AUTO HAUS STORES, THE PHOTOS

[Micke H]

Thanks Johan and Marry Christmas

[deano]

So cool. I recall spending so much time drooling on all those parts. But, I actually bought a lot of them too. I asked so many dumb-assed questions of you John at the time. Your eyes would roll around and you would resite the filed answer you apparently gave us so many times. Especially the chrome ones. It was a true candy store for me, and worth the trip down Beach Blvd from La Habra.

[johnl]

So cool. I recall spending so much time drooling on all those parts. But, I actually bought a lot of them too. I asked so many dumb-assed question of you John at the time. Your eyes would roll around and you would resite the filed answer you apparently gave us so many times. Especially the chrome ones. It was a true candy store for me, and worth the trip down Beach Blvd from La Habra.

Dean, sorry as I didn't mean to be so hard on you.  Customers could and still can do that to me as although improved (or mellowed) over the years I can still become unruly at times.  It really was the "candy store" for those of us who had the disease and I feel so lucky to have been a small part of it back in the day.

So here we are four decades later and now I look to guys like Deano for the answers.  By the way my fresh and undamaged copy of the latest Hot VW arrived last week and I've got it safely in the envelope it arrived in.  Thanks Dean, you are the BEST.........   

[WCB Hitler's Hot Rod]

Thanks John for all this great info. After reading these stories from this thread I started thinking about the selection of members throughout the DKP club during that point of time; which would probably be DKP  2 during this era. Correct me if I'm wrong. Would it be safe to say that Auto Haus also played a role within the selection of the club between members ? IMO Auto Haus played a huge role in the cal-look movement cause like Dean said it seemed to be our candy store for parts but, possibly a preliminary meeting place for possible members into your club?? Just curious about your thoughts on this.

[johnl]

Thanks John for all this great info. After reading these stories from this thread I started thinking about the selection of members throughout the DKP club during that point of time; which would probably be DKP  2 during this era. Correct me if I'm wrong. Would it be safe to say that Auto Haus also played a role within the selection of the club between members ? IMO Auto Haus played a huge role in the cal-look movement cause like Dean said it seemed to be our candy store for parts but, possibly a preliminary meeting place for possible members into your club?? Just curious about your thoughts on this.

Thinking back of those days I don't remember that many Auto Haus employees were in DKP I and possibly DKP II.  In the beginning I think I was the only DKP member.  The guys I worked with like Ed Craig was in a different club, Dave Greiner was in no club and later Stan Davis who had been in DKP I came to work there, but that was after our club days.  By the time DKP II came to be Mike Dumpy and Doug Mische were employees, but I can't think of others.

Auto Haus probably was a major player back in the days of DKP I because we were about the only major supplier of parts in the SoCal area.  CB Performance or as it was known back then, Claudie's Buggies, was there but we never heard that much from them.

If you study the "cycle" prior to AH and CB there was MG Mitten and Vilem B Haan both based out of the Los Angeles area.  They were more in tune to the "sports car" buyer.  Later in the AH and CB times Johnny's Speed and Chrome became a player but prior had been more in the domestic market selling chrome wheels and some bolt on accessories.

When the VW drag cars started showing up Auto Haus sponsored two as I recall.  They were Larry Kelley's car and of course Tar Babe.  You will note in photos of those times the Auto Haus name predominately displayed on both cars.  Kelley was not involved in a club to my knowledge and Ron & Greg were DKP members but it was purely a "business arrangement".  As I recall the Rosevear's were not fond on Fleming & Aronson and I think Ron and Greg felt the same, but it did work for both.

Back in those early times clubs were not "user friendly" like they are today and in some cases the rivalry was strong.  Working in the stores and dealing with members from "all" clubs we as employees had to remain neutral.  I don't recall ever seeing an instance where Ed or I had a problem.  Of course there was joking between people including Ed and myself which still goes on to this day.

What I've really enjoyed since returning to the VW scene is seeing all groups show mutual respect for one another.  Lets face it all people involved in the VW scene are there for the comradary of it.

To my knowledge none of the clubs ever met or held meetings at one of our company owned locations.  The Rosevears had to play across the board for all clubs as members in all of these groups were customers.  Many of the people in the business at the time worked together as you've seen.  Items produced by APRM were sold under the Deano and Race Trim banner and they were the same thing. 

Here is something that I personally witnessed.  One day at the Dale St. warehouse there was a call from a "competitor" who was also a customer.  They were demanding payment on some goods we had purchased and I think the amount was around $3000.  Ron Rosevear was notified of this while the competitor was on the phone.  He ask our bookkeeper what their balance was.  Turn out that they owed us around $15,000 for product they had purchased from us.  Ron instructed our person on the phone to say that we'd be more than happy to make the payment as soon as we received full payment from them.  Normally this type of issue never came up, but that one I'll always remember as I saw the red in Ron's eyes.

In closing I don't feel that Auto Haus played into pulling members into any club.  I can't speak for the others but DKP I had requirements and one had to apply and attended functions for a period of time.  If there car didn't meet the club qualifications they were made aware of such and could make changes.  Once all of that was done the membership body did a vote on the applying person.  I think DKP III has the same basic format today.  Here is the link to DKP III's guidelines:  http://www.dkpcarclub.com/

So, I hope that answers your quesitons and I'm glad you enjoy the photos and info.

[Georg/DFL]

John, it was entertaining and informative as always! Thank you very much for those great stories and photos!

[edcraig]

Great pics John.  I'll have to dig into some of mine to see what I have.  John and myself talked about this a few times.  It really was a great time working there.  For me, it was my job, hobby, lifestyle all rolled into one.  During my time in the retail section of the company, I put in a lot of time in the Buena Park Store.  I do remember we had a countertop with decals of all of the local VW Clubs.  I honestly don't remember any serious friction between any of the clubs.  Some maybe more liked than others, but for the most part we all got along pretty well. 

....Ed

Legendary DRA

[bugnut68]

Love the shot of S&S exhaust systems... RIP, S&S Hheaders, they finally folded in the last year or year and a half or so... so bummed.  Best exhaust I've ever owned was a 1-3/8 single QP I bought for my 1776 in 2003 or 2004... I also have a set of unused dual QPs sitting in the shop that I acquired earlier this year. 

[marc1951]

Here are some photos of the La Habra store. Unfortunately I don't have any of the Downey store.

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The store was located in the old Don Steves Chevrolet showroom

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Because it was once a new car showroom, it had large sliding glass doors on both sides. Sometimes we would have dune buggies or cars inside on display. Looking back, I wish I had displayed cars more often.

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Here you can see the sliding door partially open. In hot weather, we would open both doors because the air conditioner could not keep up. With no insulation and all that glass, it was like an oven in there. The problem with having the open doors was controlling shop lifting. The main entrance was the door to the right of the sliding door.

[johnl]

Here are some photos of the La Habra store. Unfortunately I don't have any of the Downey store.

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]
The store was located in the old Don Steves Chevrolet showroom

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Because it was once a new car showroom, it had large sliding glass doors on both sides. Sometimes we would have dune buggies or cars inside on display. Looking back, I wish I had displayed cars more often.

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Here you can see the sliding door partially open. In hot weather, we would open both doors because the air conditioner could not keep up. With no insulation and all that glass, it was like an oven in there. The problem with having the open doors was controlling shop lifting. The main entrance was the door to the right of the sliding door.

Marc,  thanks for sharing the photos but I'm disappointed you don't have photos of "No Help" and "Anti Help", the owners two sons.   

A couple more stories I can tell you.  My "Best Man", John Burk purchased a 1962 Honduras Maroon SS Impala 409-409 car from that location in the summer of 1963.  It was one of 40 made as I understand it with a complete aluminum front end and a fiber glass hood scoop.  Spent many a mile riding and behind the wheel of that one.  Today the car would be PRICELESS.

The other story is prior to working at Auto Haus I worked at the AJS Foreign Car Parts store later to become a BAP store at 721 S. Main St., Santa Ana.  If that address sounds familiar to some of you it is because it is the location for A-1 Muffler today.  When the afternoon sun would hit the west facing counter which was only about 10 feet back it was like bacon in a frying pan.  To make it more intersting one of the other employees in that location at that time was a guy named Stan Davis..............   

[Lee.C]

Such COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL pictures 

[marc1951]

Anti-Help? Nothing like having the owner's son working for you and he doesn't want to be there. A typical day would have Anti-Help coming in late and when asked to help with something, he would say he needed some breakfast first. Another hour to figure out where to go to buy some breakfast and another hour to get the breakfast and actually eat it.
Well now he was too full to work and when that wore off, he started talking about lunch!....and we started it over again.
It was always easier to just do something myself than to go through the ordeal of explaining in incredible detail what you wanted done.......and then he couldn't remember the details and I would have to start over.

I once sent him on an errand to pick up some seats.....and I "accidently" gave him the wrong directions. He was gone for 5 hours and was on his second tank of gas when he called collect and I had to tell him to go south on I-5, not north.....oops.
Later, when I was negotiating with his father to buy the stores, the one thing that broke the deal was that I was to keep Anti-Help on.

I think I've posted these before but here are some La Habra store inside shots.....
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[johnl]

Marc, I don't remember if you were at this function or not.  If you were I'm SURE you would remember the event.  The Rosevears had a dinner with Mickey Thompson as the speaker promoting his new line of gas shocks.  This was at the Buttery Restaurant in Buena Park at the corner of Stanton Ave. and Manchester.

The room was full and Mickey began his talk.  During this numerous times he mentioned the word "Orifice" in conjunction with the valving within the shock.  Finally either No Help or Anti Help raised a hand.  Mickey stopped to address the question which was "Whats an Orifice"?  You could hear a pin drop and all these years later Ed Craig and I still talk about that event.

The "Help" brothers were definitely a pair to remember.

[marc1951]

Marc, I don't remember if you were at this function or not.  If you were I'm SURE you would remember the event.  The Rosevears had a dinner with Mickey Thompson as the speaker promoting his new line of gas shocks.  This was at the Buttery Restaurant in Buena Park at the corner of Stanton Ave. and Manchester.

The room was full and Mickey began his talk.  During this numerous times he mentioned the word "Orifice" in conjunction with the valving within the shock.  Finally either No Help or Anti Help raised a hand.  Mickey stopped to address the question which was "Whats an Orifice"?  You could hear a pin drop and all these years later Ed Craig and I still talk about that event.

The "Help" brothers were definitely a pair to remember.

Yes, I was there and how could I forget. It wasn't Anti-Help, but the other nitwit. It was embarrassing as I'm sure Mickey was very unimpressed with the level of Auto Haus employee's knowledge. And so was born..... "Orifice Boy".

[johnl]

Marc, I don't remember if you were at this function or not.  If you were I'm SURE you would remember the event.  The Rosevears had a dinner with Mickey Thompson as the speaker promoting his new line of gas shocks.  This was at the Buttery Restaurant in Buena Park at the corner of Stanton Ave. and Manchester.

The room was full and Mickey began his talk.  During this numerous times he mentioned the word "Orifice" in conjunction with the valving within the shock.  Finally either No Help or Anti Help raised a hand.  Mickey stopped to address the question which was "Whats an Orifice"?  You could hear a pin drop and all these years later Ed Craig and I still talk about that event.

The "Help" brothers were definitely a pair to remember.

Yes, I was there and how could I forget. It wasn't Anti-Help, but the other nitwit. It was embarrassing as I'm sure Mickey was very unimpressed with the level of Auto Haus employee's knowledge. And so was born..... "Orifice Boy".

So, do you think "Orifice Boy" moved on to Washington DC and is a position of power today?  If so that may shed some light on the way things are these days.............     

[edcraig]

Here's a few of my store.  One of the KNAC car I sponsored and another with some customer cars.  The Vanagon was mine.  It was probably the first in the country with Fuch Alloys. [ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ]

[edcraig]

Me on the left with Lynn Rosevear on the far right.  This was at one of the Auto-Haus sponsored Bug in's. 

The second photo was taken in my store.  That's Mark Herbert on the left posing with our cardboard Mario Andretti.  Mark was a long time employee of mine, along with Danny Deacon and Greg Booras.  All great guys.

[rick m]

Ed,

What ever became of Greg Booras?  He used to bring a pink turbo manx to our early Phoenix Bug-O-Rama events in the 80's.  I did not realize that he had worked for Auto Haus at one time.

Rick Mortensen

[Fastbrit]

He's still out and about – look out for Cadillac convertible with cow horns mounted on the hood! 

Bil Schwimmer I know is a good friend of Greg's...

[kingsburgphil]

Marc, I don't remember if you were at this function or not.  If you were I'm SURE you would remember the event.  The Rosevears had a dinner with Mickey Thompson as the speaker promoting his new line of gas shocks.  This was at the Buttery Restaurant in Buena Park at the corner of Stanton Ave. and Manchester.

The room was full and Mickey began his talk.  During this numerous times he mentioned the word "Orifice" in conjunction with the valving within the shock.  Finally either No Help or Anti Help raised a hand.  Mickey stopped to address the question which was "Whats an Orifice"?  You could hear a pin drop and all these years later Ed Craig and I still talk about that event.

The "Help" brothers were definitely a pair to remember.

Yes, I was there and how could I forget. It wasn't Anti-Help, but the other nitwit. It was embarrassing as I'm sure Mickey was very unimpressed with the level of Auto Haus employee's knowledge. And so was born..... "Orifice Boy".

I recall several Auto Haus people having had pet names, most not too complimentary. Was it Lynn or Ron that was called "The Turquoise Cowboy", behind his back?

I think even JohnL had one, which I'll keep to myself (it wasn't real bad). 

[johnl]

Marc, I don't remember if you were at this function or not.  If you were I'm SURE you would remember the event.  The Rosevears had a dinner with Mickey Thompson as the speaker promoting his new line of gas shocks.  This was at the Buttery Restaurant in Buena Park at the corner of Stanton Ave. and Manchester.

The room was full and Mickey began his talk.  During this numerous times he mentioned the word "Orifice" in conjunction with the valving within the shock.  Finally either No Help or Anti Help raised a hand.  Mickey stopped to address the question which was "Whats an Orifice"?  You could hear a pin drop and all these years later Ed Craig and I still talk about that event.

The "Help" brothers were definitely a pair to remember.

Yes, I was there and how could I forget. It wasn't Anti-Help, but the other nitwit. It was embarrassing as I'm sure Mickey was very unimpressed with the level of Auto Haus employee's knowledge. And so was born..... "Orifice Boy".

I recall several Auto Haus people having had pet names, most not too complimentary. Was it Lynn or Ron that was called "The Turquoise Cowboy", behind his back?

I think even JohnL had one, which I'll keep to myself (it wasn't real bad). 

I don't remember ever hearing Lynn referred to as "the Turquoise Cowboy" but it certainly fits.  He had a HUGE Turquoise belt buckle and a ring.  I remember when he would pass out the pay checks he would hold out the had with the ring implying kiss the ring.  Of course it was a joke but never the less it became a legend amongst us.

The name I remember Lynn referred to was created by Dave Greiner in the back of the Dale St. warehouse in Buena Park.  As I recall we had just had our regular "managers meeting" and Dave for some reason in a quiet voice said "we've all been paid in Weasel Buck's".  From that time on Lynn was known as "The Weasel".  There would be phone communication between the stores when Lynn was in route that "The Weasel is on the way".

Soon he learned the name and took it in stride.  Even the last few phone conversations I had with Lynn the "Weasel" subject seemed to always surface and we both had a good laugh.  I miss him and his phone calls.  I've stated this before but ever year almost without fail there would be a Christmas day call from Lynn.  He was a good guy and I owe him a lot for giving me opportunities.

Regarding names for me, I'm sure there were plenty but the one I will always remember is Lynn calling me "Tight Jaw".  I can still hear him saying many a conversation we had, "John, don't get so Tight Jawed".  He also told me I was always "so serious" even years later when would have those now missed phone conversations long after our working days together.  I'll bet Lynn is looking down from Heaven right now and laughing about us talking about all of this.   

[edcraig]

Rick...I don't see Greg very often, but he's around still.  Last time I saw him was out at a one of the Fontucky past Bug in's.

...Ed.

[.]

I was searching for an article in some old Hot VW magazines and look what I found between the pages of the July 1976 issue !
 

[Zach Gomulka]

Cool find!

Who's the salesman?

[edcraig]

Pat McMahon was the manager at the CM store for many years.  Looks like it his signature on the receipt.

...Ed

[kingsburgphil]

I'm looking at the customers name?  Could that be a pseudonym for Chuck Babbit, AKA Shakey Jake ?

[.]

 It did come out of his magazine collection that I bought.
 

[IP359]

Some old stuff of my collection.
Big up to Ed 
IP

[.]

Just bought an NOS Auto Haus women's halter top !
 

[Lids]

Just bought an NOS Auto Haus women's halter top !
 

hope it fits, post a pic