March 29, 2024

The Car History of Alex Beloff III

SHERMAN JENKINS, OWNER OF SELECT USED CARS, FORT WALTON BEACH FLORIDA BECAME A VERY CLOSE AND RESPECTED FRIEND.  HE ALWAYS HAD PREMIUM CARS FOR SALE THAT MOSTLY CAME FROM THE SAND MOUNTAIN AUCTION IN GEORGIA.  HE TOOK GOOD CARE OF HIS CUSTOMERS AND REPRESENTED HIS VEHICLES WITH GREAT HONESTY AND ENTHUSIASM.  HE HAD BEEN A RESPECTED FIXTURE IN THE AREA FOR MANY YEARS.  HE WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY I KEEP MY PERSONAL CARS.

HE WAS FASCINATED WITH MY KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLES COVERING A WIDE AREA.  HE SAID, I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE WHO CAN DETAIL A CAR LIKE YOU AND ALSO PERFORM ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL CORRECTIONS WHERE NECESSARY.  HE SAID, I HAVE GOT A 1958 CADILLAC ELDORADO BIARRITZ THAT I CAN’T SELL THAT NEEDS A LOT OF ATTENTION.  WHAT WOULD YOU CHARGE ME TO DETAIL THIS CADILLAC AND CORRECT SOME DEFECTS? 

I SAID, I WOULD TAKE THE CAR APART, CAREFULLY REMOVE ALL EMBLEMS AND SCRIPT BEFORE DETAILING, CLEAN THEM BY HAND AND CAREFULLY INSTALL THEM.  YOUR 1958 BIARRITZ HAS CADILLAC’S FIRST YEAR TRI-POWER AS PONTIAC WOULD CALL IT – 3 2 BBL CARBURETORS.  THE LINKAGE IS ALL WRONG.  ALL THE VACUUM HOSES ARE CRACKED AND LEAKING, THE VACUUM CANS NEED REPLACING AND A MAJOR TUNE-UP IS REQUIRED.  IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.  WHEN I AM NOT AT THE BASE CRAWLING ALL OVER THE B-52H ON ALERT, I WILL HAVE TIME TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO LIFE.

SHERMAN SAID, IT SURE ISN’T GOING TO SELL THE WAY IT IS.  BRING IT BACK WHEN IT IS READY AND I WILL GIVE YOU A CHECK FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT, YOU KNOW ME, I WON’T ARGUE OVER YOUR FEE. 

ON COMPLETION WITH THE BELOFF TOUCH, I DROVE IT BACK TO HIS LOT WHERE SEVERAL POTENTIAL BUYERS WERE PATIENTLY WAITING WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT.  IT SOLD THAT VERY DAY.

NOTE MY BRIEFCASE IN THE PHOTO OF THE FRONT SEATS.  THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME BY MY DAD AND HAD MY NAME WRITTEN ON THE BOTTOM WITH A NEW CHRYSLER PINASTER EMBLEM GLUED TO THE BRIEFCASE.  I STILL HAVE IT TO THIS DAY IN MY STUDY 54 YEARS LATER.

DID YOU NOTICE THE ORIGINAL ORANGE FLORIDA PLATE THAT IS REGISTERED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE.  THIS ONE CARRIED THREE W’S AND CAN BE TRACED TO ORIGINAL OWNER AND DELIVERING DEALER NEW – AN EXCELLENT PEDIGREE SIMILAR TO THE BLACK PLATES IN
CALIFORNIA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RETURN

error: Content is protected !!