Pasadena Cruise 12/29/2007 Hosted by Dave Galassi (Part 2)

[Allen Wiess]

The next tour stop.........

[deano]

Boy, do I remember this mansion. Dave took me there to shoot his Doublecab.. This massive estate was built back around 1929 and belonged to the Sampson Tire baron (you know that strange, huge Babylonian-style building off the 5 freeway in L.A., that looks like a castle? Well, that once was the home to Sampson Tires (now the Citadel Outlet Mall), but with the depression, they went legs-up and were forced to closed their doors. That tire manufacturing plant was then bought, and run for decades by another large tire company (Firestone?), not sure, and still exists to today, sorta, although only the front portion which you can see from the north bound lane, near Atlantic turnoff. Anyway, that mansion shown by Allen was the Sampson estate and cost a mere $80,000 to build in 1929! Today, it is worth zillions, and is being restored, slowly, back to its original condition. Awesome location, and yes, that train set is in the 3rd floor ballroom!

[Rick Meredith]

That tire manufacturing plant was then bought, and run for decades by another large tire company (Firestone?), not sure, and still exists to today, sorta, although only the front portion which you can see from the north bound lane, near Atlantic turnoff.

If I remember correct, it was a Uniroyal plant.

[Stephan S]

Boy, looks like I missed a great visit... Dave, so sorry I couldn't make it!

[Jim Ratto]

yeah we blew it!
 
maybe Dave will make this an annual thing, and us flakes can go next year!

[Dave Galassi]

I would be happy to set up another tour for anyone who couldn't make it.  Wish you all could have made it.  By the way, it was good friend Larry Rick (Cal Look and VW Encyclopedia that he is) in the passenger seat of the vert.

This was our second stop, the Bundy house.  Built in 1911 as I recall, it is a 33 room estate with that amazing, low ceiling ballroom on the third floor!   The photos are deceiving.  The layout is roughly 20' x 30' and is large enough to have four transformers, a VW/Porshche dealership and other amazing gates, bridges and other cool stuff my 5 year old (or any kid for that matter) dreams about.  In the smoking room adjacent to the ballroom are numerous display cases with N.O.S. model trains, sets, automobilia and other GOODIES.  In the ballroom, behind where Allen took the first photos, are antique bikes and a display case with N.O.S. 1950's amd 1960's slot car sets and cars.  In the home's safe, which has a door as large as a regular door, Bob keeps all of his automobile literature. 

I'll do my best to answer any other questions if you have them.

[Allen Wiess]

yeah we blew it!
 
maybe Dave will make this an annual thing, and us flakes can go next year!

There was much to see and hear about............... since there was only 3 of us we piled into the vert for the tour.............

Schwimmer missed the wood rimmed bicycle with wood fenders 

[WCB Hitler's Hot Rod]

Boy, do I remember this mansion. Dave took me there to shoot his Doublecab.. This massive estate was built back around 1929 and belonged to the Sampson Tire baron (you know that strange, huge Babylonian-style building off the 5 freeway in L.A., that looks like a castle? Well, that once was the home to Sampson Tires (now the Citadel Outlet Mall), but with the depression, they went legs-up and were forced to closed their doors. That tire manufacturing plant was then bought, and run for decades by another large tire company (Firestone?), not sure, and still exists to today, sorta, although only the front portion which you can see from the north bound lane, near Atlantic turnoff. Anyway, that mansion shown by Allen was the Sampson estate and cost a mere $80,000 to build in 1929! Today, it is worth zillions, and is being restored, slowly, back to its original condition. Awesome location, and yes, that train set is in the 3rd floor ballroom!

http://www.placesearth.com/USA/California/LA/code/samunict.htm