a Ferrari legend and true gentleman has passed. If you are like me, I don't get peruse outside of this Vintage forum very often; please see the thread dedicated to Mr. Merritt here to pay your respects: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/rip-richard-merritt.638466/
I hate that I'm at the point where all my buds are dying. Dick was such a great friend to the car community; irreplaceable. I used to smile about his last job, a bit like putting the fox in the hen house. What a loss!
Dick Merritt spent many great years as a very helpful civil servant at the Department of Transportation. He was the go-to man for compliance letters for many a Ferrari.
I contacted Mr.Merritt about the legality of a Euro spec car I wanted to buy. Thinking that DOT info would be a nightmare to get I was stunned to get documentation in 24hrs that the car was legal. I had the pleasure to meet him at an event years later . A class act all the way. RIP. M Meehan
In 1980, I was taking the Georgetown University bus across Key Bridge and noticed a red Testarossa, or something, following the bus. I had a feeling it was going to Ed Waterman's Checkered Flag shop, in Arlington, so I went there and I was right. That was the first time I met Dick, and after that, I had the pleasure of chatting with him many times at swap meets and FCA events. He surprised me once by showing me photos of his Bizzarrini project. (He was way ahead of his time seeing fun and value in Bizzarrinis.) Many years later I called him up at the DOT to check on their records of a Stratos I purchased, and he was very kind to tell me it wasn't Federalized and suggested some shops to do it, or perhaps I should just wait for its 25th birthday to be DOT exempt. Dick was the quintessential gentleman enthusiast.
In 1994 I had a small booth in the Flea Market of the Lime Rock Historic races, amongst the many things I had for sale were several ceramic tiles from the remodel of the Cavallino restaurant in Maranello. Dick was there racing his front engined Dino. His book has been in my library since I was 16 years old. When he approached my booth and introduced himself I was overwhelmed with excitement. We ended up swapping tiles for autographed F&M books. I brought my 2nd edition with me the next day and got him to sign it and we started a very long friendship. When I restored a 212 Cabriolet, #0235, Dick had the original gearbox for the car in his enormous collection of parts so I visited his Maryland home to purchase the piece. Son Kendall is in the car business also and a great guy. Last I knew they had a Bizzarini race car they cared for. We are witnessing the loss of real enthusiasts that loved and cared for Ferrari long before the values were high and parts easily available. I will miss my friend.
Photo from the funeral procession for Richard F. "Dick" Merritt, last Friday 30 April 2021. Led by Kendall Merritt carrying Dick Merritt's remains to the Ketoctin Church, (Virginia), Cemetery. Three black Ferraris was so appropriate. Not my own photo. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login
2 of my 3 boxers were amerispec..he never hesitated to answer my numerous inquiries...Kind Man. RIP he always had euro 512 mufflers for sale.