A bit off the subject, but you can Youtube It's a Beautiful Day and White
Bird and listen to their big hit song. They lived on Mt. St. Helena
outside of Calistoga back in the early '70s.
At 04:54 PM 03/21/2009, you wrote:
>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)
>>
>>--
>>Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.22/2015 -
>>Release Date: 03/20/2009 7:01 PM
>>_______________________________________________
>>Nobbc mailing list
>>Nobbc@autox.team.net
>>http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
>_______________________________________________
>Nobbc mailing list
>Nobbc@autox.team.net
>http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
>
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
>Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.22/2015 -
>Release Date: 03/20/2009 7:01 PM
--
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.22/2015 - Release Date: 03/20/2009
7:01 PM
_______________________________________________
Nobbc mailing list
Nobbc@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
|