Show l 7 r I IP IA r P A r rf f FINLEY INLEY WILKINSON B By Y BERT BOYACK THIS TillS WEEK Finley F F. F Wilkinson Wilkinson Wilkinson Wil Wil- kinson owner manager Wilkinson Wilkinson Wilkinson Wil Wil- kinson Buick Bulck South West Bountiful Utah Wilkinson B Buick u i c k one of Utah's most modern automobile facilities is a far cry cry from the business which Mr Wilkinson Wilkin Wilkin- son started some 25 years ago His beginning in the auto business business business busi busi- ness was in Davis County after the completion of world war II when he bought a 50 per cent interest in the Hudson Agency for tor Davis County HE PUR PURCHASED C HAS E D the old Recap and Tire Shop In Bountiful where he recapped tires while setting up his Hudson Hudson Hudson Hud Hud- son Agency I J 1 remember he heI I reminisced the first year I received six new Hudsons to sell seIl and they were only half there The bumpers back seats etc were shipped later as soon as the factory could get them made Both tires and cars were at ata ata ata a premium then and it was a matter of talking the factories out of merchandise P People eo pIe were standing in line to take it away from you TODAY TODA Y MR Wilkinson has expanded his buildings and facilities fa facilities fa- fa several times since buying the Buick Agency in 1953 The latest expansion was in 1965 when the old Bellew Welding shop property and the old grass home and other property on South were made into new and used car outdoor show show- rooms The business has progressed from the sale of six cars the first year to the sale of about new and used cars in the past year I T SUPPOSE like so many young American boys the automobile auto auto- mobile was the most intriguing thing in the world to me Mr Wilkinson admitted This along with the fact that I had an older brother in the automobile business business business busi busi- ness with the Auburn and Cord Agency made It impossible for forme forme forme me to do anything but end up selling and repairing cars I Continuing he said I I re remember remember remember re- re member the first car I had I Iwas Iwas Iwas was working in my brothers brother's agency as a grease monkey while attending the University of Utah I bought a 1928 Ford roadster roadster road road- ster and proceeded to lower the seats lower the top put smaller small small- er wheels on the car and weld the doors shut because they rattled rattled rat rat- tied so badly MY FIRST Job of selling was when I sold this car for a good profit when I left for a church mission Returning from his mission Mr Wilkinson completed his education at the University graduating in education with a major in geology He was a teacher of mechanical drawing for the Salt Lake City School District in the Junior high schools AFTER TWO years in the teaching field he joined the theair theair theair air force where he spent the next three and one half naIf years working as a photographer map mapmaker mapmaker mapmaker maker for the Air Force in inthe inthe inthe the South Pacific During the 25 years in business business business busi busi- ness in Bountiful Mr Wilkinson Wilkin Wilkin- son has also found time to take part in civic activities He served four years on the Bountiful Bountiful Bountiful Boun Boun- city council and four terms as Representative to the state legislature from the south Davis County area HE HAS ALSO been very ac active active active ac- ac tive in his profession taking an active part in the National and State Automobile He served during the year of 1965 as president for forthe forthe forthe the Utah Automobile Dealers Association After his many years in the automobile business and with the changes which have oc occurred occurred occurred oc- oc in the Industry Mr Wilkinson Wilkinson Wilkinson Wil Wil- kinson said I I feel that some of the big changes to come must be connected with safety I know we cant can't progress much further farther until we have much safer roads safer cars and utmost of a all safer drivers WE Vr ARE FAST getting the new roads and our cars are the safest in the world Now we must do something to make safer drivers of us all |