The "Gasoline at D.C. Prices" sign is humorous--today it seems like gas gets cheaper the farther you get from urban areas (at least here in the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area); apparently that wasn't always the case.

I wonder if the founders of this dealership are any relation to the Hendrick family in North Carolina that runs several mega dealerships--and a rather successful NASCAR race team.

The early 1928's did have a cowl vent on the lower driver's
cowl. These were called the "AR" model. The early cars had a number of changes in them, as discussed in the book "Henry's Lady" by Ray Miller. So it's an early 28. Thanks.

The car on the right side of the sign is a Fordor rather than a Tudor. The early 1928 Fordors did indeed have cowl vents but they were eliminated shortly after introduction. I have a '28 leatherback Fordor like that.

That would be a sport coupe... identified by the landau bars. The top does not fold down as it does on a roadster. Roadsters also did not have roll-up windows.

The new Model A Fords must have been painted on the building during the period that Ford was transitioning from the seriously outdated Model T, to the all new Model A. The Tudor Sedan shows a fresh air vent in the lower cowl. No production Model A ever had such a vent.

Obligatory "you can see the photographer in the reflection."

I wonder if this was a planned photo. You'd think they'd make an effort to clean up the lot.

Also, I'm surprised the barber shop didn't make it with all of the men having time to kill while their cars were being repaired.

This dealership later became Takoma Ford. Our family bought several cars from them because the service manager was a neighbor. The mechanical service area was through the big opening in the picture. To enter the body shop underneath you had to drive around the block.

The sign next to the service entrance says "batteries delivered to your home." That's because the majority of home radios in 1928 required a 6-volt lead acid battery to supply their tube filaments. Radios that ran on house current were just coming to market in 1928.

An interesting picture. I'd like to take a spin in a car featured on the sign, that Model T Coupe with the rumble seat.

[That's a Model A roadster. - Dave]

I am struck by the bold, clear and legible use of typography in these older photographs. This is in distinction to the blur of pictograms, logos, and hen scratching that passes for public communications nowadays. Just look at the ads all around us. There was something deeply confident as well as respectful of potential customers embodied in our forefathers' use of graphics.