Collier Motors situated in Pikeville, North Carolina has long been abandoned and nature has long taken over, but collectors across the states are flocking to purchase some unique models.
Established in 1955, Robert Collier established a dealership specialising in the American Motors Corporation brand. The dealership continued into the 1980s, but stopped its relationship with AMC due to Renault purchasing part of the company in 1979 as Collier preferred the American models on offer previously so decided to sell his remaining stock.
Closed some time ago, among the overgrown undergrowth in the former dealership’s grounds everything ranging from AMC models like the Pacer, Javelin, Ambassador, Eagle, Spirit, Hornets, Concord, Rambler, Hornet, Gremlin and Jeeps of various descriptions.
Ford, Chevrolet and even Subarus, which Collier Motors sold during the fuel crisis of the late-1970s are all being gradually eaten by the trees.
Collectors travel to salvage some of the near new models featured within the grounds, with the elder Collier now passed away (back in 2018) his son Robbie handles the sales and is an amazing tour guide of a bygone era.
In one attempt a group of brothers in the construction industry were forced to build framing around a collapsed roof to enable the extraction of a Javelin and have since restored it to new condition.
Rare high performance models of AMCs feature in addition to a variety of project models left abandoned throughout the grounds.
The dealership itself still has the original AMC signage, though the workshops are now severely derelict and albeit overgrown it provides a snapshot of the American motor industry.
As for AMC, the brand was established in 1954 by George W. Mason and proved a popular alternative to the ‘big three’ (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) as with the AMC Javelin entering Trans Am with Penske taking the program after Kaplan Engineering featuring star driver Mark Donohue.
AMC struggled during the late-1970s requiring an association with Renault where the French brand purchased 22.5% interest, but this lasted until 1987. Renault was struggling financially during the late-1980s and sold its share to Chrysler, but the AMC brand did not survive.
First renamed Jeep Eagle Corporation on August 25, 1988, it was merged into the Chrysler Corporation in March 1990.