While some of the 38 General Motors dealers in New Mexico could lose their affiliation with the shrinking automaker sometime next year, a spokesman for one local dealer Monday sought to reassure customers.

Don't worry about GM warranties and protection plans, said Ted Cover, general manager of Henry Valencia General Motors in Española.

"We're not looking for them to be going out of business," Cover said of the company that once was the country's largest auto manufacturer. "So far, as Henry Valencia goes, it looks like we made the cut and will continue with business as usual. We're offering all the incentives and everything else."

Nationwide, GM is cutting its retail network of 60,000 dealers by 40 percent. Attempts to get comment from Santa Fe dealers were unsuccessful. Cover, however, remained optimistic.

"Right now it would be premature for me to say more," he said Monday, explaining that his dealership was expecting "a satellite meeting" with representatives from GM headquarters this morning.

Cover said his sales were down 40 percent over the past several months because of the economic recession, but "there was a slight uptick last month."

Meanwhile, car enthusiasts who have been loyal to brands produced by GM, which is in the process of paring down its extensive lineup of models, also tried to absorb the news of the bankruptcy reorganization and government assistance.

Gene Beck, an 87-year-old Santa Fe resident, still owns a Chevrolet Corvette he bought in 1957.

"It's 52 years old, and it runs well," he boasted. "It's on its sixth engine — it ought to be running good. I drive it every day."

Beck also has a 1988 Corvette that stays in the garage most of the time. He only drives it when it rains or snows.

"They're both good cars," he said.

Beck also has a 1983 GMC pickup that he doesn't drive much these days. "It's good, too," he said of the truck. "I got it for towing a trailer, and we don't do that much anymore."

As for GM's bankruptcy filing, he said, "It's too bad, but they brought it on themselves. The Japanese, the Germans, they were surpassing American cars. Even my mechanic who works on my Corvettes and truck, he quit buying American. He's got a couple of Japanese cars."

Contact Bob Quick 986-3011 or at bobquick@sfnewmexican.com.