Hello I have been a dormant roadsters owner for about 20 yrs. I first
sat in a new 1500 on a showroom of a western Michigan dealer selling
Triumph and Honda motorcycles in 1965. My dad's business was 'Bay City
Imports' he had sold Renault, Peugeot, Sunbeam, MG and Triumph. He
took Datsun on in 1966. By 1968 just Triumph and Datsun were sold from
a 25-35 car inventory in a town of 50,000 where GM was the major
employer. It was the northernmost import shop of any kind. 1970 he
sold it for $50,000 and took over a Datsun store run in an old
furniture store in front of the Delray Drive-In Theatre in Florida.
The parts dept was all on one shelving unit and there was a single
lift outside in back in the hot sun. I was 17, and washed cars and
janitored since 12. We sold our last few 311's that summer and they
shared showroom space briefly with a 1970 240Z, of which there were
very few. Everything else is history from there! I bought and still
own a 69 with a damaged front end in 79 and swapped engines to 2000. I
rebuilt it again recently and added the 5-speed and another complete
paint. I took it off the road in 1990 when I became a Harley dealer,
accumulated a number of parts cars later, and in the last 5 years
bought decent 66, 67.5, 68 models. Also a solid bare body 69 with
rolling chassis which is becoming a show piece being soon assembled by
Classic Datsun. I sold the HD store in 2003 and rode motorcycles all
over 5 continents . I spent so much money I decided it was about
time to tend to my needy flock and catch up to my bills. I had
accumulated 4 parts cars too so I began parting them out, giving a
rear body half to Mark Harris in Chattanooga. Two sets rear springs
went to mine and Bill Hastings 66's. There is a driveline now in every
corner and a pile of suspension and steering parts too. I have a 40'
trailer storage out back. So I recently doubled my 100 hours of 20
years with 100 the last few months! I have 3 cars very very near ready
with maybe 50 hours to make them drive-anywhere. I spent most of 2009
building another 3200' shop in Robbinsville NC with a 2-post lift. My
3500' playhouse in Alabama is currenty where I am working lift-less.
Things are going well, alternating working on 4 311's and a 1960
DeSoto my dad gave me. I love it all but can hardly wait to have the
whole lot of them road-ready, shined up on display in NC.
Where is the fellow who makes ID plates?
Sent from my iPhone
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