Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

[Bob B.]

Hi All,

I was just looking for something in my photo file and i ran across this vintage CA racing pic. I looked to the upper left and it sure looks like someone with a gun leading away someone in handcuffs.

Is there a better explanation?

Bob

[Duke W.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

That photo cropped more at the top, so you can't see what you describe is on page 69 of the Corvette Racers book. I think what you see is some sort of optical illusion. The two guys in white are likely SCCA corner workers and the guy to the right might be a pit crew member holding up a sign board for his driver.

The photo was taken by Dave Friedman during the 1963 race at a course set up in the Dodger stadium parking lot. That's Bondurant driving Shelly Washburn's (Chev. dealer, Santa Barbara) #614 followed by Guldstrand who built a "Z06 roadster" from parts followed by Dave McDonald in #00 sponsored by a local Chevrolet dealer whose name escapes me for the moment... ahhhh, senior moment.

Duke

Edit: Now I remember, McDonald's car was sponsored by Don Steves Chevrolet, and Guldstand by Baher Chevrolet in Hemosa Beach, about a mile away from my Disco Palace in Redondo beach, but now long gone. McDonald and Bondurant fled to the Cobra team later in the year when they realized the Sting Ray was just not competitive with the nearly 1000 lighter Cobras. Goldie hung in there with his Sting Ray roadster.

[Frank D.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

My first thought was somebody finally got arrested for sawing the split out of a 63 coupe...

[Michael H.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

Duke,

Baher Chevrolet was located at 707 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach as my dad bought a new 64 Impala there in 1964 I was 14 at the time and we got to meet Dick Guldstand who wrench on his Vet in one of the bays in the back of the shop. We saw Dick race many times at Willow Springs he was known for having a roller skate taped upside down on his roll bar.

Mike

[Tim G.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

The two coupes were active vintage race cars for many years. They still may be participating in races on the west coast.

[Edward B.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

Poor practice to not handcuff someone behind the back.

[Duke W.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

Duke,

Baher Chevrolet was located at 707 N. Sepulveda Blvd. in Manhattan Beach as my dad bought a new 64 Impala there in 1964 I was 14 at the time and we got to meet Dick Guldstand who wrench on his Vet in one of the bays in the back of the shop. We saw Dick race many times at Willow Springs he was known for having a roller skate taped upside down on his roll bar.

Mike

I'm looking at a photo of Goldie's '63 roadster in California Screamin", page 103. Baher Chevrolet is written on the rear fender and below in smaller letters sure looks more like Hermosa Beach than Manhattan Beach.

I moved into the Disco Palace in north Redondo Beach in early 1975. I don't remember a Baher Chevrolet back then, but about a mile or so north in MB was Champion Chevrolet, so maybe it changed hands and names at some point before I arrived. The local owner sold out decades ago to one of the big chains and they built a big, new store a couple of miles east next to the San Diego freeway in one of those "auto malls". There used to be several dealers on Seplulveda/PCH from El Segundo through Beach Cities to Torrance... two Chevrolet, two Ford, Porsche (Vasek Polak), BMW, Saab, Pontiac... mostly local owned. Now there's only a Toyota Dealer on Sepulveda/PCH in MB.

The building was there until just a couple of years ago. The local Mercedes dealer leased it for a few years and established a parts, service, and used car sales operation at that location. I think it closed back during the financial crisis, and the building was vacant for some time.

A couple a years ago the building was razed and a new Gelson's grocery store was built - one of those high zoot, overpriced grocery stores that I never go to. They seem to be getting popular with snowflakes of all ages around here. I shop at Ralph's.

Champion did a lot of warranty work on my Cosworth Vega, and they were a big Corvette dealer. The Mercedes store was convenient, too because I could just walk to the parts department if I needed anything for my '88 190E 2.6.

Boy, things have changed a lot in the last 45 years, but the world never stands still.

Duke

[Chris H.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

My old '65 396 came from Baher Chevrolet, so I presume Dick Gulstrand was the salesman. That's pretty cool.

[Michael H.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

I'm looking at a photo of Goldie's '63 roadster in California Screamin", page 103. Baher Chevrolet is written on the rear fender and below in smaller letters sure looks more like Hermosa Beach than Manhattan Beach.

I moved into the Disco Palace in north Redondo Beach in early 1975. I don't remember a Baher Chevrolet back then, but about a mile or so north in MB was Champion Chevrolet, so maybe it changed hands and names at some point before I arrived. The local owner sold out decades ago to one of the big chains and they built a big, new store a couple of miles east next to the San Diego freeway in one of those "auto malls". There used to be several dealers on Seplulveda/PCH from El Segundo through Beach Cities to Torrance... two Chevrolet, two Ford, Porsche (Vasek Polak), BMW, Saab, Pontiac... mostly local owned. Now there's only a Toyota Dealer on Sepulveda/PCH in MB.

The building was there until just a couple of years ago. The local Mercedes dealer leased it for a few years and established a parts, service, and used car sales operation at that location. I think it closed back during the financial crisis, and the building was vacant for some time.

A couple a years ago the building was razed and a new Gelson's grocery store was built - one of those high zoot, overpriced grocery stores that I never go to. They seem to be getting popular with snowflakes of all ages around here. I shop at Ralph's.

Champion did a lot of warranty work on my Cosworth Vega, and they were a big Corvette dealer. The Mercedes store was convenient, too because I could just walk to the parts department if I needed anything for my '88 190E 2.6.

Boy, things have changed a lot in the last 45 years, but the world never stands still.

Duke

Duke,

When I did some searching on line I did find some license plate frames for Baher Chevrolet in Hermosa Beach as well as Manhattan Beach. Maybe they moved to Hermosa Beach in the later part of the 60's as we moved from Manhattan Beach in 1965 to the midwest. I see there was also a Baher Chevrolet located in Northridge as well not sure of the time frame. A few years back I found the same info you did about the Mercedes Dealer and Gelsons grocery store at the old location. We lived a block south of Rosecans & Sepelveda accross the street was the " Pen & Quill " Hotel.

Thank you for the update.

Mike

[James G.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

I'm looking at a photo of Goldie's '63 roadster in California Screamin", page 103. Baher Chevrolet is written on the rear fender and below in smaller letters sure looks more like Hermosa Beach than Manhattan Beach.

I moved into the Disco Palace in north Redondo Beach in early 1975. I don't remember a Baher Chevrolet back then, but about a mile or so north in MB was Champion Chevrolet, so maybe it changed hands and names at some point before I arrived. The local owner sold out decades ago to one of the big chains and they built a big, new store a couple of miles east next to the San Diego freeway in one of those "auto malls". There used to be several dealers on Seplulveda/PCH from El Segundo through Beach Cities to Torrance... two Chevrolet, two Ford, Porsche (Vasek Polak), BMW, Saab, Pontiac... mostly local owned. Now there's only a Toyota Dealer on Sepulveda/PCH in MB.

The building was there until just a couple of years ago. The local Mercedes dealer leased it for a few years and established a parts, service, and used car sales operation at that location. I think it closed back during the financial crisis, and the building was vacant for some time.

A couple a years ago the building was razed and a new Gelson's grocery store was built - one of those high zoot, overpriced grocery stores that I never go to. They seem to be getting popular with snowflakes of all ages around here. I shop at Ralph's.

Champion did a lot of warranty work on my Cosworth Vega, and they were a big Corvette dealer. The Mercedes store was convenient, too because I could just walk to the parts department if I needed anything for my '88 190E 2.6.

Boy, things have changed a lot in the last 45 years, but the world never stands still.

Duke

You are correct Duke. HERMOSA BEACH. I knew Dick for 40 years , and was his service writer in 1999, the last year he was the Culver City ''THUNDER ALLEY'' location. FUN DAYS for sure.

[Duke W.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

I did some research on this, Jim, and it appears that Baher may have started out in HB, then moved to the 707 N. Sepulveda, MB location in the mid sixties. A Web search discussed this MB location, but didn't reveal anything about a HB location.

Do you recall a HB location for Baher, and do you have an address or general location?

HB has a small museum/historical society, and I'll try to check with them this week (if they are open or at least responding to phone messages) to see if they have any data on Baher when they were in HB.

Duke

[Michael H.]

Re: Arrest During a mid-60's CA Race?

You are correct Duke. HERMOSA BEACH. I knew Dick for 40 years , and was his service writer in 1999, the last year he was the Culver City ''THUNDER ALLEY'' location. FUN DAYS for sure.

Jim,

Read H.E. Baher Obit he may have had two locations. "Upon his great success General Motors offered him a Chevrolet agency in Hermosa Beach. It was failing and they promised another location if he was able to resuscitate this property. Needless to say he accomplished that and moved on to Manhattan Beach, CA. From there he went to Northridge, CA where he established his last agency, Baher Chevrolet".

There are License plate frames out there that say both Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach for Baher Chevrolet.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/la...?pid=139342027

Mike