you win the prize so far.. at least a podiumMust be one of the first dealers...
Most dealers in the day were independent repair shops specializing in European cars that evolved into dealerships. All they had to do was agree to carry the requisitioned quota of spare parts and some tooling, buy the signage, and have enough floor space to display one or two new cars. I doubt there was the training structures in place today. The cars were simple and manuals were enough for an experienced mechanic. Hell, we can do it. Many already had SAAB, Volvo, Peugeot, Simca, Renault, Porsche or FIAT e.g. The SAAB dealer in Hampton, Virginia in the early 70's was one such guy. His facility/shop was the size of a large gas station that had sliding glass doors in front to get the display cars in and out..A few of these look to be more garage and service type .....rather than dealerships with showrooms........just saying. Still neat though.