http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Encino-...item1c23a77dc3
Here's a Merlin Olsen plate frame on ebay
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Encino-...item1c23a77dc3
Here's a Merlin Olsen plate frame on ebay
Thanks Bill, it turned out pretty good for a junkie garage.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Simmeth
(I know a guy in the sign business ;)
Leroy Cannon Volkswagen --- thru ’72, P + A after 7?
South Church Street Extension
Greenville, SC
Dull white lettering/letterbox on a dull med blue back-round, raw (un-painted/un-plated ---- !) pot metal
Heavy sucker --- substantial, die-cast?, with elaborate, almost architectural detailing --- front and back (including re-enforcements) . . . more picture- than license-frame
1970, SC passenger issue, commemorating the state’s tri-centennial --- 1-year only. These plates are issued by weight-class thru ‘71 . . . BX = passenger car, 2000 – 2500 lbs
Autohaus Porsche Audi, Inc
1760 Manheim Pike
Lancaster, PA
From the Aug '72 PDL
Dull white lettering on a dull blue back-round, flash-chromed, no maker’s identification
Nice, crisp finish, especially the lettering, with some finer detailing --- the ‘hashing’ in front and the tidy die-marks in back . . . but otherwise a pretty routine treatment. (Compare this to any RWB Co)
PA passenger issue, introduced in ’65 and used thru the end of ’70, modified by yearly reg stickers. This is also their last baseplate to feature an outline of the 'keystone' state
Up to '69 . . .
Bob Bozzani Volkswagen, Inc
420 West Foothill Blvd
Monrovia, CA
From '70 on . . .
Bozzani Porsche Audi, Inc
411 W. Huntington Drive
Monrovia, CA
From the '69, '70, '71, and '72 PDLs
Apparently, started out as Bob Bozzani Volkswagen, Inc at 420 West Foothill Blvd, same town --- up to '69. Not sure how long they had the Porsche franchise, but their VW business is still going --- 528 S. Citrus, in Covina
. . . The two Bozzani brothers came from Italy and opened up a motorized bike shop in downtown LA in 1911. Since then they had various franchises until around WWII. Bob Bozzani opened up shop in Monrovia then with VW in 1957. In 1995, they handed it off to Greg Bozzani.
Today the grandson, Greg Bozzani, continues to operate his VW dealership in the same manner. Greg employs some of the same people his father did. People stick around his facility beacuse its a great place to work and buy and service cars from . . .
http://www.bozzanivw.com/History
This frame is another RWB Co --- little different, w/raised chrome lettering on a dull black back-round, flash-chromed. Compare back-round textures --- top versus bottom . . . different, odd
CA plate is early '70, 6-place (Number/Number/Number-space-Letter/Letter/Letter) 'blue' plate = regular passenger issue, used thru '81, then switching to current 7-place N/LLL/NNN). Reg updated w/yearly tag until '77, then accompanied/modified by month-of-exp in the upper left well
. . . with some interesting/fascinating comments/images . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...hlight=bozzani
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...hlight=bozzani
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...t=dealer+frame
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...t=dealer+frame
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...t=dealer+frame
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ight=don+burns
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...t=dealer+frame
For a company as widely seen/recognized as Robert W Brown & Co, I’ve found only very little information about it
The earliest reference I can find, dated 1957, has to do with a lawsuit filed against the company contending that they (RWB & Co) had violated a patent in producing a license frame. Short version --- RWB & Co lost
What’s interesting about the date is that California --- and, apparently, a lot of other states --- changed the size/shape of their vehicle license plates over to a more-or-less standard --- and different --- one the previous year
Any way, the company was in business until ~’79, whereupon the whole outfit was sold to a company called JayDie (still in business), who continued using RWB & Co’s tooling for a time . . . allegedly even issuing frames with RWB & Co’s logos struck-out and JayDie’s added in
RWB & Co was not the only company making frames. But, from what few types of frames I’ve seen, they must’ve had one heck of a business, producing stuff for a coupla decades, for all kinds of dealers, selling all kinds of vehicles --- far and wide. And while there is a listing of RWB & Co’s customers, I’ve absolutely zero interest in verifying whether or not any frame stamped RWB & Co was, in fact, produced by them. I bring this up because there are replicas/re-issues of several of the more popular frames --- I’ve seen them . . . . and spoken with those who’ve produced them
Yet --- no one has admitted to reproducing the RWB & Co identification on any re-issue/replica
As for me, aside from my own personal observations/impressions/gut reactions, I take the presence of an RWB & Co logo as an indication that the frame I’m looking at was made before 1979
Take these comments for what they're worth . . . especially given some of the prices being realized
Interesting...and similar analysis from 3 years ago...
http://porsche356registry.org/356talk/1/15713.html
Even more detail in embedded link...
http://www.pbase.com/slidevalve911rs...rame_manhattan
Vasek Polak (Porsche Audi from '70)
Originally (from '59) . . .
356 South Sepulveda Blvd
Manhattan Beach, CA
Moved sometime between '64 and '67 to . . .
199 Pacific Coast Hwy
Hermosa Beach, CA
Another really famous Dealer. Mechanically-gifted Czech ex-pat --- came over as a refugee, basically . . . got into Porsches early, made his bones running/tuning Carreras, scraped enough together to open the first Porsche-only US dealership in '59, yadda, yadda, yadda . . . .
WAY more, here . . .
http://www.vpracing.com/index.html
1) Hermosa Beach w/Porsche crest . . . unidentified + unknown
2) P + A branded . . . from '70-on
Came across this (very) Old Picture, but this frame is really interesting for having the early '70s Porsche | AUDI branding --- totally unlike the 'crested' ones usually offered/floating around . . . and all the more interesting since the car it's mounted on has a proper early '70-issue CA pass blue-plate to go with
3) Manhattan Beach w/crest . . . repro?
4) Hermosa Beach --- front frame . . . Real Deal early '60s, restored?
5) Hermosa Beach --- rear . . . Real Deal + OG
Morgensen Motors was the first Porsche-VW dealership in Phoenix. Survived until the '80's. My dad cut his teeth there as mechanic and shop foreman until '73. Dick Morgensen is fondly remembered for racing one of the Max Balchowsky 'ole Yeller cars and for slinging his 1957 Ferrari 250TR around the track. My father helped crew both cars.
(I think the Cobra frame is pretty cool too.)
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