My son was digging in a garage,....came across an item, Hum....See photo..... (the Dealership , with Stoddard's Alfa on the trailer.....I grabbed this photo from the internet, credit to an unknown photographer). I explained that Stoddard Imports Car in Willoughby, Ohio was not always a Porsche Dealership. One must do a search on the Net to get the History for Charles Stoddard. Stoddard was racing a Giulietta Spider back the later years of the 50's with the SCCA . I went to Stoddard Porsche in my younger years to drool over the Porsches, at that time I was still in school. Rule of thumb,...."Look but do not touch", I knew this well in advance, a friend's father owned a Ferrari down the street. Fast forward many decades, I started racing a Giulietta Spider in the early 90's. Had a major issue with my SCCA GP spider, I was not racing till I got the Spider repaired. It was the lack of spare parts that was my issue. I started buying spares, and of course....CARS. One Spider I purchase came from Stoddard Import Cars, and was raced in GP group with the SCCA. The PO's were buddies of Stoddard, both were also Medical Doctors. I forgot to add this,.... I also own a 911S , and a mechanic that worked on my Porsche worked at Stoddard. About 2010 ,out of the Blue , I received a phone call, the caller stated he was Chuck Stoddard. Ok,...I said, "what can I do for you". One of the previous people must have given Stoddard my name, ....that I may have some Alfa parts for one of his projects. Of course I did have what he needed. He said he would drive to my house to pick the parts up. I thought for a moment,....Nah!!! I said to Stoddard,...."I can drive to your place and deliver them to you", fast thinking on my part, a chance to met Chuck Stoddard in person and get a opportunity to see his shop/Cars. I could not let this one pass me by. I went to his home in Chargin Falls. That was one of many trips to his home to bring up some parts and spend a little time with this man, a world of knowledge and a character in some ways. We spend most of the time talking Alfa Romeo, and not Porsche. That was fine with me. I could go on....not to bore you. Alfa was one of the car that Stoddard had picked to road/track race for a number of years. Stoddard sold and maintained all those menus he sold.
Now,....present day. I explained to my son , that plate frame brings back memories, and is expensive besides being quite old. Don't put it on the back of a car.....gone in 60 seconds, not the car but this plate frame. I have enough trouble driving in Michigan with "THE Ohio State" sticker on my back window, go BUCKS! The frame now belongs to my son, he has BMWs. But will be racing Alfas as our weather moves toward Spring. I had to give him some history for this License plate frame, not all about Stoddard and Porsche. Sort of like Enzo and Ferrari,....he too started with Alfa in his younger years. A quick story , with history and the US market for Alfa Romeo and another man that helped give this Marque a place in history. Had to share this,...
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Now,....present day. I explained to my son , that plate frame brings back memories, and is expensive besides being quite old. Don't put it on the back of a car.....gone in 60 seconds, not the car but this plate frame. I have enough trouble driving in Michigan with "THE Ohio State" sticker on my back window, go BUCKS! The frame now belongs to my son, he has BMWs. But will be racing Alfas as our weather moves toward Spring. I had to give him some history for this License plate frame, not all about Stoddard and Porsche. Sort of like Enzo and Ferrari,....he too started with Alfa in his younger years. A quick story , with history and the US market for Alfa Romeo and another man that helped give this Marque a place in history. Had to share this,...
