Steve Bayne - Grand Prix Motors

david · May 2, 2023

Steve Bayne, founder of Grand Prix Motors, which became Ferrari of Seattle has passed away. When I first moved to Seattle, I lived near GP Motors, so I visited there the first chance I had. Like many people who stopped in, I told him that I planned to buy a Ferrari one day. He was typically pretty gruff, probably having heard that story far too many times.

I got to know him a bit as I stopped by, dreaming many times. So we'd have conversations about whatever. I worked on a popular TV show and one episode featured a rosso metallizzato Testarossa. I mentioned it to him and said said that he was the one who lent the car and he actually drove it for the shoot. So I ran a copy of the show and gave it to him. He took me to his office and we watched the tape and he told me stories of the shoot and what fun he had on it. He got less gruff that day.

Ultimately Steve sold the dealership and it became what we now know as Ferrari of Seattle. Tino has shared stories of meeting Steve when Tino was just a kid. Steve helped Tino achieve his dreams too. I'm sure there are many others in our area whose lives have been touched by Steve Bayne.

https://obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/stephen-bayne-iii-1087504567

flaviaman · May 2, 2023

I went to work for Stephen in 1977 as the wash boy / parts runner / go-for, I was 19 at the time and had recently dropped out of college and purchased an older Alfa Romeo from Brand X dealership. I was purchasing so many parts on a near weekly basis that Stephen invited me into his spacious office, complete with a Shell poster of Chris Amon sitting on a 312 and a wonderful Alfa Romeo poster of a 115 series GTV with the tag line 'let's drive until the sun comes up", and proceeded to offer me a job after I was quizzed about such things as 8C 2900's, 365 California's and the difference between casting and forging.

I had always been crazy about Ferrari as a kid and to work at a Ferrari store was a dream come true. Stephen could be very grumpy and anti-social, he was the antithesis of a dealership principal or car salesman. When I was young I was fearful of him, as I matured I appreciated him and his style....he was a very "hands off" leader and Pete Lovely was seldom seen. Stephen once told me he was more interested in having a "hobby shop" for customers AND employees than a business. Yes the facility was a dump, he would frequently tell me "people sell cars, not fancy buildings"...tell that to manufacturer today.

I became Parts Manager in early 1980's, I can recall early in my tenure the parts department had a horrific month, as I was pouring my soul out to him he stopped me and said "I am more concerned about profits in five years than today". Later I went on to be Service Manager, then Sales and finally Stephen's right hand man.

He set me up for my first visit to Maranello in 1979, complete with a visit to the racing department! As he got older and became tired of the all of the pomp and circumstance, not to mention inflated ego's and BS, on dealer trips he would often send me in his absence. In my youthful exuberance I suspect I ruffled a few feathers on the corporate level.

The company went through some very lean years, in 1980 we sold two 308 GTSi's after eight in 1979, but his employees were always paid a very good wage. 1992 through 1995 was very tough, finally 456's came and then 355's combined with the tech economy.

Stephen had great stories about "the early years" of being with Ferrari, as well as Alfa Romeo. He was a very fast and skilled driver and more than once I would take a call from someone complaining about a company car on dealer plates being driven too fast. I was with him early on in a Daytona Spider and he was exceeding 90 on Madrona Blvd one sunny morning, most likely in 3rd "keep the revs up", I was shocked, scared and filled with pleasure. His last Ferrari demo was a fly yellow 308 GT4 with Boxer paint, the Bumble Bee as it was know. The motor had been "breathed upon" with P6 cams, for a 308 It Went Well.

Shortly after F40's came out we had a very famous client who was complaining about "poor throttle response" in his F40. Chief mechanic Sydney Collier and I went out with the diagnosis equipment available at the time and could find nothing wrong. Stephen and I went out a second time with him driving. The client claimed the throttle response was poor "going up a hill", Stephen drove up 509 toward Burien mid afternoon occasionally touching 150 or 160 in traffic....The problem was not with the car but rather the client not being familiar with turbo motors and manual gearboxes.

As a young man I once took a new Marrone Metallizatio 308 GT4 off the showroom floor for a date without his knowledge after hours late one Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning I went to great trouble to park it exactly where it was and clean it. Monday morning he looked at it several times, then looked at me but said nothing. Shortly after that episode the car was sold to a Seattle restaurateur who traded in the world's worst Maserati Ghibli (and that is saying something) as well as a 1978 Corvette. At the conclusion of the transaction Stephen simply said to me "YOUR Dino has been sold".

Shortly after that Stephen took me to a client's business to pickup a 250 SWB that the client was consigning with us. It was a former SEFAC car and had incredibly short gearing as well as VERY old Dunlop R5's. I can recall driving it back to 1401 12th avenue with brio on the onramp to I5 from West Seattle and going into an oversteer situation. I think Stephen sold it into Sweden for close to $1M which at the time we all thought was huge money.

Over the years several times Stephen would allow me to purchase a trade at cost and he would forego profit. I purchased my 308, 365 and 512 from him at cost. He could have easily said NO and made good money on all of them. He sold me parts at cost.

After GPML was sold I visited Stephen frequently in Seattle or else his home in Mexico. I have been working on a book about Grand Prix, do not know if I will ever complete it but it has been an enjoyable project.

In 2021 I drove him and his wife to Monterey for the Historics, he was always happiest at the track and preferably around 12 cylinder Ferrari's.

A couple of corrections from his obit....Ron Tonkin was a Ferrari dealership 3 months prior to Stephen taking it on, Stephen sold in 1999. Lastly he was not the longest running Ferrari dealership.

Forgive me if this comes across as personal, he was the best man I ever worked for and it was the best job I could have hoped for. RIP.

Gregg Rennord

donv · May 3, 2023

Thank you for that great tribute, Gregg!

4redude · May 4, 2023

Ron Tonkin opened his Chevy dealership in 1960 and the Ferrari store in 1966. I worked there from 1985-1987 and 2004-2007.

wiley355 · May 5, 2023

Ferraris were too rich for my blood back in the days when Grand Prix Motors was open, but I did purchase this "previously owned" Alfa GTV6 from them. I didn't know him, but I did know of him, as a dealer in fine automobiles. R.I.P. Stephen.
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ChipG · May 5, 2023

Thank you!

ChuckEBaby · May 8, 2023

flaviaman said: ↑

I went to work for Stephen in 1977 as the wash boy / parts runner / go-for, I was 19 at the time and had recently dropped out of college and purchased an older Alfa Romeo from Brand X dealership. I was purchasing so many parts on a near weekly basis that Stephen invited me into his spacious office, complete with a Shell poster of Chris Amon sitting on a 312 and a wonderful Alfa Romeo poster of a 115 series GTV with the tag line 'let's drive until the sun comes up", and proceeded to offer me a job after I was quizzed about such things as 8C 2900's, 365 California's and the difference between casting and forging.

I had always been crazy about Ferrari as a kid and to work at a Ferrari store was a dream come true. Stephen could be very grumpy and anti-social, he was the antithesis of a dealership principal or car salesman. When I was young I was fearful of him, as I matured I appreciated him and his style....he was a very "hands off" leader and Pete Lovely was seldom seen. Stephen once told me he was more interested in having a "hobby shop" for customers AND employees than a business. Yes the facility was a dump, he would frequently tell me "people sell cars, not fancy buildings"...tell that to manufacturer today.

I became Parts Manager in early 1980's, I can recall early in my tenure the parts department had a horrific month, as I was pouring my soul out to him he stopped me and said "I am more concerned about profits in five years than today". Later I went on to be Service Manager, then Sales and finally Stephen's right hand man.

He set me up for my first visit to Maranello in 1979, complete with a visit to the racing department! As he got older and became tired of the all of the pomp and circumstance, not to mention inflated ego's and BS, on dealer trips he would often send me in his absence. In my youthful exuberance I suspect I ruffled a few feathers on the corporate level.

The company went through some very lean years, in 1980 we sold two 308 GTSi's after eight in 1979, but his employees were always paid a very good wage. 1992 through 1995 was very tough, finally 456's came and then 355's combined with the tech economy.

Stephen had great stories about "the early years" of being with Ferrari, as well as Alfa Romeo. He was a very fast and skilled driver and more than once I would take a call from someone complaining about a company car on dealer plates being driven too fast. I was with him early on in a Daytona Spider and he was exceeding 90 on Madrona Blvd one sunny morning, most likely in 3rd "keep the revs up", I was shocked, scared and filled with pleasure. His last Ferrari demo was a fly yellow 308 GT4 with Boxer paint, the Bumble Bee as it was know. The motor had been "breathed upon" with P6 cams, for a 308 It Went Well.

Shortly after F40's came out we had a very famous client who was complaining about "poor throttle response" in his F40. Chief mechanic Sydney Collier and I went out with the diagnosis equipment available at the time and could find nothing wrong. Stephen and I went out a second time with him driving. The client claimed the throttle response was poor "going up a hill", Stephen drove up 509 toward Burien mid afternoon occasionally touching 150 or 160 in traffic....The problem was not with the car but rather the client not being familiar with turbo motors and manual gearboxes.

As a young man I once took a new Marrone Metallizatio 308 GT4 off the showroom floor for a date without his knowledge after hours late one Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning I went to great trouble to park it exactly where it was and clean it. Monday morning he looked at it several times, then looked at me but said nothing. Shortly after that episode the car was sold to a Seattle restaurateur who traded in the world's worst Maserati Ghibli (and that is saying something) as well as a 1978 Corvette. At the conclusion of the transaction Stephen simply said to me "YOUR Dino has been sold".

Shortly after that Stephen took me to a client's business to pickup a 250 SWB that the client was consigning with us. It was a former SEFAC car and had incredibly short gearing as well as VERY old Dunlop R5's. I can recall driving it back to 1401 12th avenue with brio on the onramp to I5 from West Seattle and going into an oversteer situation. I think Stephen sold it into Sweden for close to $1M which at the time we all thought was huge money.

Over the years several times Stephen would allow me to purchase a trade at cost and he would forego profit. I purchased my 308, 365 and 512 from him at cost. He could have easily said NO and made good money on all of them. He sold me parts at cost.

After GPML was sold I visited Stephen frequently in Seattle or else his home in Mexico. I have been working on a book about Grand Prix, do not know if I will ever complete it but it has been an enjoyable project.

In 2021 I drove him and his wife to Monterey for the Historics, he was always happiest at the track and preferably around 12 cylinder Ferrari's.

A couple of corrections from his obit....Ron Tonkin was a Ferrari dealership 3 months prior to Stephen taking it on, Stephen sold in 1999. Lastly he was not the longest running Ferrari dealership.

Forgive me if this comes across as personal, he was the best man I ever worked for and it was the best job I could have hoped for. RIP.

Gregg Rennord
Click to expand...

Was GP Motors ever located near Seattle Center? In 1976-78 when leaving the Coliseum/Arena after Concerts there was a showroom with Ferrari's
(and other Brands) a few blocks east.

vrooom · May 21, 2023

flaviaman said: ↑

I went to work for Stephen in 1977 as the wash boy / parts runner / go-for, I was 19 at the time and had recently dropped out of college and purchased an older Alfa Romeo from Brand X dealership. I was purchasing so many parts on a near weekly basis that Stephen invited me into his spacious office, complete with a Shell poster of Chris Amon sitting on a 312 and a wonderful Alfa Romeo poster of a 115 series GTV with the tag line 'let's drive until the sun comes up", and proceeded to offer me a job after I was quizzed about such things as 8C 2900's, 365 California's and the difference between casting and forging.

I had always been crazy about Ferrari as a kid and to work at a Ferrari store was a dream come true. Stephen could be very grumpy and anti-social, he was the antithesis of a dealership principal or car salesman. When I was young I was fearful of him, as I matured I appreciated him and his style....he was a very "hands off" leader and Pete Lovely was seldom seen. Stephen once told me he was more interested in having a "hobby shop" for customers AND employees than a business. Yes the facility was a dump, he would frequently tell me "people sell cars, not fancy buildings"...tell that to manufacturer today.

I became Parts Manager in early 1980's, I can recall early in my tenure the parts department had a horrific month, as I was pouring my soul out to him he stopped me and said "I am more concerned about profits in five years than today". Later I went on to be Service Manager, then Sales and finally Stephen's right hand man.

He set me up for my first visit to Maranello in 1979, complete with a visit to the racing department! As he got older and became tired of the all of the pomp and circumstance, not to mention inflated ego's and BS, on dealer trips he would often send me in his absence. In my youthful exuberance I suspect I ruffled a few feathers on the corporate level.

The company went through some very lean years, in 1980 we sold two 308 GTSi's after eight in 1979, but his employees were always paid a very good wage. 1992 through 1995 was very tough, finally 456's came and then 355's combined with the tech economy.

Stephen had great stories about "the early years" of being with Ferrari, as well as Alfa Romeo. He was a very fast and skilled driver and more than once I would take a call from someone complaining about a company car on dealer plates being driven too fast. I was with him early on in a Daytona Spider and he was exceeding 90 on Madrona Blvd one sunny morning, most likely in 3rd "keep the revs up", I was shocked, scared and filled with pleasure. His last Ferrari demo was a fly yellow 308 GT4 with Boxer paint, the Bumble Bee as it was know. The motor had been "breathed upon" with P6 cams, for a 308 It Went Well.

Shortly after F40's came out we had a very famous client who was complaining about "poor throttle response" in his F40. Chief mechanic Sydney Collier and I went out with the diagnosis equipment available at the time and could find nothing wrong. Stephen and I went out a second time with him driving. The client claimed the throttle response was poor "going up a hill", Stephen drove up 509 toward Burien mid afternoon occasionally touching 150 or 160 in traffic....The problem was not with the car but rather the client not being familiar with turbo motors and manual gearboxes.

As a young man I once took a new Marrone Metallizatio 308 GT4 off the showroom floor for a date without his knowledge after hours late one Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning I went to great trouble to park it exactly where it was and clean it. Monday morning he looked at it several times, then looked at me but said nothing. Shortly after that episode the car was sold to a Seattle restaurateur who traded in the world's worst Maserati Ghibli (and that is saying something) as well as a 1978 Corvette. At the conclusion of the transaction Stephen simply said to me "YOUR Dino has been sold".

Shortly after that Stephen took me to a client's business to pickup a 250 SWB that the client was consigning with us. It was a former SEFAC car and had incredibly short gearing as well as VERY old Dunlop R5's. I can recall driving it back to 1401 12th avenue with brio on the onramp to I5 from West Seattle and going into an oversteer situation. I think Stephen sold it into Sweden for close to $1M which at the time we all thought was huge money.

Over the years several times Stephen would allow me to purchase a trade at cost and he would forego profit. I purchased my 308, 365 and 512 from him at cost. He could have easily said NO and made good money on all of them. He sold me parts at cost.

After GPML was sold I visited Stephen frequently in Seattle or else his home in Mexico. I have been working on a book about Grand Prix, do not know if I will ever complete it but it has been an enjoyable project.

In 2021 I drove him and his wife to Monterey for the Historics, he was always happiest at the track and preferably around 12 cylinder Ferrari's.

A couple of corrections from his obit....Ron Tonkin was a Ferrari dealership 3 months prior to Stephen taking it on, Stephen sold in 1999. Lastly he was not the longest running Ferrari dealership.

Forgive me if this comes across as personal, he was the best man I ever worked for and it was the best job I could have hoped for. RIP.

Gregg Rennord
Click to expand...

greg , i have fond memories of GRAND PRIX MOTORS and of you and sydney dealing with my alfas and dino ,especially you rounding up the campy wheels for the dino which were extremely difficult to find even in the early 80's ! remember the dealership when it was on lake washington at Leschi as well before moving to 12th. danny z.

flaviaman · May 23, 2023

Hi Danny - Sydney and I have great memories of you and your 246’s…..you have / had the ex Mike Mogelgaard green / yellow GTS correct?

I remember the Campy wheels as well as your Alfa Guilia. I may see Sydney next weekend, if so I will tell him we exchanged messages

Hope you are doing well.. Cheers

vrooom · Jun 5, 2023

greg , hope you are doing well, still in or. ? say hi to sydney for me ! dan

flaviaman said: ↑

Hi Danny - Sydney and I have great memories of you and your 246’s…..you have / had the ex Mike Mogelgaard green / yellow GTS correct?

I remember the Campy wheels as well as your Alfa Guilia. I may see Sydney next weekend, if so I will tell him we exchanged messages

Hope you are doing well.. Cheers
Click to expand...

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