Re: [Chrysler300] 300 import

["Roger Schaaf" <obiwan10@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Some 6 years ago or so(time flies and I am uncertain of the number of 
years), I attended the Western Club annual meet in Sacramento(Folsom meet). 
Another member approached me to discuss my B and he told me that he had 
purchased one himself.  He was I believe from CT or somewhere close by and 
when I asked him from whom he had purchased his B, he responded that it was 
from Ken Block.

Ken as I remember had a large collection of 300 parts(he also had recreated 
some of the special B decals that he sold to those of us in need of them) 
that he traded and sold to various members over the years.  A couple of 
items that were always of keen interest to me, were that he had a NOS set of 
window "flippers" and a complete set of NOS sill plates, possibly a NOS 
power antenna, all for a B.  Of course these are like Gold today and 
impossible to find. I remember asking this buyer of Ken's car about these 
parts.  I believe he said some or all had come to him with the car.

I called and spoke to Ken about 3 years ago.  Sounded as though he was doing 
well but had sold his B but did not ask him why.  I believe that he had also 
told me that he had disposed of his large collection of 300 parts and 
accessories..  He was a very knowledgeable guy on 300's and was certainly of 
great help to me in seeing that I received a first rate restoration.  The 
car was certainly a royal mess when it went into the shop and came out a 
rose and for this I still say thank you to him for his assistance.

If the gentleman who purchased Ken's car is a member of this club and reads 
this, please post us and let us know who and where you are and what has been 
happening with the car since you acquired it.  I do not remember you name 
from our meeting in Folsom.

Thank you all who sent private messages to me on the tale of acquisition and 
restoration of our B.  Sorry that I did not get into our Editor for the 300 
B edition of our newsletter.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Waters" <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <hmpirish@xxxxxxx>; "Roger Schaaf" 
<obiwan10@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 5:43 PM
Subject: 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
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>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> To send a message to this group, send an email to:
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>>
>> For list server instructions, go to
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> 




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