Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association Historical Records (1905-1980s)
Finding aid created by Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County staff using
RecordEXPRESS
Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
2022
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
(213) 763-3359
seavercenter@nhm.org
https://nhm.org/research-collections/departments/history/seaver-center-western-history-research
Title: Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association Historical Records (1905-1980s)
Dates: 1905-1980s
Collection Number: GC 1377
Creator/Collector:
Licensed Motor Car Dealers Association of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Motor Car Dealers Association (LAMCDA)
Motor Car Dealers Association of Los Angeles (MCDA)
Motor Car Dealers Association of Southern California (MCDASCA)
Extent: 14 -1/2 letter; 1 letter; 2 -1/2 legal; 3 legal; 2 flat; 1 ov
Online items available
Repository:
Seaver Center for Western History Research, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California 90007-4057
Abstract: The Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association (GLANCDA) Historical Records is comprised of bound albums, reports and
scrapbooks; photographs; clippings; floor plans; and ephemera pertaining to the activities of the Association, particularly
identified by earlier organizational names that have changed since 1905.
Language of Material: English
Research by appointment only
Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder
Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association Historical Records (1905-1980s). Seaver Center for Western History Research,
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Biography/Administrative History
The first Los Angeles Auto Show sponsored by the Licensed Motor Car Dealers Association, was held in 1908 at the cyclodrome
venue located at Tenth and Main. In 1910 the show was held at Fiesta Park, Los Angeles which was located in a block bordered
by Grand Avenue, 12th Street, Hope Street, and Pico Boulevard. The 8th Annual Auto Show was held in Prager Park, Los Angeles
located between Grand Avenue, Washington Boulevard and Hill Street. The auto show continued to be held at this location during
the 1920s and where it was held in large tents. On March 5, 1929, soon after the auto show opened, there was a great fire
caused by and electrical circuit in an airplane exhibition that caught fire and destroyed all the new cars. Estimates of the
damage range from about $1 million to $1.25 million (in today’s dollars, about $25.1 million to $31.4 million). Reports in
the newspaper were that around 2500 attendees watched as the fire burned. As many as 320 cars were destroyed, among them Auburn’s
one-off cabin speedster, a two-passenger bicycle-fendered, bobatail coupe that had previously received praise at that the
1929 New York Automobile Show. A few days later the show was moved to the Shrine Auditorium on West Jefferson Boulevard, which
was the show venue through 1934.
Once the Pan Pacific Auditorium (7600 West Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles) opened in 1935 the auto show moved to auditorium where
it was held until the site closed in 1972 when the show was moved to the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center on Figueroa
Street. During World War II through 1951 the LA Auto show went on hiatus.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association (GLANCDA) Historical Records is comprised of bound albums, reports and
scrapbooks; photographs; clippings; floor plans; and ephemera pertaining to the activities of the Association, particularly
identified by earlier organizational names that have changed since 1905.
Bound albums contain meeting minutes of directors and members. The albums reflect the earliest activities of the organization
under the following names: the Automobile Dealers Association of Southern California, the Motor Car Dealers Association of
Los Angeles, and the License Motor Distributors Alliance of Los Angeles.
Bound reports on annual auto shows. Each Report of the Director contains finance reports, member and exhibitor listings,
daily gate records, communication bulletins and photographs that have been digitized (February 2019).
More than 800 photographs cover the Los Angeles Auto Shows (1920s-1969) and the portraits of the directors from circa 1910
through 1970s. The Auto Shows from 1935-1970 were held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium, 7600 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles,
Calif. There are images from the late 1980s that cover events of the Los Angeles Motor Car Association members.
News clippings include publicity contained in scrapbooks and entire special auto sections; floor plans of auto shows; and
ephemera includes tickets, passes, invitations and envelopes.
Automobile dealers – California – Los Angeles
Automobile industry and trade – California—Los Angeles
Automobile shows – California – Los Angeles
Los Angeles Auto Show
Pan Pacific Auditorium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Experimental automobiles
Automobiles 1900-1940
Automobiles 1950-1970
Streib, Art
Art Streib Photographers
Gladser Studio
Los Angeles Motor Car Dealers Association
Motor Car Dealers Association of Los Angeles
Los Angeles (Calif.)
San Diego (Calif.)