Dixie Distributing Company

[Chris Haynes]

For those of you who have never visited Dixie Distributing Company, here it is. A full city block full of H-D, International Truck parts, used forklifts and a million tons of other stuff Harry has bought over the years. Everything inside this building is for sale. There are no lights other than in the office and shipping room. No running water. No windows open for ventilation. Sometimes the elevators work.

[c.o.]

Now wouldn't that be a cool building to take a stroll in..........

[Chris Haynes]

Now wouldn't that be a cool building to take a stroll in..........

Don't wear shorts. Bring flashlights, food, water, and a carrying bag or cart. Prepare to get real dirty. There have been fires in the building and stuff just shoveled off the floor and put in wire mesh bins. yer gonna look like a minstrel when you leave.

[c.o.]

Now you got me really interested!!! A survival kit and getting dirty is right up my alley!!!

[fabercycle]

Chris,

Traditionally, You need to show valid buisness credentials to buy from Dixie, as they are a wholesale only business.

[23JDCA 808]

Dixie Distributing Company (Inc)
200 W High Street
Springfield, OH 45506-1630 map
Phone: (937) 322-0033 Website: Information not found

"Dixie Distributing Company (Inc) is a private company categorized under Motorcycles-Supls & Parts-Wholesale and located in Springfield, OH. Our records show it was established in 1948 and incorporated in Ohio. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of 7,500,000 and employs a staff of approximately 42."
From the internet. ...bill

[tomcat1]

is there a special knock on the door and secret password to get in? Who's name do I have to throw around and pretend we are best friends.

[Chris Haynes]

is there a special knock on the door and secret password to get in? Who's name do I have to throw around and pretend we are best friends.

Slip me a 20 and I'll tell you. Actually you do need to be a Dixie wholesale customer to gain access.

[Jerry Hatfield]

I was there about 20 years ago when the business was known as Dixie American Indian, or DAI. The company had a staff of one (uno). I went by at the request of the owner, who wanted to partner with me on a book on Linkert carburetors. He had lots (all?) of the engineering drawings with specifications. They came from the widow Linkert. I declined the project because it was too much work, and probably too little payoff, when I already had my hands full with other book projects.

The Springfield, Ohio, building was originally the site of Collier's weekly magazine, which was a rival of The Saturday Evening Post. Collier's was published from 1888 to 1957. The magazine was the first to go out on a limb with controversial articles. After Collier's won several lawsuits, other magazines took up the practice of "muckraking" journalism.

[exeric]

I always wondered what DAI stood for. I thought they were a great company and had very good prices with a wide range of hard to find "genuine" Indian stuff. I used to see them set up at all of the big meets back in the early 90s and they also had a mail order catalog. I guess all of that stuff is "resting" at the Dixie building now.

[fabercycle]

Jerry,

DAI was an offshoot business of Dixie Dist, that was run separately by Mike Hammacher. They were only around for a while in the 80s-90s, and I believe Kiwi bought the inventory. Mike still works there a few hours here and there consulting, I believe.

Sorry Eric, there's no nos Indian inventory left at Dixie.....unless you mean from India.

There's also another offshoot company, Dixie International, in Columbus which is a partnership with Dixie and yet another guy, who sells primarily Japanese bike parts, and has been around since the 70s.

[Jerry Hatfield]

Thanks for the correction and update, Fabercycle.

[Steve Slocombe]

I went round the Springfield facility a few years ago and still found nos Harley parts. I was picking up split bags, finding mislabeled boxes, and fishing out nuts and mudguard rivets from between the cracks in the floor. Great fun. The occasional nos gear for the one-year 1936 VL four speed has come out of Dixie, but no more. The owner also has a long time frame perspective. I saw drums full of nos Harley 45 standard pistons, which no-one was interested in until the new cylinders came out. There is a sister facility in Florida, which I visited just before Eustis two or three years ago. The early nos parts are pretty well cleaned out, to be replaced with Indian and Chinese repros, but there is still late model stuff to be had. I still do regular business with Dixie and they must be one of the few old bike parts businesses still going.