5 Uil Street, Industrial Area
PO Box 3244, Knysna
6570, Cape Province
Tel: +27 (044) 382 6074
Fax: +27 (044) 382 3517 norman@frostbrothers.co.za
15th August 2011
"Now is a better time than ever to buy the right classic car. With the way the markets are going and the nominal interest earned by having money in the bank, it makes sense to invest in an appreciating assest, such as a classic car.
Not only would it be a wonderful investment, but you would also be able to indulge yourself with some nostalgic fun!
I am still very busy finding cars for my customers that have a particular model in mind and just love putting a deal together. Dealing with the buyers and sellers is usually a good experience.
If I am not trying to marry customers to cars on my computer,I am supervising the reconditioning of the cars I have in stock. I like to make sure they are in as good a condition as possible before being sold. Like the saying goes: "There is no second chance for a first impression".
Upgrading British sports like MGA's and MGB's is also becoming popular in the Frost Brothers showroom. Ron Hollis of Bodge Engineering across the road is doing telescopic shock conversions, electric fans, gas flowed cylinder heads and performance manifolds. These are acceptable mods and they make the cars so much nicer to drive.
I have a positive feeling about the next few months as I have some really nice cars for sale. Knysna usually starts peaking up this time of the year, and I can't wait to get onto the beach again!"
Great things are happening right across the road from me.For years the building has been occupied by various small businesses that brought hardly anyone to the area.
All of a sudden half of the premises has being turned into a classic car workshop and the other half is a mini factory producing Austin Healey replicas.
Ron Hollis who is a semi-retired mechanical engineer and British sports car collector/enthusiast has decided to follow his passion which is to work on and to modify classic cars.
For me this is a dream come true as we can offer a truly professional workshop to our customers.
Apart from engine mods and general repairs Ron will also be fitting safety belts,fire extinguishers,badge bars,bootracks etc.
Well known local restorer Ricky Cooper needed a new challenge.He is now building Austin Healey replicas using BMW 325i (E30)mechanicals.These cars will be built with lots of pride and to the highest standard.A lot of time is being spent making sure that they look as close to the original as possible.The first two cars have already been sold and I hope to find some more buyers soon.
I am confident that these cars are going to give their owners a lot of pleasure and also believe they will keep their resale value as they will be individually hand made to the customers specifications.
Business might have slowed down a bit over the last year but the demand for classic British Sports cars is still there.I have had no problem selling a really nice MGA Roadster,a sidescreen Triumph or an Austin Healey.Also becoming popular are the chrome bumper MGB Roadsters and top quality MGBGT's the latter being bought by older folk that don't want there bald heads burnt by he African sun.
Just a month ago I sold an MGA to a very large man that had been visiting my showroom for ten years.I always had time to listen to him reminisce about the MGA he owned some 40 years ago but never took him seriously as he stands at about 6 ft 5 tall and is by no means small.
In this business we do have a lot of "wheel kickers" but as it just shows that "one never knows who you are dealing with"
A well know restorer in Knysna is building Austin Healey replicas to a very high standard.These cars will be using BMW 325 running gear and will be difficult to tell apart from the real thing.
We have sold two already and the first one will be ready in about a month.
Theses cars cost half the price of a real one,will be twice as nice to drive and probably three times more reliable.The price with all the best equipment like Chrome wire wheels,Lucas lights and leather seats is R250,000.
Believe it or not but classic cars are still selling despite the "crunch".It has become a bit more difficult, but I have taken it as a challenge and have been following up with customers from way back by mailing them when I know that a particular car might interest them.Following up is a skill that was drummed into me some 30 years ago by the various sales managers at the new car franchises I worked for.The classic car buyer is a bit different as you can offer him a car that he expressed interest in years ago and he might still be a buyer.The internet has made it so much easier as you can send them a picture as well.
I sold a beautifully restored Jaguar MK II last week to a Welshman that mentioned that he might be interested in one about a year ago.He happened to here on the Lions rugby tour when he received my mail and managed to pay me a visit to conclude the deal.
We will be closed from Thursday the 16th of July and return on Monday the 3rd of August as I will be joining my wife Jennie in Finland and Sweden where she will be competing in a disabled golf tournament. She has made many new friends from all over the world partaking in these events.We are both inspired as to how these handicapped competitors live their lives to the fullest regardless of their disabilities.
My other passion is kayaking so while Jennie is playing golf I hope to be paddling around the beautiful lakes of Finland and Sweden and at the same time I will promoting canoeing products for "Knysna Racing Kayaks and Paddles". Like classic cars their products are lot less expensive and the quality is of a very high standard. Have a look at www.knysnaracingkayaks.com
I have recently returned from a trip to Port Elizabeth and Durban where I looked at many classic cars that are for sale.Most of the owners respond to my adverts looking for cars or have heard about me over the years.Contrary to popular belief these enthusiasts usually sell them due to the onset of old age or health problems and not because they need the money.It is quite an emotional experience for the owner when he sells a car that he has restored and owned for many years.
With the help of my GPS I visited many homes in PE and Durban where I would take photographs,drive around the block and get as much information on the cars as possible.Once back in Knysna I follow up with existing customers and put them on my website.In this way the car stays with the owner until I have sold it and he has paid out in full.I really enjoy visiting the owners homes as I get to met some real characters with vast amounts of knowledge about their particular cars.
I also went to the "Pietermaritzburg Cars In The Park Show" that has a great laid back atmosphere and many interesting cars on display.While on my "house calls"I looked at amongst others a 1934 Singer Le Mans Speed Special,a 1940 Ford V8 Coupe,a 1963 Mercedes Benz 220SE Manual Coupe and a 1926 Armstrong Siddeley Doctors Coupe.On my last day having not yet bought myself a car I went to see a 1958 MGA Roadster made to look like a Le Mans/Sebring racer.Well I fell in love with it,bought it and drove it back via Golden Gate in the Free State,the Karoo passing through Graaf Reinet and back to Knysna.Luckily I had family in Northern Natal to borrow some much needed warm clothes and a helmet with visor as the car has no softtop and a cut down windscreen.The Free State tends to get rather cold at this time of the year!The car which is fitted with an MGB motor and a 5-speed gearbox didn't miss a beat.The owner who restored the car over the last four years is a true professional and unfortunately part of a dying breed.
It looks like I must now go out looking for some more old cars to sell!The last few months have kept us very busy and it seems that there is no slowing down when it comes to the selling of classic cars.
Most of us enjoy old cars that provide some nostalgia and what a pleasure when you can buy the car of your dreams knowing that you won't be losing any money on it when and if you ever decide to sell it.
I am still amazed at the power of the internet and the success of my website.Just this month I sold three cars to customers from Kwazulu Natal and they all told me that they found their dream cars by entering the model car that they were looking for and the words 'for sale' on Google search.Other recent internet customers are from further afield like the Czech Republic,Tanzania,Sierra Leone,Denmark and Germany.
Another aspect that makes me proud is that cars are bought without the buyer having seen them and their money is sent to me before the car leaves my warehouse.Who said you can't trust a used car salesman?
Despite the economic downturn the last few weeks sales have been really good.With the Rand having fallen sharply you would have thought that the cars would all have been exported out of SA but to the contrary it seems that South Africans are starting to buy classic cars as a form of investment and are having fun with them at the same time.Most of the cars we have sold recently now belong to "Swallows"(foreigners) with holiday homes on the Garden Route and retirees living in our area.
Jennie and I are both on the committee of the newly formed MG Car Club Southern Cape and have found it to be fantastic for business and we now have a waiting list for MGB Roadsters.They are very popular because they are reasonably practical and can be driven as a second car all for under R100,000.We already have 45 members with about 60 cars between them which is quite impressive for the area.
Another club based in Knysna is the Garden Route Car Club that has been going since 1988 and has 87 members.This club is very active and is a must for anyone living here with a classic car because apart from having some experts on the technical side it organises many functions and events making it a great way to meet new friends.
Working from our warehouse as opposed to a showroom is a pleasure as most of our sales are done off our website and the internet.This also allows us to close up for a few days so that we can travel the country to look for cars to put on our website.
I have just returned from an awesome trip to the UK.Six of us made our base at the Hawkley Inn,near Petersfield,Hampshire.The other gents in the group are retired classic car owners that belong to either the Garden Route Motor Club or the newly formed MG Car Club (Southern Cape).I thought I was going to have a relaxing time with these more mature chaps but was soon proved wrong.They had me up early every morning on a mission to hit the road.Not easy as most evenings were spent sampling the various ales in the pub.
We spent two days at Beaulieu and were amazed by the massive selection of car parts and memorabilia that was for sale.The next few days were spent visiting the Morgan factory,the Brooklands Museum,the Naval Museum at Portsmouth and Moss Motors to buy some parts for our MG's. The last three days were the highlight of our trip as we went to the Goodwood Revival.We donned our flat caps and tweed jackets to look the part and then spent our time days feasting our eyes on the beautiful machinery on the track and in the car park..Watching the professional racing drivers throw those expensive cars around was great.The Spitfires,the Mustang and the Lancaster bomber also added to the fun.Being the 60th anniversary of the race track and the 10th of the revival the organisers went out of their way to make it an event not to be missed.
This was for me a trip that I will never forget but coming home was also good.Sure can't complain about where I live or what I do for a living!
