Back in 1970 I took my 67 MGB GT into BMC Motors in San Francisco. While
waiting I started talking to another "long hair" who was waiting for his
E-Type to be serviced. I asked him what he did and he said he was a
musician. Turns out he was David Laflamme leader of the 60's acid rock band
"It's a Beautiful Day". It made my day that's for sure. Back then you
never knew who you would run into at BMC Motors.
And then there's the famous Grace Slick Aston Martin story from the same BMC
Motors.
Ah memories.
On another note the Daimler is finally finished and maybe I will join you on
a run once the rain stops. Better yet we should plan a run in Marin my home
territory.
Steve Plath
----- Original Message -----
From: "don" <don@napanet.net>
To: "North Bay British Car Club" <nobbc@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 3:10 PM
Subject: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
> Back in the late '50s through early '70s, British car dealerships could be
> found in most US cities of any size, especially in California. Even
> before I got my first British car in 1965, I loved visiting the showrooms
> to admire the MGs, Triumphs and other British cars. Of course, I would
> always pilfer as many sales brochures as I could hoping to not upset the
> salespeople too much.
>
> I remember the BMC/Jaguar dealer in Napa on Soscol Avenue, which was to
> become Napa Valley Datsun when they dropped the British car line around
> 1967. There was a BMC dealer that tried again in Napa shortly after but
> didn't last long. I remember taking my MGA there for repairs in 1968, but
> I don't remember the name of the place. I do remember that it was very
> expensive to pay someone to repair my car, and after that, did most of my
> repairs myself. The name of it might have been Washborn Imports.
>
> In Santa Rosa, there was Ralph Vesper Motors on Santa Rosa Avenue which
> sold Triumphs and British Fords. I remember that dealership, because, as
> I bought parts for my old Anglia and Zodiac (c. 1966, '67), I was
> distracted by the siren's call of the sleek TR4s and Spitfires on display
> in the showroom. I still have a few pieces of the Triumph literature I
> took on visits to Vesper. Car dealers usually left their identification
> by irubber stamping their names and addresses onto the front or back of
> the sales literature. Vesper's name and address sill adorn my old Triumph
> brochures.
>
> The most interesting dealership to visit was always British Motors on Van
> Ness Avenue in San Francisco. They had Jaguar, Rolls Royce and the whole
> BMC line, and the cars they had on display were always of a high calibre.
> This was such a classy place that I always felt underdressed because I
> wasn't wearing a suit and tie. As an extreme British car nut, I was
> thrilled just to purchase parts there. I do have several license plate
> frames from there, which I think are a cool period accessory.
>
> Other dealerships that come to mind are Union Jack (BMC) in Hayward and
> British Motors in San Jose.
>
> Anyone else have any recollections of the British car dealer world in the
> area?
>
> Don Scott
> Calistoga
> 1962 MGA Mk II
> 1991 Miata BRG
> 1973 MGB GT
> 1962 TR4 (seeking)
>
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