You are right Bob. Barbara and I bought our first MORGAN, a Drophead Coupe
from Worldwide Imports in 1959.
MORGANs then, as now, were in short supply. The only car on the floor was
so tightly packed in that it could not be extracted for a demonstration
(they did that in those days). Lew took us for a ride around the Hollywood
Hills in Rene's Ferrari. When we returned, Lew said: "The MORGAN handles
about the same, but it rides harder." We put in our order and 5 months
later the car arrived. Last I heard it was owned by Larry Nelson, in NC.
Gerry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Nogueira [SMTP:nogera@prodigy.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 6:12 PM
> To: aMORGANS@autox.team.net; Willburn, Gerry
> Subject: RE: World Wide Imports
>
> -- [ From: Bob Nogueira * EMC.Ver #3.1a ] --
>
> And again Gerry shows us one of he advantages of growing old, you don't
> have to buy a book when you have witnessed it happening !!! :)
>
> Bob Nogueira
>
> ------ REPLY, Original message follows --------
>
> > Date: Tuesday, 12-Jan-99 11:19 AM
> >
> > From: Willburn, Gerry \ Internet: (gerry.willburn@trw.com)
> > To: MORGANS \ Internet: (morgans@autox.team.net)
> > To: SDviewpnt@aol.com \ America Online: (SDVIEWPNT)
> >
> > Subject: RE: World Wide Imports
> >
> > Worldwide Imports (and it's derivatives) was the West Coast MORGAN
> Distributor
> > (Fergus was East Coast).
> >
> > Angell Motors, Pasadena was the dealer in the until about March 1953.
> Cavalier
> > Motors, Los Angeles was the dealer from Jan 1953 until mid 1954.
> >
> > In 1955 Worldwide Motors entered the scene. Our 1955 DHC (3174) was one
> of the
> > first cars imported by Worldwide (11 Jan 1955). Worldwide (Rene'
> Pelendini)
> > became a distributor and had several dealers in the late 50's and early
> 60's
> > During this period, Lew Spencer began driving Rene's Race Car and
> started
> the
> > Baby Doll series (I through III).Rene' was also the AC distributor
> during
> this
> > period and Lew also drove Rene's AC.
> >
> > Late in 1961 Worldwide was sold by Rene' to Lew and the distributorship
> became
> > Lew Spencer Imports (Spencer's Spensive Imports). Lew continued to race
> MORGANs
> > (Baby Dolls IV and V). About the beginning of 1965 the distributorship
> was
> > bought by Ruel Sutton and Gordon Pflug and the name changed (logically)
> to
> > Sutton & Pflug. Lew went off to Shelby's Cobra empire. In the middle
> of
> 1967
> > Gordon left the firm and it became Sutton Motor Imports.
> >
> > When MORGAN withdrew from the U.S. market in 1968, Sutton Motor Imports
> became
> > a dealer in used MORGANs, parts and service. Ruel took on one of his
> salesmen,
> > Martin Widefield as a partner and the name became Sutton & Widefield.
> After a
> > couple of years Ruel left the firm (and started Robin Hood Campers) and
> the
> > name became Widefield Motors. In the Mid 70's Martin sold the firm and
> it
> > became Scarti Motors, still used cars, parts and service. Scarti
> quietly
> left
> > the scent in the late 70's. By then, Bill Fink (ISIS Imports) had
> managed
> to
> > get the MORGAN federalized and became the new U.S. Importer.
> >
> > I think all of the Worldwide, et.al.. records have long been lost.
> >
> > Gerry
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: SDviewpnt@aol.com [SMTP:SDviewpnt@aol.com]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 9:58 AM
> > > To: morgans@triumph.cs.utah.edu
> > > Subject: World Wide Imports
> > >
> > > <<Price sticker for #4484 by World Wide Import in LA to Crane Sports &
> > > Import
> > > in
> > > SF Retail price $3418.00 ($15.00)>>
> > >
> > > What is the history of World Wide Imports? Since I've not been able
> to
> > > find
> > > them, I assume they are out of business. Are their records still
> > > available?
> > > I would like to research my 1956 Plus 4, chassis #3468. MMC sent a
> copy
> > > of
> > > the original delivery log and I know the previous owner. I'd love to
> fill
> > > in
> > > the gaps.
> > >
> > > Best to all,
> > > Steve Dreiseszun
> > > (In Sunny Phoenix - Today's high in the 70s)
>
> -------- REPLY, End of original message --------
>
>
>
> _____________________________________
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