We occasionally provide excerpts from The Great American Car Wash Story. Former ICA Executive Director Gus Trantham and veteran commercial writer John Beck wrote this book in 1994. It represents the most complete history we have found of the industry in North America. Enjoy.
By the early ‘50s, it was obvious that car washing as an industry was on its way. While in 1946 there were only about 50 carwashes in the United States, by 1955 there were at least 2,000 in operation with an estimated 25 to 50 new ones starting up each month. Professional car washing had become the way to for getting cars cleaned…or for getting into a business on its way up.
Especially was this true of the manufacturers who seemed to be springing up everywhere to fill the vacuum of sources for equipment designed specifically to wash cars. The old catch-as-catch-can way of building a car wash had to come to an end if this business was to be able to expand on a sound basis.
In types of equipment, there came a flow of new techniques from huge built-in vacuums and steam cleaners at one end to powerful blow driers and towel washers at the other end. From conveyor chain returns to hookless conveyors. From entrance correlators to spray wax arches. From rocker panel brushes to wrap-arounds. From on-line power polishers to under-carriage washers. From dyna-mitter racks to lower detail brushes. On and on, many new developments long before the advent of self-serve, in-bay units, cloth and high-pressure washing.
And interspersed amongst these many ways of washing cars and designing practical equipment you’ll find the names of the creators, the shakers and movers who hatched the basic ideas and nurtured them along patiently until they were ready to enter the marketplace as functioning hardware. Names such as Mitchell Hurst, James Vani, Sherman Larson, Paul Berke, Earle Wilson, Anthony Coronata, Daniel Hanna, Russell Haverberg, John Jurkens and Max Thompson.
Parallel to all of this was the establishment and development of professional car wash trade associations, the launching of magazines and the stellar performances of some car wash operators who played major roles in the improvement of services and the introduction of new ideas.
Then, just when it seemed as though the industry had matured and started to level out as a standard service, there began a new direction of creativity in terms of the types of car washes, such as roll-overs, drive throughs, exteriors, spray-arounds, self serves, so-called brush-less washes and then the touchless tunnel. In addition, there were a few unhappy failures such as the use of sawdust and ultrasonic sound which courageously tackled the use of dramatic new principles but manage to miss their target.