, Desert Motors once supplied vehicles for TV shows such as “77 Sunset Strip,” which aired in the 1950s and ‘60s, and for various movies such as “Angel Face,” starring Robert Mitchum and Jean Simmons.
“James Dean drove a really beat-up old Duesenberg that I restored,” Matlach said. “I think that old Duesenberg was used in the movie ‘Giant.’ And the Jaguar was used in the ‘Angel Face’ movie where the roadster goes off the cliff.”
(Image of Desert Motors sign by Roadside Pictures via Flickr)
Mr. Matlach first came to the attention of Route 66 enthusiasts about 15 or so years ago when featured in Jon Robinson’s “Lives on the Road.” This is a fantastic book and a must-read for any road enthusiast.