Ban Hoe Seng Moves To A Bigger Premises - Kampar Road

Ban Hoe Seng showroom on the ground floor with Hotel Fairmont above.

The popularity of the Japanese vehicles had improved in the sixties. The trade in motorcycles was stable and gradually rising.

With the introduction of Toyota Ban Hoe Seng opened their first workshop located in Buntong.

Later when Honda cars were introduced Boon Siew wanting to improve its car sales had put pressure to provide an improved showroom. 

Chairman Chew Choon Siew had a bungalow in Chung Thye Phin Road. In the front of that bungalow were two tennis courts fronting Kampar Road and measured two acres in size. The tennis courts gave way to the new and expanded office and showroom.

Ban Hoe Seng, Kampar Road was opened in 1969 featuring a showroom on the ground floor while the upper three stories were taken up by the Fairmont Hotel.

The showroom was spacious to accommodate the display of bikes and cars.

The showroom could accommodate to display both the motorcars and motorbikes and house the administration offices and store. At the back of the showroom was a yard used for storage of motorbikes and cars.

 

The yard at the back was for storage of cars and bikes 

The move to Kampar Road was timely as the mid-seventies saw the introduction of the Honda Civic which provided further growth of the Japanese automobile industry both cars and bikes.

The move to the Kampar Road premises was far sighted for other than periodic upgrade and improvements the structure has remained unchanged till this day.

 

Ban Hoe Seng then (above) and now (below), a far sighted move.

JAG

1967: First Honda Automobile In Ban Hoe Seng Showroom

Honda N360

It wasn’t until 1967 when the first Honda automobile was displayed at Ban Hoe Seng’s showroom.

The dealership with Toyota lasted just four years. It was terminated when Honda began producing cars. 

Boon Siew who had earlier accepted the Toyota dealership was given the option to choose and accepted Honda.  

Boon Siew's acceptance of Honda and in turn Ban Hoe Seng would take their venture into the next century.

The Honda cars were delivered to Ban Hoe Seng four at a time as there was problem with storage at their premises at Belfield Street.

The first model of on offer was the Honda N360, a 2-cyclinder air cooled engine. This was subsequently joined by the improved liquid cooled Honda Life.

The gradual acceptance of Japanese vehicles was gaining in popularity and prompted Ban Hoe Seng to consider enlarging their showroom which could be used for displaying cars and motorcycles at the same time.

In 1969 that became a reality with the opening of their new showroom in Kampar Road.

JAG

Ban Hoe Seng First Sold Toyota Automobiles

Toyota's at Ban Hoe Seng showroom.(L to r) Yeoh Oon Hock, Angeline Chew (4th from left) and Chew Choon Kok (last) 

Ban Hoe Seng in the early days had been associated motorcycles. But in the early sixties they began dealing in automobiles beginning with Toyota. This was due to Loh Boon Siew who had acquired a car dealership.

Boon Siew had noticed the increase in car usage and wanted to start a car dealership. However as Honda was not making cars yet he acquired the Toyota agency.

Ban Hoe Seng already Boon Siew’s main dealer in Perak was given the opportunity to market the new Toyota.

 

(L to r) Chew Choon Kok and Yeoh Oon Hock (centre) posing with Toyota Crown

Yeoh Oon Hock with the Toyota 700 and Toyopet Tiara

In 1964 Ban Hoe Seng began dealing in Toyota automobiles. There were three Toyota models on display at the time the Toyota 700, Toyopet Tiara and Toyota Crown, the first Japanese brand of cars in the country.

(L to r) Toyopet Tiara and Toyota Crown.

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