TheSamba.com :: View topic - What ever happnen to (fill in name here) shop?

Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:00 pm

While on an OC to Tenn. holiday trip I remember of some former VW shops in the areas we were passing thru and I started wonder what happen to them.....

So if anyone knows answers to these Q's, lets hear them!

What ever happen to Southern Volks in Texas? They were a major player and also sponsor the big Texas VW events.

If anyone else wants to post a What happen to _____ shop, go ahead!

Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:06 pm

If anyone else wants to post a What happen to _____ shop, go ahead!

That shop on the 460 in Virginia...I think near Petersburg.....

Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:30 pm

What actually ever happened to Johnny's Speed & Chrome?

Sat Jan 31, 2009 5:58 am

I know that A&B Imports here in my home town closed down a few months ago. After nearly 40 years in business, Doug and Wayne hung up their hats to travel, play golf and spend time with the grandkids.
This was the last VW-centric place in my town with a good new and used parts supply and a small graveyard out back to pick parts from. Two honest owner/operators that were super knowledgeable about VW's (Doug was a VW trained mechanic, working at the dealer before starting his own shop).
Don't know where I'll go now when I need some greasy widget for my next project.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:41 am

scott s wrote: I know that A&B Imports here in my home town closed down a few months ago. After nearly 40 years in business, Doug and Wayne hung up their hats to travel, play golf and spend time with the grandkids.
This was the last VW-centric place in my town with a good new and used parts supply and a small graveyard out back to pick parts from. Two honest owner/operators that were super knowledgeable about VW's (Doug was a VW trained mechanic, working at the dealer before starting his own shop).
Don't know where I'll go now when I need some greasy widget for my next project.

Yeah, A&B was a good shop. About the only shop around the area that would work on performance VW's. They will be missed.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:36 am

69 Jim wrote: What actually ever happened to Johnny's Speed & Chrome?

Not sure of the details, but their shop was sitting right next to the offramp of the 5 FWY on Busy Beach Blvd, some real prime realstate. The city of Buena Park was pushing to have the whole area redeveloped and I suspect the money from the Honda dealership that sits there now was too good to pass up.

They moved briefly to Long Beach, (I believe) before throwing in the towel.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:01 am

^^^ About Johnny's the above was part of the deal but also the father was dead tired of the business and had the son running it. But since he grew up around the business too...plus the silver spoon in the mouth...wasn't in it 100%.

Even after they sold off the parts to a Long Beach ACVW business (still in business...) but the parts had not left the building yet, the son was seen taking parts out the back door and giving them to friends and other people. :roll:

If you do post a request, at lest state the business name.

Anyone want to hear about Repart in Santa Ana? How about Small car Specialties in Anaheim?

Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:03 pm

werksberg wrote:
Anyone want to hear about Repart in Santa Ana? How about Small car Specialties in Anaheim?

Yes, I'd love to hear about Small Car Specialties.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:55 pm

Collie wrote: If anyone else wants to post a What happen to _____ shop, go ahead!

That shop on the 460 in Virginia...I think near Petersburg.....

Still there. I pass it on the left side when I go from Norfolk to Petersburg.

Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:31 pm

What about Car Custom? I remember the ads on the back of VW Trends and Hot VWs.
Tim

Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:52 am

i remember going to KDF in glendale ca. with my brother in his 56 oval back in the mid 80's. they always had a good crew there and a bunch of parts.

Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:58 am

I'd like to know when Donsco in Belmont went under? Where are the NOS cool trinkets and rare parts in the glass display cases ended up?Oh yeah and where the new buggy body that was in the rafters forever ended up? When did Donsco open? I know I've seen there ads in some of the 70's magazines I've got,maybe even some of the 60's?

Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:23 am

how about vee parts in garden grove? i use to work there during highschool 91-92 :D

Mon Feb 02, 2009 11:05 am

Dunebubby wrote: I'd like to know when Donsco in Belmont went under? Where are the NOS cool trinkets and rare parts in the glass display cases ended up?Oh yeah and where the new buggy body that was in the rafters forever ended up? When did Donsco open? I know I've seen there ads in some of the 70's magazines I've got,maybe even some of the 60's?

Ah, bummer to hear that. I used to love stopping in there on the week long trips back home from the Sac. BOR's!

I get to the SCS and car Custom story in the coming days as I have been buried in back orders after the 3 week holiday travel trip to Tenn.!

Vee Parts in GG, Hmm....where in GG where they?

Mon Feb 02, 2009 2:15 pm

What ever happend to Barrett Enterprises in Azusa

Mon Feb 02, 2009 7:33 pm

Dang it, I was hoping to hear about my former dealers dismise and not me writing a book on former shops. :shock:

Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:37 pm

Vintage Split wrote: werksberg wrote:
Anyone want to hear about Repart in Santa Ana? How about Small car Specialties in Anaheim?

Yes, I'd love to hear about Small Car Specialties.

What I have been told....Their main credit line was with Lincoln Savings and when Keaton was indicted, the Government call in all their loans. The owner (A friend) also had to spend time behind bars for an unrelated offense.

After that, they couldn't secure the loans to keep going.....sad day.

Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:43 pm

rgdedge wrote: What about Car Custom? I remember the ads on the back of VW Trends and Hot VWs.
Tim

Car Custom in Azusa (the owner's family own most of Azusa commercial property....) just got burn out doing it right and only small returns...even trying different things like the used car lot.

But then He bought a bunch on CNC machines to make their own Billet alum Pro 1 VW parts. They started playing around making Billet alum HD custom parts before the custom bike scene went BIG!

Well, they were making too much $'s with the bike parts and too much time to run the VW store so......bye, bye.....

He know also has a chain of auto body repair shops too.....

Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:52 pm

66Rredvert wrote: What ever happened to Barrett Enterprises in Azusa

Ron Barrett of Barrett Ent. (one of my first wholesale dealers) is still in the ACVW parts scene but working for a big Wholesale importer supplier.

He had a son that also grew up in the business but wanted to do other things with his life (fireman EMT. a little story....we had been taking care of my wife's great aunt and while coming back from a vacation trip, we could not reach her. When we stop by to check in on her, she had died peacefully. The EMT / fireman crew that came to our 911 call....you guess it, he was one of them and we went "I know you!" lol...).

Ron also had a large gas station that was the cash cow...but a wife got it after a divorce..at lest I think that was what was stated to me too many years ago....

Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:48 pm

sprkplg08 wrote: i remember going to KDF in glendale ca. with my brother in his 56 oval back in the mid 80's. they always had a good crew there and a bunch of parts.

i bought parts from them for my bus!