An outstanding shop a with reputation to match......I think you did your Dad proud. Times and circumstances sometimes just dictate a change in direction. Congrats, time to take a break and enjoy some semi-retirement time....you've earned it.
The business built by your dad is not the most important part of the equation. It’s brick and mortar. The ability to provide for you and for you to provide for yourself is the important part. The legacy isn’t what you touch, all that fades away eventually. These cars, tools and even skills we have will not last forever. It’s for our enjoyment and/or a means for providing a living. The legacy is the fond memories you have and the family and friends that benefited from the business. Good luck and I’m kinda jealous for all the years spent in that cool shop messing with old cars and parts.
We still have a great old auto electric shop in my city (Brian Roberts Auto-Electric). I give them my business rather than buying new for the family fleet and other cars I repair. I think you get better quality with properly rebuilt OEM stuff, and I like keeping it in use rather than discarding it in favour of cheap new imported stuff.
Wow, now that it is a blast from the past.Thom was well known for his quality work.I had a roomate that worked for him in the 70s and 80s,and I worked for a construction company that I would pick up and deliver parts to him.I can still smell that shop today.
That’s awesome, I think it was on 4th street? I was young and never got to go to the shop. It’s funny you mentioned shop smell, I always smelled that on my dad even in his car but now I’m nose blind to it. I had a prim and proper lady come into the shop one day, she walked in stopped dead in her tracks, I thought ok the nice lady is probably kinda disgusted I can understand that. I asked if I could help her, she raised a finger and said can you please give me a minute. She took a deep breath and tears kinda welled up in her eyes. She gathered he self and said “I haven’t smelled this smell in 30 years , my grandfather used to let me hang out in his shop when I was little, I just think I time traveled.” She asked if she could have a look around and did, all over the shop and left both happy and sad. My daughter and grandkids both talk about how papa smells like the shop. Great to meet someone who new Thom and his shop.
You're doing the right thing, Rusty. Seize the moment...life is short. I sure am happy you'll still be doing speedo work out of your house, so when the time comes, please let us all know your new contact info. Thank you for your wonderful & personal service over the past decade! ....Greg You might find this card interesting I got recently got from the guy who I've been taking all my car problems to over the years. It sounds eerily familiar to your situation.
Thanks I really appreciate that. I’m just putting together a mailing list of customers to send out the same type of note. Because of laziness on my part except for wholesale customers who had charge accounts I never entered folks address’s and phone numbers. So I’m gonna miss sending cards to a majority of customers. I thought about contacting the local newspaper The Gazette for a Sunday feature on the shop and the changing face of downtown. Lanier’s speed shop is also downtown and is also closing, last year we also lost Manley radiator (how’s that for a shop name)and just Friday the guy that owns the last major salvage yard close to downtown Harris used parts came in for a starter on his loader and said he’s closing down and liquidating also. If anyone still reads the newspaper that is. Website and phone number will stay up and the same minus the auto electric pages. Google Lanier’s speed shop Colorado Springs he didn’t have a website but there’s some pictures and links to articles on his shop.
Kinda apples and oranges, but I know what you are talking about on smells. When I was growing up, a Great Uncle ran a small gas station/grocery in my hometown. I still remember the smell of that store all these years later. I was somewhere in NC several years ago and stopped at a small store much like his was. When I walked in, it was like I was on a time trip, too. The smell of that old store reminded me so much of my Great Uncle's it was like I was 8 years old again. Sadly, he's been gone over 40 years, the old store burned not long after he passed away, and only memories remain, and they are faint now.
Well guys I had 57 Pontiac speedometer sent in for repair and had some issues with calibration. If I got it correct on the low end 0 to 50 then it was off from 55 on up, if I got it correct from 55 up to 100 then it was off on the low end. So I called Tom and he helped me out with splitting the difference so it was acceptable through out the whole range of speed. So guys I'd like to introduce you to Tom our shops 45 year employee that is still willing to come in and bail my ass out when needed. Thanks Tom! Tom
https://gazette.com/news/colorado-s...cle_6bbe4498-fb74-11eb-b429-0350d444046f.html Well the scrap guy came and hauled 10 tons of alternator, starter and generator cores out of the basement, a lot of stuff I hated to see go this is just a portion of it. The newspaper article ran in Sundays business section. The link is above.
You gotta do what you gotta do. At least scrap price is up for the alternators and starters. The article is nice. Is that shop really 18000 square feet?! Or is that a typo?
During all this moving, Rusty still made me a new speedo cable for the AOD that's going in my Ranch Wagon. Turn around time was lightning quick and the quality was top notch. And on top of all of that the price was more than fair. Glad he's still keeping with the speedo portion of the business. Can't say enough good things about my several dealings with him. And on top of everything else he's an Alliance vendor.
Glad to help, trying to keep on top of things. My dad always said “we provide great service and knowledge “ the parts just come along with that. Thanks for trusting me with your build.
I saw this in the 60's , then again in the 80's I worked in an ignition / electrical / carb shop in 1964 We rebuilt starters and generators for $8.50 flat rate We were a wholesale dealer for the parts By 1970 , we could buy a rebuilt for the cost of us doing it, and make more selling it. The only place to make a profit was the heavy duty truck and commercial. Owner died , new owner sold the building , moved to new location. I went to work for him, no electrical rebuilds , we could buy it cheaper and sell at 40 % markup. We still did carb " overhauls" , which were a clean out and kit , choke parts by then. made plenty of money on " Tune Ups" and electrical shorts and wiring, but by then Computers took over , and dealers were getting all the work. I ended my career in a Cadillac/ Buick dealership after 47 years. Saw changes happen every year. best years were the early years at the ignition shop, fixing " problem" cars. Always a challenge , always appreciated. Tough to make a living in the auto repair business these days. Good luck in your speedo business.
I cant blame ya, real estate here is insane. Pocket some loot, rebuild your shop and home, semi retire and enjoy life.
The worst part about this post is the truth in it.. But the cheap parts from china or wherever are just that, cheap. Yeah you can buy a "brand new" for almost the same price but the quality is trash. I used to buy new everything all the time, lately I started to rebuild what I can, brushes, polishing armatures etc.steering boxes etc.. .. Its more rewarding to make something like this work again than throwing it in the scrap pile... So much life left in so many parts still, just some small parts that fail or wear points wear out. Its a throw away society these days anyways... We are the hold outs for sure. I never threw the old stuff away when I was buying new... I always gave it to guys with like interest or who would rebuild it etc... You paid your debts, carried on the family business, that is highly respectable, dont worry about what others think... You are doing yourself and family a good deed for sure... Enjoy time off, live your life.... Enjoy working at home and you will find the enjoyment of not having overhead etc is so rewarding its crazy... Best of luck man in your endeavors... Get your garage done up and post pictures... Love to see it!
It's such a great looking shop, you hate to see these buildings disappear. As a Linc/Merc partsman for twenty five years I tried to keep up on small shops and specialty business' (carb specialists, gauge rebuilders, repair manual vendors) to help customers out. Some customers couldn't afford our $125 per hour rates, and some "techs" didn't have the know-it-all or desire to be fiddling with certain jobs. Small business owners should be respected and utilized for their expertise.
NEWS | Colorado Springs auto repair shop closing after 64 years - YouTube Accompanying video to the news paper article.
Best of luck to you in whatever the future holds. The real estate market is booming across the country, and it would be a prime opportunity to cash out. I doubt you'll regret it. That being said, you've been a proper caretaker for your dad's business for a very long time. I have no doubt that he'd be thrilled for your continued successes and sustainability even to this point. The reality is that the business lies with you, and the knowledge he taught you and you've gained independently, not within the 4 walls of an inanimate building. That's great that you'll continue handling speedometer service, but in the event that you don't, maybe you could pass some of your knowledge onto others to keep the chain in motion. Either way, best of luck with the sale of the property and the next chapter in your life. You've certainly earned it.
Good luck in your further adventures. I'd hazard a guess that Hambers may try to keep you fairly busy. I don't know how many tons of cores that Jim Thomas who had Smith Auto Electric in Yakima hauled for scrap but it had to be a lot. He was well and gone past retirement age and didn't have anyone capable to hand the business over to. There is a high end kitchen and bath outfit in the building now and it was a great go to Pizza place before Jim moved there years ago.
Will miss the photos that you post on the “what did you see today“ thread. Always neat to see old cars in front of your shop. That said, I understand completely and agree with what you’re doing. Enjoy the next step…….
Going out to lunch today with my buddy Dick Billings who had a starter, generator, alternator rebuilding business for 35 years. Same thing happened to him, could barely turn a profit due to online junk going for low prices, he finally closed in 2018 and in his upper 60's. Happy to report he now has the hang of retirement.
Rusty, thanks for letting the wife and I stop by the shop last July. You are a great guy and do great work! Best of luck! Dan & Lucy
The Jalopy Journal
