Anyone want to take a guess as to the current cumulative value of the cars in this photo? This lineup of late 50’s-early 60’s Porsche offerings was photographed at the Brumos dealership located at 1444 North Main Street in the early 1960’s. In the building’s window the Volkswagen logo is identified with Brundage Motors Inc. and the Porsche logo as Brumos Porsche Car Corporation. The cars (left to right) are a 1958 356 Cabriolet and a 1961 356. The third car from the left is identified as a 1961 RSK. It looks a lot like the car the dealership was racing at the time, minus the stickers. My sources think the next car is a 550 (think James Dean) and the last two are 1960 356’s. A big thanks to members of the Brumos racing team for their help nailing down the details of the dealership and the car models in the photo. Below is the group shot of the owners and employees taken during the same photo shoot.
I was puzzled by the street address in the window of the dealership which is #30 and did not match the address I was given for the Main Street location. I drove around the property and discovered the answer. The facade of the business in the photo is located at 30 West 5th. Street and is still there 50 years later with the original gold leaf number 30 still in the window.
Tags: brumos, brundage, business, cars, Main Street, porsche
I just love looking at these old photos ! I really thought at first that this was the old Studebaker dealership in the 300 block of Park Street in Brooklyn/Riverside that was owned by Marshall Catlin until he died just a few months ago.
Any Chance you have any of Brooklyn area from the era ?
Jeanine Peterson
http://icoulduseadeal.com/
I don’t think I’ve seen anything in the collection from Brooklyn.
Bob–you have any pics. from old Houston St. houses?= there were some beauties there.. ( I mean houses.)
Thats funny…not many people remember the old Houston St houses and most people still don’t know Houston st is even there….my office is and has been on Houston St for 60 years. We used to dig in some of the empty lots and dig up all kind of near treasures that got bulldozed and buried along with the houses.
Love old Porsches, and especially love seeing them in period pics here in Jax?
This must have been just before the Peter Gregg era at Brumos. I came to Jax as a Navy photographer in late 1966. I had a 65 Porsche and I got to know the folks here at Brumos very well. Particularly, Franz Lerch and Hubert Kinzler who were fresh off the boat from Germany. They went on a few years later to open Franz Foreign Car Service on Arlington Expressway. They were great guys. I remember once when they were still at Brumos they rescued me on the side of the road near NAS Jax. How many people would do that today?
We used to hold “gymkhanas” in the parking lot on weekends. Although it was more of a car show for the fans in the area to participate in.
Hello Mr Austell
Franz was my dad. I just took my mom to see Ford vs Ferrari and as I expected she said it brought back lots of memories of when she & my dad experienced that racing era. The shop is still opened ! If you are ever in Jax you should stop by, it’s kind of like stepping back in time 😊. It was like a second home to dad and you are right he really was a good man. He passed away sadly too soon in 2011.
I am in this picture as one of the first employees of Brumos. I have an 8×10 copy. Never knew who actually took the picture. I have many pictures from my time with Brumos and later with Peter. As Peter used to say, “We are the picture, we don’t take the picture” He did not allow us to bring cameras to the races. The car on the left is a 1959 RSK, the one on the right is a 1960 RS60. These car were raced for Brumos by such well known drivers as Roger Penske and Bob Holbert. Thanks to people like Loyd Sandgren and Bill Warner,I do have some record of my “business life”
Hi Jack,
Just came across your comment on this photo. You won’t remember me but I worked at Sport Auto around the 1970-72 era. I remember eating at the sandwich shop across the street on Main with you and chatting. I have fond memories of seeing all the race cars and activity. I remember one day when Hurley came over to sit in and start up the 917 he acquired from Peter and you trying to talk him out of starting it. The last time I saw you was in 76 when I tried to join the team but you told me the Germans wouldn’t let any Americans work on the BMW race cars.
Mr. Atkinson, Thank you so much for your comment and insight. I particularly like your Peter Gregg quote. Loyd Sandgren did a lot of work for Brundage and Brumos in the 1960’s. Bob Self/Vintage Jacksonville
My claim to fame…Brumos Porsche on Main St., Jacksonville, FL was one of my Jacksonville Journal customers in 1965/66 and Peter Gregg was, on many occasions, the person who paid me when I collected my 30 cent subscription on Saturday mornings. My first ride in a Porsche was with a Brumos mechanic who I would give a free copy of the Journal when I had an extra. 56 years later, my 3rd Porsche is a ’77 911S which I have owned since 1980 and still drive in PCA events in the Philadelphia area. Will never forget the “astronomical” sticker price on the window of a ’65 911 in the Brumos showroom when I delivered newspapers to Peter back in the day…$4,300!
I was Peter Gregg’s paperboy…from 1965/67 I delivered the Jacksonville Journal to the Brumos Porsche dealership on Main St. in Jacksonville, FL. On more than one occasion, it was Peter who paid me the 30 cent weekly subscription when I came to collect on Saturday mornings. Needless to say, my love of Porsche began with the opportunity to deliver papers to the salesmen and mechanics who, as they got to know me, let me “hangout” at the dealership and eventually experience the thrill of an occasional “test” drive with a salesman. The result?…I have owned Porsches since 1975 and still own a ’77 911S daily driver which I have the privilege of sharing the road with my fellow PCA members in the Philadelphia region.
Can anyone tell me the name of the gentleman who was warehouse Forman on 21st street when it was at that time still called Brundage Motors?
Oh how I love this article. Thank you for all you do to highlight the history of Jacksonville.
My Father, James Ronald Griffin is in this photo. He began his career with Hubert Brundage fresh out of college- UM.
Our families moved to Jax in 1954 (I was 2years old) to access the Jax Port to receive vehicles for Brundage Motors.
My Father served in many roles with the Company – . He was Vice President when the 7 story Brundage Motors building on 21st was built. Hubert passed shortly before it was christened. His wife Nadine cut the ribbon at the opening.
The Jax Journal did a full feature article (multiple pages) which I have a copy of.
It a true treasure I’m thrilled to have. Sadly I lost my Father (age 45) to a major heart attack in 1972.
The Brundage Family is very near and dear to my heart. 💕
Ronna, welcome to Vintage Jacksonville, and thank you so much for adding your personal memories to this and the other post. It helps keep history alive and adds new layers of information that you would never read in a history book. Your father was part of something that created an international racing sensation. You should be proud. Bob Self/Vintage Jacksonville