The History of Grand Spaulding Dodge and Mr. Norm 

I met Mr. Norm at the Mopar Nats back in the 90s. He parked next to us and came over to talk to us. He was driving a Caravan full of stuff. I think he was selling hats, t shirts, and autographs. I had always heard of Mr. Norm, but I didn't recognize him. After about 5 minutes, he told us who he was. He told us a short history of the end of the dealership and a few things about what he'd been doing. We saw him a couple more times and he called us by our first names. He seemed like a regular nice guy.

My best friend in high school bought a 1968 Dodge Dart GTS 383 Magnum 4 Speed for $1700 in 70's.He was only 15 years old and bought it with the money he saved up from delivering newspapers. We put fender well headers on it when we were teenagers and threw the stock manifolds in the trash. Dumb thing to do because the drivers side manifold is very unique due to clearance issues. Rob passed away last year - but his youngest son now has the Dart - all original - runs great - still hauls ass :)

My uncles had a carpet installation business in the 60's - 70's - 80's. Every time Grand Spalding would expand, my uncles would have to go re-carpet the offices and showrooms. My Uncle Paul heard that the '69 Super Bee was coming out with a 440 6-pack, and had Norm and Lenny set him up. The following year, my Uncle Ronnie, bought his "wife a car for the family" - a 1970 Challenger RT SE with a 426 hemi, with a 727 Torkflight automatic. My brother and I, still being under 10 years old, were our uncle's pit-crew. Sunday mornings were mostly spent driving out to Oswego Dragway, then us changing into the slicks. When Norn wanted to do the GSS '72 Demon, ALL of his adds said, "automatic transmission" - my Uncle Paul argued that he NEEDED the 4 speed - they eventually relented. That '72 Demon was Hemi Orange with a White Interior. Mr. Norm also has the distinction of creating the "Van Craze" of the '70's - guess who did ALL of the customizing for these vans? - My Uncles - they basically carpeted a cargo van like a cocoon - floor; walls; roof. What wasn't known, was that the brothers, Lenny and Norn, would buy their father a new car every two years. They didn't buy him a Dodge - they bought him a Cadillac. My Uncle Paul bought the '72 Eldorado convertible that had been their dad's; then my mom bought the '74 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, which was the follow-up. I still remembering (as a pre-teen), Norn walking around with a HUGE cigar, just chewing on it - I offered him a light (I was a little juvenile delinquent), and he said that he had quit actually "smoking" them. When my Unkle Paul was going to get married, he was "forced" to sell off his "toys". I remember, being 12 or so years old, and EVERY salesman wanted to flog his trade-in. There was actually a guy just walking down the street, that seen the Demon, and was telling them that he wanted to buy it - they told him that it wasn't in their inventory yet - they were just "test driving" it. They were tearing up and down Grand Avenue in front of the dealership - dumping U-Turns on Grand and heading the other way.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's at the time my dad was a parts manager for a Pontiac dealership in Wisconsin I was fortunate enough to have been around some beautiful muscle cars which turned me into a motor head at a young age. It's a shame car dealerships lack the magic they had back then most were small but very cool I miss them as well as full service gas stations that didn't require a debit card at the pump call me old school.

Excellent tribute to an "Automotive Legend". I grew up not far from "Mr. Norm's" and remember driving East on Grand Avenue and taking that slow "S" turn under the bridge. I have always been a CHEVY fan, but I still dug the performance and aesthetics of late 60's MOPAR. Too bad you couldn't have gotten your hands on some of those "early" Buckingham's commercials.

Yep! I grew up in downstate Illinois listening to WLS….in Chicago! Grand Spaulding Dodge, Nickey Chevrolet Home of the backward K and Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!! At beautiful US 30 dragway! Wonderful memories……😎

My brother in law’s purchased cars from him.I still live at Dickens & Spaulding.The building is still there.

My big brother took me cruising a few times when I was ten years old in the late 60s. We would always cruise past Grand Spaulding Dodge. I met him a few times at the MCACN in Chicago. We had some great conversations. He was so pleasant to talk to. Legend.

We used to listen to WLS out of Chicago Up here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan Mr. Norms ran commercials on it,

R.I.P Mr. Norm. I met him at the 1st moparty a couple of years ago. Very nice guy.

Now you need to do an episode on NICKEY CHEVORLET and ROYAL PONTIAC

Good memories cruising around southern Wisconsin listening to WLS on the AM radio in the early 70’s.

I was in Chi-town from 1968 to late '70 and Mr. Norm's was the place to be. I was driving a '70 Roadrunner and basking in warm glow of horsepower. Should have never sold it.....thanks for the memories. Really great upload!!

@ 6:23 that picture was at Gary's house. I lived a few blocks from Gary. As a kid, we would put playing cards in the spokes of our bike wheels. It would sound like a engine. And go over to Gary's house. He would let us kids sit in the funny car. One time he was having dinner and watching TV but stopped to share some time with us. Gary was a fantastic person, I'll never forget. Year later I purchase a car from a friend, 1967 Cuda, it belongs to Gary's brother Bobby. Came from the Dyer shop, was a Bad azz car and got me in trouble I joined the Navy so I didn't want to go to court. But what a awesome car. Thank you Gary and Bobby

Mr. Norm seemed like a cool guy.

Yeah Mr Norms Dealership was bad ass and known for putting out cars that Chrysler never did but they did use many of Norms Ideas

Loved the story, and great editing clips too. Keep up the GREAT videos!

I had the honor of meeting him in around 1990 at the mopar National in Indianapolis .. He was amazing

I heard of Norm Kraus passed away but didn't know the date, wow thats real history of a creative man. R.I.P. Mr. Norm

King of MOPAR muscle RIP Norm

Being from that era and living in Cicero back then,I sure learned a lot about Norm's that I never knew before.One thing I do remember clearly is going to US 30 in the mid-60s and it was Gary,The Farmer and Dyno Don featured race day.It was Gary up against Dyno Don first.Gary's rear locked up coming off the line popping out his rear window.An easy on for Dyno Don. Then it was the Farmers turn against Dyno Don.Well,it was close but maybe midway down the 1/4 mile,the Farmers car hooked up too good and it got away from him and Dyno Don got the win.Even though I had a '56 Plymouth that I repowered with a Hemi back then,I was and still am a die hard Ford big block guy.If anyone was there that day....Please correct me if I am wrong because the brain still works but when ya get old...Oh,well,I am sure you all heard enough stories about that already.Enough said....Grumpy Here.

When I was in High school before I had a driver's license. I would look in the newspaper to see what Mr.Norm had on his lot. Never got to buy a car there. Some of the kids who came from money had purchased nice mopars there. They would be bleaching the tires and burn out in the school parking lot. Too cool 😎

Thank you!! Greatings from the netherlands

My Ol High School Friend I would listen to WLS AM 890 ( I think was the numbers) We would dream of the cars they was advertising on there! In the Mountains of South West VA seemed like a world away. But We Sure Had Dreams!

Now that was awesome thank you I owned a 69 super Bee 383 4 speed speed 69 Coronet 440 73 Challenger 73 charger and many many more love my mopars

One interesting item not mentioned was that Mr Norms opened a second location in Buffalo Grove in 1975. I bought a 70 Challenger from a private party in 78. It had a grand Spaulding sticker on it. The sticker said “Chicago-Buffalo Grove”. In the mid 90s Larry Weiner partnered with Mr Norm to sell dealership swag. I was looking at the stickers Larry sold and asked if he had any that said both locations, as my 70 Challenger had one. He said the second location wasn’t open in 70, but if my car was originally sold by Mr Norms, they had original sales folder! I sent him my VIN and he soon called me that had the sales records folder from when it sold new! So my car was sold twice by Mr Norms, new and later as a used car.

Awsome learned more than ever before 🏁🏁🏁🏁

Nicely put together piece Vic! Thanks for the shout!

A friend from PA bought a new 67 Hemi Charger from Mr. Norm. He mentioned it was stored in a warehouse, across the street from the dealership. The engine was missing, never heard why, but it arrived complete ready to drive.

RIP Mr Norm. Jesus have mercy on us.

It was some fun times back then !

This is an incredibly researched video, thank you!!!!

Win on Sunday--sell on Monday. Grand Spaulding had an inventory you'd kill to see today. On top of that, the salesmen were very very aggressive and with cash in hand a buyer could score a road rocket immediately at a decent price. After the muscle car era died, Grand Spaulding was at the apex of the 1970s van craze with again, a huge inventory. Miss it dearly.

Awesome Video , Thanks Vic

Dyer, Kraus bros. These viewers! Dodge guys. Bless 'em all.

Very Nicely Done man👍

Thank you for recording and posting this educational video.

Great stuff, Thanks

Good job!!!!

I surely enjoyed this.

This is awesome, thank you so much for this!

Awesome story!!

Yeh interesting history of the man and his cars, thanks for putting it together!

Very informative.

Great story

I wanted to know more about Spaulding MOPAR , thanks for posting , Amazing story !!!

rest in peace Mr. norm

Excellent video

Great video!

I owned a '71 Charger R/T Mr. Norms car i had to sell in 2008 but has recently came to light in Utah on RU-vid. Great video!

Thanks for this. I learned to drive and drove my dads 68 Dart GT when I was 10. 1975. I have always wanted a Mr Norms 68 Dart GSS

Very nicely put together l get up in northwest suburbs n Chicago's street rod community seen a lot of those Mopar have stickers very awesome!!!

Mr Norm was the man. Thanks

Enjoyed

interesting history on the legendary man/dealership

I met Mr. Norm at MCACN in Chicago about 10 years ago. Better than meeting a rock star. The same trip I met Arnie the Framer, Mr. Motion, Jim Wangers, Martyn Schorr. Great time.

My Grandfather worked for Mr norm late 60s - early 70s and I have a Mopar carburettor inlet/manifolds to fit 4 twin 45 Webber downdraughts with Mr norm made 8 trumpet stacks from aluminium so instead of shaker hood or normal vented bonnet my uncle had 3 American cars that were Mopar cars as lived near a U:S:A base in England when he came back he imported a 1968 Dodge charger in triple black black vinyl roof black interior on a black car it'd pistol grip linked to 4speed straight cut gearbox by quaife as had big hemi engine he blew up few gearboxes stripped gears and uprated positraction differential not sure if charger or his Plymouth Duster 340 he had specialist built ford axle halfshafts had Mopar stud pattern to fit Chrysler cars not Ford his 71 duster 340 fitted with 440 engine with inlet manifold Mr norm made a clear plastic bonnet scoop/bulge to cover but see carbs and trumpets tubbed rear with Lamborghini Countach rear tyres 275 wide on 15inch magslots mega wide tyres not far apart if looking from rear car was panther pink black duster graphics lovely and standard challenger 71 full options untouched from new rear seats n trim still had plastic covering them not took off was lieutenants car garaged most life white black roof and interior shaker hood and zoomie exhaust 4pipes up towards front each rear wheel did flames at night he loved Mopar his dream car Dodge Daytona Charger or a Plymouth roadrunner (unsure if was roadrunner) or coronet superbird both basic same car platform

that WLS broadcast aired on the day I was born. man I miss the 70's and 80's

RIP Mr. Norm!

Nimrod & spazz free. No fruit here. Zero lisping Chrisley. A deadpan guy talking the talk. No straightjacket required. An exemplar. Note to Doug & Bill.

Are when you showed that one part about February 1972 I bet these guys hated that year, they probably started seeing right away that the horsepower was going away and high-performance was it but you had to dig for a car that would even like the tires up??? Actually kind of a bummer, especially like the 1970 Chevy Chevelle with a 454 CI engine with a 4-speed transmission, I think some of them puppies were putting out over 500 horsepower??? And then because of insurance they just destroyed everything as far as horsepower and speed went. I remember buying a 1966 Pontiac GTOwith a 389 CI engine with the single 4-barrel carburetor and a four-speed Hurst transmission for$100 , I gave it back to the dude the next week he gave me the $100 back, because I was an idiot and all it needed was a throwout bearing and I didn't know what that was, it also need a little wiring work on the back brakes big deal, I was a kid I didn't know shit about cars then, sure wish I'd kept that goat. I think it'd be worth a lot more than $100 right now even stock. Also it was gold paint with white interior bucket seats I think the interior was white I only had it a week or two I don't really remember now. Anyway if you're young and get ahold of a good car like that don't get rid of it cuz it needs some work.

I listened to the WLS ads

Race on Sunday,sell on Monday-great video!!!!!!

Dress code mini skirts for very cool 60s dealership/=gotta lot business .miss 1968.

I I don't much like Mopar products, but I sure do like history.

◄They had a preseason open house for the 1969 models at the end of September 1968, complete with a band and refreshments. I went there to look at the 69 Super Bees as I had been shopping for a 68 all Summer. There was a light green one (maybe F5 color) on a turntable. It featured the 426 Hemi. I thought long and strong about buying it but decided that since I had only driven 225 slant sixes, that I'd pass on the Hemi. Not too eager to kill myself with that much power. So, I eventually wound up with a B5 Blue, 383 4-speed ram air sure grip car after the original Bee I purchased (not from Grand Spaulding Dodge) was stolen. I was still able to get a Bee. Fifty-four years later that Bee and I are still cruisin' down the road. Retired it from daily driving in November of 1971. Nowadays, It only leaves the garage if there is less than a 10% chance of rain. Despite that, we've logged just under 52,500 miles together.

👍👍

Mr Norm is the shit if you re into mopars then you should know Mr Norm

Kraus...is that German. I'll never forget their beautifully painted iconic 68 Charger. What happened to it?

The history of this iconic dealership in 12 minutes.....I don't think so 🤔

🥝✔️

Tara has star quality. So smart and personable. Sexy.

On American Pickers they went to a place Mr norms van with trick paintjob 70s Dodge panel Van that had a dragster painted on sides so looked like it was parked beside van and looked wheels for dragster cool above dragster said Mr norm company name number et iconic van should be in Peterson museum as it's muscle history I'm in Scotland owned few USA cars wish I'd grown up 50s USA as been legal time muscle cars ruled late 60s instead I stayed near Chrysler UK Linwood grandfather and dad uncles worked there making Plymouth Crickets for USA during fuel crisis in UK it's either Hillman, Chrysler or Talbot make models name Avenger we made OMNI designs USA built was originally Chrysler Horizon closed Linwood 1981 built 1966 as Thatcher wouldn't help Scots jobs Chrysler sold to Peugeot/Talbot 1979 French closed and killed off numerous British car makes so could get foothold in UK to sell crappy plastic ugly rust buckets very cheap flood market country as 3 big French Car Brands are same company same engine electric parts all parts same even floorplans different outer shell bodywork looks different but same car like vw Passat is same as Skoda Octavia and seat Leon badge con classic cars rule FCK Ur EV,s Petroleum for me lol

Mrs. Norm didn't invent the 383 Dart. It was a factory option. Chrysler wanted the 383 Barracuda to come out first, and later released the 383 Dart. You also forgot the part about Mr. Norm losing his dealership due to warranty fraud, his time spent behind bars for commiting warranty fraud and when he converted the dealership into a used appliance store in the 1990's.

If that doll at 10:13 was his wife, I can see why he wanted to spend more time with his family! She's a babe!

"A" Bodies from '67 on were intentionally designed by Chrysler engineers to fit, from the factory, the "B", "RB" block. You will never convince me otherwise.

Well, not exactly. Dodge cannot see an idea it likes and have it in production the very next year. Further, it was not beyond the scope of the people who invented the Hemi to think about putting a larger engine in a smaller car. The idea that Mr. Norm "taught" Chrysler how to do this is a pretty silly story. Reality is that Dodge could very well have put a larger engine in the Dart...but not using their assembly line. They dropped bodies down on top of engines and chases, and the engine just would not fit that way (Norm put it in from the top, that's why he could do it). There is no way to make money producing cars that cannot be built on the existing assembly line, and that is why the engine options were limited for the original Dart. And believe me, the fact that Dodge WAS able to fit bigger engines into the Dart using their assembly line, the very next year...means it was already in the works years before anyone drove an engine swapped Dart to their office.

Norm Kraus, a warranty thief cost him his business.

Great video! I miss seeing Mr. Norm at Mopar fest up in Ontario. He was there almost to the end. Great guy.

That was an excellent video. Thank you!