The invention of the automobile not only changed our nation, but it forever changed the world. It especially spurred the growth of our society and provided instant mobility to a country on the move. In the early years, a dealer network was created to sell and service these new-fangled automobiles. The blacksmith that pounded out horseshoes was slowly being replaced by mechanics in demand as new car companies sprang up in and around the Motor City. A nationwide dealer network was needed for clamoring consumers wanting to purchase these “Horseless Carriages.” To get the messaging out, dealer signs and anything automotive related began to blanket small towns and big cities nationwide. Just like the automobile itself, signs in their glistening bright colors and twinkling neon, became a part of Americana for over 100 years. And just like the cars of the era, old signs were thrown out or lingered behind the dealership waiting for the scrap dealer to cart them off. As the industry changed and car companies formed alliances with other marques, others became an orphaned brand. Very few of these blazing signs exist today but for one dedicated enthusiast, he’s preserving a part of the American car culture that’ll never be seen again. It’s the vintage sign that allows an old, faded, non-existent car brand from the past to survive today.

Meet Mike McCandless, yes that McCandless. The youngest son of Mopar_® Super Stock and Pro Stock Legend Herb “Mr. 4-Speed” McCandless. Mike grew up in the family business when his father began to hang up his racing helmet and started selling Chrysler performance parts. McCandless Performance was one of the first Mopar Direct Connection/Mopar Performance Warehouse Distributors and built engines, transmissions, rear differentials and almost any other go-fast machinery on a Mopar vehicle. “I worked in my dad’s shop starting around middle school and did whatever he asked. One of my first jobs was weighing 360 and 440 cast pistons on an old Triple Beam Balancer. We sold these pistons as a matched set to consumers all over the country,” said Mike. Working in the business up to high school, Mike made plans to attend the University of North Carolina (UNC) Charlotte and was on the track team. “As much as I love the family business, I wanted to pursue other endeavors and college provided me those opportunities,” noted Mike. While at UNC, Mike worked part-time at a local General Nutrition Center (GNC) and learned as much as he could about the health food industry. Over the next 16 years, Mike would start and successfully exit multiple companies within the wellness space.

With the sale of his last company in 2017, Mike was able to get back into the automotive collection world and built the McCandless Collection. A 12,000-square-foot building dedicated to preserving, restoring and highlighting the history of Chrysler’s “Forward Look” vehicles that ran from 1955-1961. This also included all the Mopar artifacts that went with the Forward Look period and even decades earlier. Along with over-the-top historical cars, McCandless also amassed one of the biggest collections of real, vintage Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge and DeSoto dealership signs from all over the country. No reproductions in this assemblage of glowing neon that once lit up the skies. To feed Mike’s obsession with vintage signs, he connected with fellow passionate collector Jordon Richmond and the two created Richmond Auctions, a company located in South Carolina. Their main objective is to procure original Automobilia and Petroliana items (old gas pumps, gas globes, gas signs, etc.), along with other rare pieces to auction off all over the country for enthusiasts. Richmond Auctions makes sure the items being sold are the real deal as in the collector car hobby, dubious sellers like to recreate fakes. While an automobile’s lineage can be traced through prior owners and rolls of paperwork, it’s much different when bidding on a sign that can command well over $100,000. One must look for the originality of the sign as any touch-up work or repairs dramatically hurt the value. Another appeal to hunting down rare signs is one becomes a treasure hunter and channels their inner American Pickers psyche.

“It was a big jump when I got into collecting vintage signs. The car passion never left my soul, but it took until 2018 to discovered how cool this aspect of the hobby is,” commented Mike. “I bought my first two signs at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in 2018 and have never looked back. It’s funny, the collector sign people are the bastard children at the auction scene. The cool memorabilia doesn’t get featured during the premier time slots and never gets shown on the TV coverage and I get it, the focus has always been on vehicles but that’s changing. Many of these old dealership and roadside signs are commanding more money than some cars.” This was apparent back in September 2022 when Richmond Auctions sold a 48-inch double-side porcelain MUSGO Gasoline sign for record breaking $1.5M, shattering the previous record of $400,000. “This unique MUSGO sign was discovered without touchups, restoration or enhancements,” commented Jordon Richmond, Founder and CEO of Richmond Auctions.

“Richmond Auctions was thrilled to have the opportunity to sell this one-of-a-kind collectible. The 1.5 million dollar price tag speaks to the great condition and uniqueness of this item.” While the MUSGO sign might be considered the Holy Grail of antique advertising signs by many collectors, it’s not the norm in the hobby. MUSGO was a gasoline company located in Muskegon, Michigan. The fledgling refinery operated in the early 1920s but was out of business by the mid-1920s. To find a new MUSGO sign that was never mounted and hidden from the public view for 100 years is unheard of among collectors.

Now before you all go tearing across the country in a Ram ProMaster^® van looking for vintage automotive memorabilia, there are some things for you to consider. First, do your research and homework, especially if you’re into vintage Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto and other Mopar-themed signs. “There are a lot of reproductions (signs) out there being passed off as real. Take note of the colors, font styles and materials used in the sign. Chrysler, like all major companies, had ‘brand guidelines’ they would adhere to for consistency,” exclaimed Mike. “Also, if you’re buying a used sign and it’s the real deal and showing signs of wear and tear, don’t restore it. It’ll only reduce the value of your purchase and in many cases, inflict damage. Study fake and reproduction signs, compare them to the real deal, and you’ll know what to look for.”

Mike just recently acquired what is probably the rarest Chrysler sign ever produced. It’s the earliest known use of the Chrysler name on a dealer sign. As Walter P. Chrysler began to acquire the Maxwell Motor Car Company in the 1920s, Maxwell didn’t have a good reputation for building quality vehicles. To change the public’s perception, the signs included the words “The Good Maxwell built by Walter P. Chrysler.” This has been confirmed as the first sign the Chrysler name was used to market the brand to the general public.

There is some crossover of vintage car owners and sign collectors. Many people house their rare machines in “Garage Mahals” and place more emphasis on interior design and decoration. Also, sign collectors are not aging boomers but increasing Gen-Xers. “You’d be surprised the age of the folks attending our sign auctions, it’s not grey hair baby boomers,” laughed Mike. “Many are in the 40-55 year-old range. This age group appreciates signs and makes up the bulk of our buyers. These buyers have the resources, but limited space and they want to collect stuff. They are car people but want to buy a cool sign to complement their exotic supercar or vintage muscle car. For the younger buyers, they’re purchasing signs for the brands they love; however, space and budget play major roles in their purchase decisions.”

So, next time you drive past that closed-down car dealership or walk into a barn to check out someone’s dusty old vehicle, look around, there might be a vintage sign lurking by the dumpster or up in the rafters!