BRE 240Z Medallions

[Carl Beck]

Hello Carl,

I think you're right - I probably should have said Interpart - not the BRE shop (as in where the race cars were built/maintained).

...snipped...

FWIW, I still have 4 Interpart catalogs - the one dated 2-1-72 shows an address for Interpart at 141 Oregon. The other 3 catalogs (8-1-72, 2-1-73, 1-1-74) all have an address of 100 Oregon. So, at least through January '74 Interpart was on Oregon in two different locations.

Also, as shown in the photo, the 510 stuff was still shown in the 1-1-74 catalog so if there was a fire, it must have been later in '74.

Wayne

Hi Wayne:

137 Oregon was the BRE Shop/Parts

141 Oregon was the first Interpart Building

100 Oregon was the second Interpart Building

So the fire must have been 2/72 and 8/72....

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

OTOH, 35 years ago, if you lived in SoCal and wanted "BRE stuff" (like the decal in the below photo - still on my front side markers after more than 34 years) ... you drove over to El Segundo to the store. The ownership and relationship of Interpart to BRE was unknown to most of us at the time and we weren't really thinking that this was Interpart marketed, and sometimes BRE-logo'ed stuff!

Hi Chris / Goose52 everyone:

I agree - the Ad. lines during the transition from BRE to INTERPART, put out by BRE was "Now We Are INTERPART".. and to everyone's mind the BRE Parts Business was INTERPART and vis versa.

BRE stuff was BRE stuff no matter if you bought it from BRE or later INTERPART. As Chris correctly pointed out - MULHOLLAND stuff was not BRE stuff...

INTERPART was started so that the BRE Shop could focus on racing and not spend so much time shipping BRE Parts. I'd have to check with Mr. Brock, but I believe that when InterPart was first formed, Mr. Brock held a 30% or 40% interest in Interpart, and his primary interest was to continue the BRE Parts Sales (and associated income).. while off loading the Parts Business work - from the Racing Shop.

In the original agreement between Nissan and BRE, the Nissan Authorized Dealers would sell BRE Parts via their Datsun Parts Dept.'s and BRE could market Nissan Competition Parts via BRE. BRE for example sold a slightly re-designed Nissan Rear Spoiler, that was fabricated locally for BRE. BRE's Competition Oil Pump Springs - were another example of Nissan Parts re-branded and sold as BRE parts.

As the InterPart business grew - it required more employees, more investment in inventory, and more capital to have additional items produced so they could be added to the line up - like the BRE Headlight Covers, BRE Car Covers etc. So additional investments were made by the other partners and Mr. Brocks' ownership in terms of the percentage of the business was diluted to much less than the original 30% or 40%....

Also BRE shut down around the end of 1973 or in early 1974.... Any business needs growth - and the Mulholland Brand started to fill that need for growth..as well as things like the Shadow Shade Kits etc.

BTW - My BRE Z Car Cover, purchased before Dec. of 71 - does have the same commemorative wreath that Goose52 has on his Bra.. I think I still have the same BRE Bra somewhere out in the garage as well. I know I purchased the car cover before the end of Dec. 71 - because I had to park my 240-Z in the hangers at the Air Base and I wanted it covered, as I was TDY to SEA.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Goose52]

Wow - that cover looks great !

[Carl Beck]

Hi Goose52:

Thanks - it has been an amazing cover. Wish someone make them today exactally the same way. I don't know how many times it's been washed over the years, and it has faded a little bit - but otherwise it's still like new. As I recall it was about $49.95 back in 71..

We just bought a new washer/dryer - to replace our 20 year old set - that finally gave out. The only criteria for the new washer was that it had to be big enough to wash my car cover.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[jmark]

Good stuff Carl.