Both Washburn and Ralph Vesper were a block and a half from each other and
both sold new British Leyland Jaguars, Land Rovers, Triumphs, Austins & MGs.
Peter Ziedrich
Redwood Empire Mini Enthusiasts
zied@redwoodempiremini.com
http://redwoodempiremini.com
-----Original Message-----
From: nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Peter Ziedrich
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 10:42 PM
To: 'North Bay British Car Club'
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
What a little search on the internet does... this should interest a lot of
you.
http://tr6.danielsonfamily.org/Files/DealerBrochure.pdf
Peter Ziedrich
Redwood Empire Mini Enthusiasts
zied@redwoodempiremini.com
http://redwoodempiremini.com
-----Original Message-----
From: nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of G. Mugele
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 7:13 PM
To: North Bay British Car Club
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
Hi Don and Robin,
I think the place you're describing on SR Ave. was Vesper Motors. I
recall a Washburn Motors but I think the Santa Rosa shop only sold
used cars. I do recall it in a location near there... maybe they
took over that spot after Vesper closed up shop in the 70s G.K.
Hardt handled BMC stuff in Santa Rosa into the 60s sometime. It was
on SR Ave., West side, between Sebastopol Ave. and Maple Ave. In
early '64 they even opened up a Jag/Cobra/MG dealership annex... it
was North of town back then.... now that location is in town near the
K-Mart. .... NW corner of Cleveland Ave and Industrial Dr.
If you want to include ALL Brit cars ya hafta include Paul Felton on
Van Ness in SF.... Rovers and Land Rovers. There were also Rover
dealers in Berkeley, El Cerrito and down the Peninsula. Just in the
idle curiosity category, I think it's interesting that the first Land
Rover dealership west of the Rockies was in Willets. It was Carbrey
Motors and they handled Ramblers, International and Caterpillar as well.
Gerry
Glen Ellen
On Mar 21, 2009, at 5:34 PM, don wrote:
> Robin,
> Thanks for jarring my memory! Now, I remember Washburn on the east
> side of SR Avenue near Petaluma Hill Road. It was a long building
> and the showroom was at the street and the service bays were in line
> behind it.
> And I remember going to EF Sweeney in San Rafael now. One memorable
> event was buying parts there for an MG. There was a young woman who
> had bought an Austin Marina new at the dealership not long before,
> and she told me the sad story of how everything on the car had
> broken. That was in the early '70s. No wonder the Japanese were
> able to take over the imported car market from the Brits.
> Don
> Calistoga
G. Mugele
mewgull@mugele.net
*** Nobody roots for Goliath. Wilt Chamberlain
_______________________________________________
Nobbc mailing list
Nobbc@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
__________ NOD32 3953 (20090321) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com
_______________________________________________
Nobbc mailing list
Nobbc@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
__________ NOD32 3953 (20090321) Information __________
This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.
http://www.eset.com
_______________________________________________
Nobbc mailing list
Nobbc@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
|