Dad used to tell a story about the car dealers in Nashville who suddenly didn't have any cars to sell during the war when all the car factories converted to making trucks, tanks, airplanes and guns. They hosted a big fancy dinner meeting for the independent shop owners in the area, with the finest food and booze available, and asked them to "Please teach us how to make a profit fixing cars!" They had run their service departments at a break-even or a slight loss for years, doing mostly warranty work, and they didn't know how to survive without the sales force generating the profits! The only passenger cars that were manufactured from early 1942 to 1946 were a few vehicles that were used as staff cars for high-ranking officers, etc. Those cars had virtually no chrome or other embellishments- - - -just plain-Jane transportation!
Jerry
