In
This Issue
- Through the Windscreen
- Through the Rearview Mirror
- We're Now a Birkin Representative
- Meet Bill Dittrich
- Auction in Kutztown
Readers'
Gallery
If
you would like your vehicle to appear in next month's
newsletter, please send a photo and brief description to Dave
Hutchison.
Calendar of
Events
Works in
Progress We always have a number of interesting
projects going on in our shop. Take
a look.
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September
2011
A Look Through
the
Windscreen
Previewing events of interest to the
owners of British or Specialty
Cars
This weekend (September 23-25) we have been invited to
attend the 5th Annual St. Michaels Concours
in St. Michaels, Maryland.
Originally a Pre-War Concours
only, this year we will be part of a 15-car Post-War Sports
Car Class. We will have a pair of beautiful Jaguars; an
XK140 roadster and a Series 1 E-type coupe.
This is a
beautiful venue with lots to do. Put this one on your calendar
if you can.
*****
Next month (October 5-8), it’s time for the annual
pilgrimage to Hershey. If you have not
yet been to Fall Hershey you shouldn’t miss it!
Everything
related to classic cars is there for sale – it’s the largest
car flea market in the world. Wear a good pair of
walking shoes and stop by our Pollock Auto
Restoration/Ragtops & Roadsters display in our
new location (CY 45 and CY 46). We will be displaying the
fully restored 1935 Hudson Terraplane and a modified 1957 AC
Bristol.
(See our calendar on the
left
for links to more information about these
events.)
A Look Through
the
Rearview Mirror
Where We've Been
and
What We've
Done
Finally, the summer heat has moved on and we can start to
enjoy our cars again. The fall is one of my favorite
seasons to hit the road.
August found us at Das Awkscht Fescht in
Macungie and the New Hope Auto Show.
Both were well attended; the NHAS was on its way to
setting an attendance record until heavy rain brought only 26
cars in on Sunday. Everyone who braved the bad weather that
day received an award!
 On August 28, Charlene and I hosted
the Delaware Valley Triumphs Picnic. About 50
members came by to celebrate our Italia’s 50th Birthday.
There was cake and song. I am pleased to report
the car was very surprised...thanks for keeping the
secret! After a very rainy week it was time for the 21st
Annual 100 Motorcars of Radnor on September 11.
Jaguar and the cars designed by Virgil Exner were the
featured Marques.
This year’s show was second to none, as more than 100
cars were in attendance. I had the pleasure of working
with my fellow judges on the “European Debutante Award." For
first, we chose a beautifully done, recently restored 1961
Jaguar E-Type Series 1. The "European Debutante Radnor
Award" went to 1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2.
Bill Marriott
Jr.'s 1937 Talbot Lago T-150C SS Coupe took Best in Show,
while Jack Rich's 1937 SS 100 -- one of the most valuable
Jaguar's in the world -- won the Best Sporting Marque of
Show.
It was a great day.
We Are Now A Birkin
Representative
Ragtops & Roadsters, experts in the
restoration and service of British automobiles, has become the
sole Northeast United States representative for Birkin
America.
Based in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, Ragtops & Roadsters
will offer regional support for Birkin owners and prospective
buyers by showing and demonstrating various versions of this
Lotus Seven S3 reproduction. Ragtops & Roadsters will
offer cars ready to assemble or already built and
ready-to-drive cars, as well as service, performance upgrades
and, eventually, full race set up.
Employee Spotlight:
Bill
Dittrich
By Dave
Hutchison
Bill knew he wanted to be “car guy” from a young age when
he found enjoyment building model cars.
It might have had something to do with the first few cars
he owned…a GTO, a Camaro, then a 240Z, which led him to his
full time passion for sports cars. He currently owns a
1939 Chevy 2 Door Sedan, a 1980 TR8, and a 1977 Spitfire all
of which need some work. Ahhh, the plumber’s pipes
always leak!
 Bill's formal training in automotive repair
started at Lincoln Tech. He graduated in 1974 as an accredited
automotive technician, then went to work in the shop for a
couple of AMC dealers. Soon, however, he realized that
dealership work was not for him.
In 1978, Bill met Dick Stockton of Stockton
Automotive in Willow Grove. Dick had a well-known local
repair shop catering to the now aging British car market on
the road. As the imports from the UK started to slow
down to a trickle, more Italian, Japanese and Swedish cars
came in for repair.
It was here that Bill gained a wealth of knowledge
about all imports, especially all the British Marques. He
learned the idiosyncrasies of Lucas electrical systems, oil
leaks, and overall maintenance and repairs of Jaguar, Austin
Healey, Triumph, MG, Morgan, and Lotus, among others.
Rebuilding engines, brake work, and tune-ups became his daily
routine.
Dick decided to retire and close the shop in 1996, so
Bill came on board at Ragtops & Roadsters, bringing along
17 years of import and British car repair knowledge.
Now fast forward to 2011. Bill has added yet another
15 years of experience to his resume. He has seen many
of the cars he used to work on at Stockton’s shop come through
R&R. He currently is the Leader of our Green Team,
which handles most of the service/mechanical restoration work
here at Ragtops & Roadsters.
Bill is responsible for overseeing new members of his
team while passing on his skill sets to younger technicians.
He enjoys engine rebuilds and the challenge of something
different, which he always finds with the Lotus Marque.
Bill currently is working on fitting a 3.5-liter
engine into a 1957 AC Bristol.
Join Us for a Huge Auction
in
November
Are you frustrated looking for that rare part for your
priceless automobile?
We might just have the elusive part you're looking for --
and we're selling!
We've scoured our shelves, rummaged through dusty boxes,
and dug deep into our attic and basement to gather together an
amazing collection of hard-to-find parts and rare collectible
automobilia for your British car. Here is just a few of the
items we gound:
- Event posters
- MG sheet metal
- Jaguar chrome
- Triumph engine parts
- Interior parts for Austin Healeys
- Engines, transmissions and T-series steering boxes.
Who knows? That part or collectible you've been searching
for might just be among the stuff we have.
You can find out by joining us at the Kutztown
Fairgrounds on November 5 for the Cabin Fever
Expo auction. Our items will be there among the cars, car
parts, automobilia, and antique literature up for
sale.
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