Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of vehicle information shown on this site, but absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Internet Price excludes applicable tax, title, and registration only. Doc fee, dealer charges, and dealer-installed accessories are included in the displayed price. Manufacturer offers and incentives are subject to change, residency requirements, and program rules; some offers may not be combinable. See dealer for current eligibility and details.
About Bill Colwell Ford: Hudson, Iowa's family-owned Ford dealer since 1984
The Ford store on Waterloo Road has been part of Hudson for more than a century, and part of the Colwell family since 1984. Here's how it got here.
Three generations in the car business
The Colwell name has been on car lots for more than 60 years. It started with a used car lot in Illinois, carried through a father-and-son business in Waterloo, and came to Hudson when Bill Colwell bought the town's Ford store. Today Bill and his son Blake own the Hudson store together, with Blake running it day to day as general manager. Blake also owns Colwell Motors of Mason City.
What's carried through all three generations is how they do business. Bill learned it working for his dad and built his dealership on it: treat customers and employees with respect and fairness, and the rest takes care of itself.
"Being able to give back to those who have given us a chance to earn their business is what keeps our business going." Bill Colwell
"He taught me the value of working hard. He taught me how to sell, but really more about relationships: how to get along with people and understand what they want." Bill Colwell, on his father
Bill Colwell Sr.
Where it startedOpened his first car lot in Illinois and taught his son the business.
Bill Colwell
Founder and owner, Bill Colwell FordBought the Hudson Ford store, put the family name on it, and still owns it today.
Blake Colwell
Co-owner and general managerRuns Bill Colwell Ford with his dad and owns Colwell Motors of Mason City.
A century of Ford in Hudson
Hudson had a Ford dealer long before it had a Colwell. For most of the 20th century the two stories ran side by side, until they met in 1984.
The Ford store in Hudson
- 1900s
A Ford franchise opens in downtown Hudson. It's said to be one of the first Ford franchises in Iowa.
- 1930s
Ford tractors are sold alongside cars at the Hudson dealership.
- 1951
The Keith family takes over the franchise.
- 1959
In November, a fire destroys the downtown building.
- 1960
The Keiths build a new dealership out by the highway, opening in September.
- 1970s
Keith Motor Company adds on to the building.
The Colwell family
- 1960
Bill Colwell Sr. opens his first used car lot in Mt. Morris, Illinois. It's the start of more than six decades of Colwells in the car business.
- 1961
Bill Sr. is awarded a new Rambler franchise, American Motors' compact car line at the time. He wasn't shy about getting the word out: his early newspaper ads ran under the headline "Colwell is Nuts!" Decades later, Bill found the ads in old issues of the Mount Morris Times at the town library while gathering photos for the dealership's history wall.
- Early 1970s
Bill Sr. comes to Iowa as general manager of Schukei Chevrolet in Waterloo.
- 1975
Bill Sr. and his son, Bill Colwell Jr., open Bill Colwell's Auto Mart in Waterloo. For the next nine years, the younger Bill learns the business working alongside his father.
Bill Sr. with a 1956 Lincoln at the Auto Mart, early 1980s.
1984
The two stories meet
After nearly a decade at the Auto Mart, Bill Colwell Jr. buys Keith Motor Company's Ford franchise from Doug Keith, receiving the franchise on July 27. He was 28, and he chose Hudson partly to stay close to home. The store had been selling about 10 vehicles a month. That August, it sold 27. It held its grand opening as Bill Colwell Ford in October.
"I had no idea. I was 28. I knew it was a good opportunity. I knew I could go down there and sell some cars." Bill Colwell
"Staying in town kept things simple for me and made my mother happy." Bill Colwell
- 1989
The original building was only 6,000 square feet. A major addition more than doubles it and adds a new service department.
- 2007
Bill's son, Blake Colwell, joins the business, the third generation of Colwells to sell cars.
Blake Colwell with Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company's president and CEO at the time. - 2012–2013
After 10 years of asking, Bill buys the neighboring property that had been Kerry Ingredients. His attorney later found the first letter asking if they'd sell, dated a decade earlier. A new showroom goes up in front, and the older building becomes offices, a customer lounge, and an expanded service department. The original dealership comes down, and the grand reopening is held in October 2013.
"We had people sitting on top of people. We'd wrung everything out of that building we could." Bill Colwell
- 2016
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center opens in June, servicing any make with no appointment needed.
- 2025
In August, Blake buys Mason City Ford Lincoln and Mason City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. They now operate as Colwell Motors of Mason City.
The ribbon cutting at Colwell Motors of Mason City, 2025. - Today
The Hudson store that started in a 6,000-square-foot building now spans about 35,000, with a team of more than 70.
Meet the team
Recognition
Awards aren't the point, but they're a decent sign the respect-and-fairness idea still holds up.
- 1999, 2009, 2011Ford President's Award, Ford Motor Company's recognition for outstanding customer service and satisfaction.
- 2016–2023Best Auto Dealership, first place in the WCF Courier's Best of the Best, eight years in a row.
- 2016Top 150 Workplace from the Des Moines Register, the only dealership in Iowa named that year.
- 2019, 2020Top 100 Dealership in the U.S. for reputation score on Reputation.com.
- 2025Business Partner of the Year at the Cedar Valley Nonprofit Awards.
In the community
Fill A 50
Since 2012, we've asked customers and neighbors to fill the bed of a Ford F-150 with donations for a local cause. Past drives have supported Cedar Valley Hospice, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Cedar Bend Humane Society, House of Hope, Friends of the Family, and the Black Hawk County Veteran Affairs food bank. Learn about Fill A 50.
Drive 4 UR School
Every test drive at our annual event earns a donation from Ford Motor Company to the Hudson Athletic Boosters. Through 2023, the event has raised more than $73,000 for Hudson athletics.
Future technicians
We've donated equipment to the Hudson High School Automotive Center so students can train on the kind of tools they'll use in a real shop.
What we do today
Bill Colwell Ford sells new Ford trucks, SUVs, and cars, along with used vehicles of every make and Ford commercial vehicles for businesses and fleets. Our Ford service department uses factory-trained technicians and genuine Ford parts, and Quick Lane handles everyday maintenance on any make.
We're on Waterloo Road in Hudson, about 10 minutes from Waterloo and Cedar Falls, and we serve drivers across the Cedar Valley, including Evansdale and Parkersburg.
Questions about Bill Colwell Ford
Quick answers about our history, our family, and where to find us.
When was Bill Colwell Ford founded?
Bill Colwell Ford opened in July 1984, when Bill Colwell purchased the Keith Motor Company's Ford franchise in Hudson, Iowa. The grand opening was held in October 1984.
Is Bill Colwell Ford family-owned?
Yes. Bill Colwell Ford has been owned and operated by the Colwell family since 1984. Today Bill and his son, Blake, own the dealership together, and Blake runs it day to day as general manager.
How long has there been a Ford dealer in Hudson, Iowa?
Hudson has had a Ford franchise since the early 1900s, and it's believed to be one of the first in Iowa. The Keith family ran it from 1951 until selling to Bill Colwell in 1984.
Where is Bill Colwell Ford located?
We're at 238 Waterloo Road in Hudson, Iowa, about 10 minutes from Waterloo and Cedar Falls. Get directions.
Does the Colwell family have other dealerships?
Yes. In August 2025, Blake Colwell purchased Mason City Ford Lincoln and Mason City Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, now Colwell Motors of Mason City, at 215 15th Street SW in Mason City, Iowa.
Can I get my non-Ford vehicle serviced at Bill Colwell Ford?
Yes. Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center at Bill Colwell Ford services all makes and models for oil changes, tires, brakes, batteries, and other routine maintenance, with no appointment needed.
What awards has Bill Colwell Ford received?
Bill Colwell Ford has won Ford's President's Award for customer satisfaction multiple times, was voted Best Auto Dealership in the WCF Courier's Best of the Best from 2016 to 2023, and was named 2025 Business Partner of the Year at the Cedar Valley Nonprofit Awards.
Stop in and say hello
238 Waterloo Road, Hudson, IA 50643
-
Bill Colwell Ford
238 Waterloo Road
Hudson, IA 50643
- Sales: 319-600-7345
Loading Map...