Gerry - I believe you are correct. I think Washburn moved into Vesper's and
was not a Dealer. Did GK Hardt sell DKW's? I was pit crew for Waters Dodge
in San Fran when they ran DKW's at Cotati, probably @1958. As I recall Hardt
had some interest in the DeeKee Doo's. They carried the auto union circles
and later became Audi, I think. They were three bangers, FWD, and cornered
well on three wheels as long as you kept your foot down.!!!
On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 7:13 PM, G. Mugele <mewgull@sonic.net> wrote:
> 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
>
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