Abarth

brucebrewer65

New Member
I read in this category a few asking about Greg Schmidt. My brother and I raced at Riverside Raceway with NSU’s in C Sedan in the seventies with Greg.
I spoke with Greg last in 1993 and he made his living selling rear engine Fiat parts. While on vacation in the Philippines(sic), he met his future wife and was residing in San Diego at the time.
The last thing I heard was a rumor that he fell prey to the IRS and disappeared.
Sure would love to talk old times with him again.
 
I appreciate the info, but I’m not on Facebook.
I had some bad experiences on Facebook and, consequently, I’ve decided to never return.
If you could give Greg a message that Bruce Brewer would like to chat, maybe he could come to the forum.
 
I visited Greg in San Diego back in the early Nineties when I first got my 850 Spider. I bought a lot of hard to find parts that came in handy twenty years later when I finally got around to restoring the car. Glad to know he’s still around.
 
Filling in a few more details about Greg I have the following to offer. At one time in the late 80's early 90's I told Greg I must be his best customer. He replied I was one of about 6 who felt the same way! Greg moved from San Diego to an area south of the Salton Sea with his first wife and young boy. He decided to sell out and offered the business to several people, myself included. It was ultimately bought by two guys from northern Washington State. His wife accomplished what I assume was her real goal and left Greg after qualifying for US citizenship. If he has a fault, which I don't see it as, Greg was/is too honest and assumes that of others. The deal of "we'll pay you as we sell stuff" went south after the best stuff was sold. Since I lived in Redding California at the half way point between Washington and Greg's SoCal location I was the stopping off point. On his last trip to Washington he reported all the parts were out in the weather on one of the San Juan Islands rusting. He was divorced at that time and had a new wife who was having problems getting her residency papers. I was unable to help sponsor her because of Trust obligations not allowing me to embrace any obligations. That I'm aware now he's near Reno now and doing well. All around straight shooter and VERY knowing Fiat guy!
 
What’d the buyers call themselves, “The Fiat Guys”?


Filling in a few more details about Greg I have the following to offer. At one time in the late 80's early 90's I told Greg I must be his best customer. He replied I was one of about 6 who felt the same way! Greg moved from San Diego to an area south of the Salton Sea with his first wife and young boy. He decided to sell out and offered the business to several people, myself included. It was ultimately bought by two guys from northern Washington State. His wife accomplished what I assume was her real goal and left Greg after qualifying for US citizenship. If he has a fault, which I don't see it as, Greg was/is too honest and assumes that of others. The deal of "we'll pay you as we sell stuff" went south after the best stuff was sold. Since I lived in Redding California at the half way point between Washington and Greg's SoCal location I was the stopping off point. On his last trip to Washington he reported all the parts were out in the weather on one of the San Juan Islands rusting. He was divorced at that time and had a new wife who was having problems getting her residency papers. I was unable to help sponsor her because of Trust obligations not allowing me to embrace any obligations. That I'm aware now he's near Reno now and doing well. All around straight shooter and VERY knowing Fiat guy!
 
Funny, I did some business with Greg just before he closed as that was when I built up my 1300/124 spyder. It was he that turned me onto the concept of putting a 1608 crank into a 124b block with 128 pistons. Wonderful guy. His "Abarth Tricks" book is invaluable, and with numerous hand drawn illustrations! He offered to sell me the business and his real estate. Wish I had gone to look, bet that property is a bit more valuable now! Such a shame how "The Fiat Guys" pretty much screwed him, I have heard that elsewhere as well. What ever became of them?
 
I don't remember what the buyers of Greg's stuff called their business. They'd stop by my "half way house" going to and from SoCal. They didn't know a lot of detail stuff but were reasonably knowledgeable. Should have been able to continue an already successful business. That said I sold my Redding California sheet metal shop to an employee. He got the money from a Workman"s Comp claim against me. He did hurt his back pretty seriously but the prior motorcycle accident (couldn't ask about prior conditions) may have been a factor. I ran it quite well for 20 years, he lasted 3 months. Seems with his new found wealth he could buy all the "coke" he wanted. Being of a generous nature he shared it with everyone who got a scent of it. The Redding police noticed and a swat team did the rest. If selling a business consider the following "old timer" advice: Write a letter "to whom it may concern" stating the date you are no longer involved in the operation. Have everyone you did/do business sign it IN PERSON. Publish it in the newspaper (if they still exist) under "notices." Cut out a sample and with you letter go to the County Recorders Office and have it recorded. Now there is no doubt that you DO NOT owe the money/debt the new owners generated in your name. Remember they normally have a year to change the company name so people think it's still you possibly. Ask WW Graingers of Redding how much they collected from me when they refused to close my account after final payment of MY debt. And then the old guy rattled on and on...…..
 
They did go by "The Fiat Guys", I came across an old invoice from them recently from when I had bought some 850 rotoflex couplings as spares just after they had "opened" and Greg had vanished. They did give me a good deal at the time and they were genuine Pirelli couplings if memory serves me well.
 
You make me feel glad I was just an employee for 40 years (with the federal government no less) and didn't have to deal with such issues. I'm the super trusting type that would have made every business deal no-no possible.

But it is nice for those of us who go way back to hear about Fiat legends.
 
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