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Calling Brian Stradale

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004.

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  1. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

    Jun 2, 2003
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    James Dunne
    #1 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  2. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #2 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  3. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #3 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
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  4. rico

    rico Formula Junior

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    #4 rico, May 5, 2004
    Some sweet photos there, especially the F50 :D
     
  5. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #5 WJHMH, May 5, 2004
    The first time I visited the Dallas showroom was back in 1988. I was in complete amazement how small the dealership really was. Over the years after moving the old garage, things became a much tighter fit. I must have been a real problem to have all those cars so close together. The new garage didn’t seem much room at all. Did they still use the other garage that was also the parts & service department, or was that vacated as well? BTW, Thanks for sharing the photos James.
     
  6. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #6 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
    Everything was a very tight fit. We could fit 12 cars tightly in the showroom and not touch doors. The shop had three lifts and one space in between two of them for a total of four available workspaces. The old garage across the street was vacated and no longer used. The service and parts office and parts storage were remodeled the last year before the new store was opened in Plano. Somehow, even though it was small, the feeling it gave of being a quaint Italian supercar dealership gave it a very comfortable feeling. The new store is very beautiful with all the space anyone could ever dream of having but for some reason seems more cold. The smaller store seemed more warm and inviting to me. But that is just my opinion.
     
  7. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    #7 rob lay, May 5, 2004
    Wow, the good ole days. It was very small. Look at the pic of them doing a service in the driveway. :) Not like I'm throwing stones, I don't even have a driveway. I do my SRX7 stuff jacked up on the trailer and I did the 328 brakes jacked up on loose gravel. :)

    First time I walked into FoD back in 1998 or so I walked around in awe. Someone approached me (not you James) and asked if they could help me. I simply said I was a huge Ferrari enthusiast, couldn't afford one today, but would get a 308/328 in a few years. The person responded spitefully "we don't sell 308/328's here and never will". Two years later someone else made a profit selling me a 328 and someone else has been making a profit servicing my 328 since.

    That management is long gone and I've had nothing but praise for the more recent team of Tony, James, Chet, Donny, and etc.

    Sorry, since that time I've always wanted to say "look at me now". :D:D:D
     
  8. GTRPower

    GTRPower Karting

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    #8 GTRPower, May 5, 2004
    I've been to the new store- it reminds me more of a museum than a dealership. Far too much empty space- not floor space necessarily (but for the number of cars I think so too) but actual volume of space... It's elegant but empty.
     
  9. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #9 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Rob,
    That was Bill, (big guy). He is no longer in the Ferrari business. Once you got to know him he is an okay guy. It just takes a little while.

    The first time I met you, you came in to discuss having a Ferrari car corral at the upcoming ALMS race.

    Here are a few more pictures of cars that were in the showroom at the same time #1 BB512 carb car, #2 White 412, 330 GTC with beige interior (rare color combo) and #4 Challenge car with the BB512 in the foreground and a Grigio 328GTS in the background. This is Don Paynes old car that he had before getting his 348.
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  10. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #10 jimpo1, May 5, 2004
    Wow, that brings back memories.

    Rob, my experience was much the same as yours when I was shopping. "We haven't sold one of those (308's) in years".

    James, I seem to recall talking to you about a yellow(?) 275 GTB that had an alloy(?) rebody. At the time, you weren't sure about the rebody, but were looking into it. If you remember the car, what did you ever learn about it?
     
  11. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 WJHMH, May 5, 2004
    I believe the black boxer (1979?) still sits on the show room of FoH, last time I saw it was in late January. Great pics James.
     
  12. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #12 AnotherDunneDeal, May 5, 2004
    As far as I know the 330 GTC is still at FOH also.

    Jim, boy I have slept a couple of nights since then. I seem to remember that nothing was ever determined absolutely. It was leaning toward rebody but not certain. Sorry.....

    I think that in my time there I sold about 8 328's. Not a huge seller as not very many really nice ones abound and you know that Mr. Risi will not accept a car for sale unless it is "NICE".
     
  13. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #13 AnotherDunneDeal, May 6, 2004
    Brian,

    Did you figure out who the black 355 spider belonged to in the past?
     
  14. Bimmerista

    Bimmerista Formula 3

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    #14 Bimmerista, May 6, 2004
    Yeah...I completely understand what you mean. The old store was dark, but in a good way. It gave that feeling of mystery of what sits in the showroom. The new shop is BEAUTIFUL and best of all, its less than 5 minutes away from home. :) I miss than A.C. Blue F50, that was beautiful!! What a shame that FoH painted it red again.
     
  15. jonesn

    jonesn Formula Junior

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    #15 jonesn, May 6, 2004
    ah memories :)

    I had a blast working with you James and everyone else. I'm working on being able to go in there in not too long of time until I can actually choose a car rather than just browse.

    I agree that the Richardson location did feel more like a humble and traditional Italian shop. I had been going in there since I was a kid to admire the cars, well before I worked there.
     
  16. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #16 Brian C. Stradale, May 6, 2004
    Hmmm... he traded it in on a black-on-black 360 some years ago?

    But I thought he did that in California, not here?
     
  17. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #17 Brian C. Stradale, May 6, 2004
    To me, the old place felt like "FoD was slummin'." That strip, the parking, that area... just didn't seem fitting for a Ferrari dealership. The new place feels far more "appropriately reverent".

    HOWEVER, I will agree that the old place felt more Italian. Italians are into filling every last bit of space with art... sensory overload at almost every step. The new showroom is more like a US art gallery... huge space, blank walls, designed to not distract from the subject pieces.

    That said, I much MUCH prefer the new to the old.

    As for warm and inviting... that has far more to do with the people that you encounter than what either place looks like.
     
  18. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #18 AnotherDunneDeal, May 7, 2004
    Nope, he did it here. We found the 360 for him. He told me when he was taking delivery that he had sold cars at one time, I believe Oldsmobiles. Said he did it while in college.

    I agree about the slumming in the area of city the old store was located in and the state of repair of the building (poor). I was basically referring to the overall atmosphere of the experience. I guess the smaller spaces and lower ceiling gave a more intimate feeling and a litter warmer feeling. NOt to be confused with the dealership being frustratingly cold in the winter and hot in the summer due to the A/C-heating system.

    I guess I am saying I wish the new dealership was a warm and inviting as the old one because it it definitely much higher quality, much more elegant and has much more space in a very much more desirable location. Maybe with time.
     
  19. AnotherDunneDeal

    AnotherDunneDeal F1 Veteran

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    #19 AnotherDunneDeal, May 7, 2004
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