A Salem auto dealer said he has given up his longtime phone number -- one day after being named in a lawsuit designed to force him to.

Hayward Statum, the former owner of Friendly Lincoln-Mercury, sold the business June 30 to Magic City Ford in Roanoke.

Magic City said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the deal called for Friendly Lincoln-Mercury to transfer its phone number to Magic City, but that the transfer was never made.

Wednesday, Statum said he learned from the phone company that he has completed his part of the number-switching process. He said he took care of the detail without knowing the suit had been filed.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, however, the switch had not taken place.

Magic City owner Bill Johnson could not be reached for comment, leaving it unclear if he will go forward with the lawsuit. The suit asked for $75,000 in damages on the contention that Statum's company is using the number to gain clients and business.

The lawsuit contains a bevy of previously confidential facts about the dealership transfer, because Johnson filed a copy of the purchase agreement he and Statum signed.

It says Magic City paid $500,000 for Friendly Lincoln-Mercury, plus $577,187 for 18 new vehicles.

Statum, with 40 years in the car business, now sells used cars and is doing business as Candy Automotive from the former Friendly Lincoln-Mercury address, 1354 E. Main St.

Salem business records still indicate that Friendly Lincoln-Mercury is the business there, said Deputy Commissioner of Revenue Kristie Chittum.

Indeed, the Friendly sign on Wednesday was still on the building.