He is still around. Basically out of the old car parts business. Was at Iola this year. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron Waters" <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <hmpirish@xxxxxxx>; "Roger Schaaf" <obiwan10@xxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 7:43 PM Subject: ****COULD BE SPAM**** Re: [Chrysler300] 300 import > Great story, Roger ! It should find its way to the club's website... > > I remember buying lots of parts from Ken Block back in the 80s. Also have > a > pic of his white B somewhere. Does anyone know what became of him ? > > Ron > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Roger Schaaf" <obiwan10@xxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <hmpirish@xxxxxxx> > Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 2:34 PM > Subject: Re: [Chrysler300] 300 import > > >> I purchased my B in Canada in 1986. It had been sitting outside under a >> tarp for 10 years and was in possession of the Sheriff of Pentictan(SP) >> which is located a couple hundred miles East of Vancouver. We purchased > it >> on a sealed bid auction and the car had no title. Never did find why the >> Sheriff was in possession except was the result of some type of > litigation. >> >> Upon being informed that I had won the auction(4,500.00 Canadian) I >> called >> the local Chrysler dealer to find if they might get it road worthy for us > so >> that if we would fly in, we could drive out. They sent one of their >> mechanics out who towed it to his home where it received some brake work, >> starter, generator, gasoline drain and fill, new oil and other > maintenance >> to ready it for our trip home. >> >> This gentlemen picked us up at the airport, invited us to spend the > evening >> at his home, go out to dinner(he insisted that pay) with him and his >> wife. >> After dinner I asked him what I owed him for his repair efforts. He >> responded 500 dollars. I insisted that this was to cheap but he insisted >> this was what the bill was. I then gave him 500 dollars, whereupon he >> returned some 150 of them, telling me that his bill was 500 dollar > Canadian >> and would not in spite of my protests would not take a cent more. >> >> We then drove the car to Vancouver where the 1986 World's Fair was being >> held. We spent several days there and then began the drive home to >> California. Great time in Vancouver, except being stopped 3 times by > local >> Police as we had no license plates, and they also were a stickler on >> assuring that we had proper insurance(which you can buy by the day as I >> remember). >> >> Also while driving around Vancouver, one day I was parked at a telephone >> booth(remember those before cell phones?), a lady in a Cadillac pulled up >> and spoke to my wife who was sitting in the car while I was on the phone. >> When I left the phone booth she introduced herself and told me that she > had >> stopped as she had noted the 300 and said that she felt that she knew > every >> 300 in Vancouver and this was a new one on her. I asked her why she knew >> every 300 and she told me that she was the wife of Norm Frey and he owned > a >> collection of them, loved them and had a service garage that specialized > in >> MOPAR products and service. >> >> She invited us to follow her to her home where we were introduced to Norm >> and his collection of 300's(2 55's 2 56's and perhaps a 57(not certain on >> this) and other assorted Mopars including a 67 Satellite(?) with low >> miles >> and a hemi and a 79(?) 300 with some 5000 miles on it. Ending up >> spending > a >> day or 2 with him(he replaced a vibrating U-Joint for me) and having a > great >> time with he and his wife Rose. Also staying at his home and eating > several >> meals with them. We have remained friends for many years and they have >> visited us when they came thru to California(he loved to come down for >> the >> big swap meets at Turlock and Watsonville). >> >> When we attempted to enter the US we of course were stopped by Customs as >> again no license plates. After presenting a bill of sale from the >> Sheriff >> and they then calling him to assures that we were legit, we were informed >> that we owed duty on the value that we had paid for the auto. >> >> After much discussion regarding our feelings that we did not owe any >> duty, >> and they finally being persuaded that indeed we did not after I pointed > out >> that this was a USA built auto and was merely being returned home, and > again >> Customs making a couple of telephone calls to their superiors somewhere, >> they waved us on thru and told us to have a nice trip home. No duty was >> paid. Car averaged just over 17 miles per gallon for the entire >> trip(probably 1800 miles total and used zero oil) and had no problems > except >> for vibration from U joint and tire balance. >> >> Car was then shipped to Warren Automotive in Iowa City, Iowa where it > spent >> 2 years for a frame off restoration. A fellow club member at that time >> by >> the name of Ken Block(who owned his own very fine 300 B) who lived in > Cedar >> Rapids helped oversee its restoration. I would stop by on my frequent >> business travels back East to look in also. When restoration was > completed, >> it was shipped back to California via Passport. California labor at that >> time was about 50 to 60 dollars hourly and finding a great shop was >> almost >> impossible. Warren Automotive in Iowa City did a wonderful job and labor >> rates were 25 dollars hourly. They basically specialized in Bloomington >> Gold Corvette restorations but with Ken's guidance(they had also done his >> car) were able to do repeat their great work on his car. >> >> The toughest problem that I had with the car restoration and getting it > back >> on the road, was persuading the California DMV to give me a title(took 2 >> years) based only upon a Bill of Sale from a Canadian Sheriff and >> registering a set of NOS 1956 license plates(still in original DMV > wrapper) >> that I had picked up at a swap meet in Watsonville(I think for 75 dollars > at >> the time) to the car. >> >> So now you asked what time it is, I told you how to build a watch. The >> short of it should be, that if the car was built in the USA, I doubt that >> you should pay duty to bring it back. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Roger Schaaf >> 300 B Calyfornua >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <hmpirish@xxxxxxx> >> To: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 8:01 AM >> Subject: [Chrysler300] 300 import >> >> >> > Hi 300 Fans, >> > I am looking at buying a 300 in Canada. Does anyone know what is >> > required by US Customs in the way of paperwork and tax? I don't want >> > to >> > use a broker >> > to bring it in to save money. >> > Thanks for any insight. All the Best 300ing ! >> > Phil Irish - outside Memphis (wet from Katrina but only >> > slightly blown around) >> > >> > >> > >> > To send a message to this group, send an email to: >> > Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> > >> > For list server instructions, go to >> > http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm >> > Yahoo! Groups Links >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> To send a message to this group, send an email to: >> Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> >> For list server instructions, go to > http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm >> Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > To send a message to this group, send an email to: > Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > For list server instructions, go to > http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Get fast access to your favorite Yahoo! Groups. Make Yahoo! your home page http://us.click.yahoo.com/dpRU5A/wUILAA/yQLSAA/8LmulB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To send a message to this group, send an email to: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx For list server instructions, go to http://www.chrysler300club.com/yahoolist/inst.htm Yahoo! 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