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Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area

To: "North Bay British Car Club" <nobbc@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
From: craigw@sonic.net
Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:05:54 -0700
I
had an MGB in high school, late '60's to early '70's. I used to take
it to Washburn Imports, which sold MG's at the time. They were located
just north of the highway 12 overcrossing at Santa Rosa Ave. I believe
they went out of business in the late '70's or so.
 Craig Wiper
 On Mon 23/03/09  7:55 AM , "Paige, Dean" DPaige@srcity.org sent:
 I have it on vinyl! Too ,too old.
 Deano
 -----Original Message-----
 From: nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net [nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net
[1]]
 On Behalf Of Steve Plath
 Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 8:56 PM
 To: North Bay British Car Club
 Subject: Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
 Not to worry.  I have the whole album on my ipod.
 Steve
 ----- Original Message -----
 From: "don"
 To: "North Bay British Car Club"
 Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 8:24 PM
 Subject: Re: [Nobbc] British car dealerships in the area
 >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"
 >>To: "North Bay British Car Club"
 >>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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 >>>Release Date: 03/20/2009 7:01 PM
 >>>_______________________________________________
 >>>Nobbc mailing list
 >>>Nobbc@autox.team.net [6]
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 >>Nobbc@autox.team.net [8]
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 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>--
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 >>Release Date: 03/20/2009 7:01 PM
 >
 >
 > --
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 > Release Date: 03/20/2009 7:01 PM
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