The Dealer string seems to have flamed out; was fun while it lasted, but
there were only that many dealers to talk about.
Just a couple of final comments from me of interest to Morgan folk. I
mentioned Frank Henry on Telegraph in Berkeley. I bought two 1958 Mogs from
him, the first one I had a terrible wreck with, but survived with cuts and
bruises. The second he sold me for a very decent price, $2,500 as I
remember. I raced that one. Frank was a fine gentleman. He always wore a
three piece tweed suit, gold chain and watch in the vest pocket. He kept his
cars on an open lot but had a small sales office where he had poetry books
to read. Where else but Berkel;ey?
Lou Spencer had the Worldwide business on Sepulvada. He was the one to beat
in his line of "Baby Dolls", that's what he named his cars. He had a French
mechanic, Claude, who could change out a clutch in a half hour. He had cut
away the firewall and pulled the tran out through the cabin. Ahh, those were
the days!
Cheers, Rj
On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 9:21 AM, <craigw@sonic.net> wrote:
> Yeah, I played at a jam on Labor day in Larkfield. He was there.
> Craig
> On Mon 23/03/09 9:09 AM , Bill Crowe haiku99@gmail.com sent:
> FWIW David LaFlame (violin payer of IABD) still lives in the area
> and plays
> local clubs, sometimes with Paul Gruen doing Django Reinhart style
> Gypsy
> Jazz, great stuff....
> On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 7:55 AM, Paige, Dean wrote:
> > I have it on vinyl! Too ,too old.
> >
> > Deano
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net [nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net
> [2]
> > ]wc1632wc
> > 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)
> > >>>
> > >>>--
> > >>>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 [7]
> > >>>http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
> > >>_______________________________________________
> > >>Nobbc mailing list
> > >>Nobbc@autox.team.net [9]
> > >>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 [11]
> > > http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/nobbc
> > _______________________________________________
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>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] mailto:DPaige@srcity.org
> [2] mailto:nobbc-bounces@autox.team.net
> [3] mailto:don@napanet.net
> [4] mailto:nobbc@autox.team.net
> [5] mailto:don@napanet.net
> [6] mailto:nobbc@autox.team.net
> [7] mailto:Nobbc@autox.team.net
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