17 replies to this topic

[Doug Nye]

I am told that Dan Margulies - the doyen of London historic and classic car dealers, long time VSCC racer and once the emergent Graham Hill's entrant, driver, employer - passed away this morning. Dan was Rumanian born, and recalled 'catching the bug' spectating at the 1936 Bucharest GP, won by Hans Ruesch in what postwar became the Dennis Poore Alfa Romeo 8C-35. Dan had endured many difficulties in recent years, but to many of us over several decades he was very kind, very helpful...and enormously knowledgeable.

DCN

[Alan Cox]

I'm very sorry to hear this news, Doug. In the days when he was a regular fixture at VSCC meetings with his trusty 4CL Maserati I always found him to be friendly, if somewhat bashful, and very modest. His autobiography would have made fascinating reading.


John Ure talking to Dan, Silverstone 1992

Edited by Alan Cox, 05 September 2010 - 20:55.

[David Birchall]

Very sad to hear--he always seemed to be one of the good guys in a business fraught with problems.

[David McKinney]

Sad news, though perhaps not surprising

I can only echo what others have said - a friendly and helpful entusiast

[racingreen]

Very sad news. Dan was always so helpful and engaging on any visit to his Kensington premises.

David Woodhouse.

[theracer120]

Never heard of him, but always sad when someone from his time dies.

[bradbury west]

A sad loss of a good bloke, as another of the old brigade passes away. The nature of his business as one of the pioneer dealers in old racing and sports cars meant that he always ran very interesting cars, invariably ensuring that they were kept in an operational state, long before they became fashionable valuable assets, often making them available to others to race. And they were all always for sale.
Roger Lund

[hamsterace]

I recall a story of Dan once being "buttonholed" by a rather over-bearing and somewhat "nouveau" American centhusiast, who had been waxing lyrical about his exploits on the Retrospective Mille Miglia that year.

I gather Dan was growing somewhat tired of the excessive self-congratulation and self-indulgence of said enthusiast, and was seeking an exit strategy from the conversation. Eventually, the American- presumably unaware of whom he was speaking to- enquired of Dan as to whether he had done it (meaning the retrospective) to which Dan replied, in his understated yet still broad Romanian accent "Yezzz, in Fifty Vunn und Fifty Zree", and then walked off.

Enough said. A great man, who will be much missed.



PS - I am sure I'm not right on the dates, but you get the gist....

[Allan Lupton]

This is an article on him.

It doesn't seem to have any relevance . . . .it's about someone called Louis Manduca.

[David Birchall]

Allan, that was in response to a request for info- see post #6.

[Allan Lupton]

Allan, that was in response to a request for info- see post #6.

ok so I didn't notice the thread drift, but when a thread has someone's name as its title we should at least quote the off-thread question that's being replied to rather than just writing "this is an article on him" several posts later.
I reckoned Dan as one of the few dealers that I could have done business with, had I had the budget, and always found him friendly.

[bradbury west]

I recall chatting to Richard Bergel many years back, when he had been asked to drive one of the equipe Margulies cars for the season. He reckoned he could regard himself from then on as a "works" driver" with a funded drive. Halcyon days......
Roger Lund

[David McKinney]

ok so I didn't notice the thread drift, but when a thread has someone's name as its title we should at least quote the off-thread question that's being replied to rather than just writing "this is an article on him" several posts later.

Better still, start a new thread

[kayemod]

Never heard of him, but always sad when someone from his time dies.

That's a bit disrespectful on a thread of this kind.

[fivestar]

To appease Mr. Lupton, I have deleted my posts on Luis Manduca.

ok so I didn't notice the thread drift, but when a thread has someone's name as its title we should at least quote the off-thread question that's being replied to rather than just writing "this is an article on him" several posts later.
I reckoned Dan as one of the few dealers that I could have done business with, had I had the budget, and always found him friendly.

[RogerFrench]

Very sad - a real enthusiast.

[hipperson]

Dan was a friend of my lately deceased brother...........

The funeral will be next Tuesday, 14th September and will take place at Mortlake Cemetery at 4pm. There will be a gathering afterwards at a local pub called The Ship. Below you will find details of both locations:

http://www.lbhf.gov....tcm21-91005.pdf

http://www.mypubheaven.com/shiplondon

[bryanall]

I am told that Dan Margulies - the doyen of London historic and classic car dealers, long time VSCC racer and once the emergent Graham Hill's entrant, driver, employer - passed away this morning. Dan was Rumanian born, and recalled 'catching the bug' spectating at the 1936 Bucharest GP, won by Hans Ruesch in what postwar became the Dennis Poore Alfa Romeo 8C-35. Dan had endured many difficulties in recent years, but to many of us over several decades he was very kind, very helpful...and enormously knowledgeable.

DCN

Just received the very sad news this morning about Dan. I worked with Dan from 1958 until I came to live in Australia in 1968. In 1966 I married an Australian nurse on a working holiday in UK and we made the decision to live out here. It was only after I had been here a few years I fully realised just how much Dan had helped me over the years. He was the nicest, kindest, and I might add the most tolerant gentleman I have ever known. He gave me the opportunity to go racing in a variety of cars, including an 'A' Series Connaught. In those days Dan would sometimes say " I have booked Silverstone for the day" (from memory I think the fee for the day was £1.00) We would take perhaps a Ferrari GTO (yes, a genuine one) and spend the day doing some laps. It's amazing how the lap times used to improve after a local pub lunch.

Then there was the day a variety of large cardboard boxes began arriving in Shaftesbury Mews. These were followed by a rolling chassis. Yes, it was the ex Whitney Straight Maserati 3011. Together with Ray Lane we spent many happy hours rebuilding that car. I occasionally catch up with Peter Giddings, (another real enthusiast and major contributor to Motor Sport). I recently had a chat with him during the Historic Race meeting at Phillip Island in April. He usually gives me updates on Dan and on this occasion I enquired how Dan was as I knew he had not been well. Peter said he was back living in London, with all his mates, he said he was probably fitter than ' he' (Peter) was. (I knew Dan was previously living in Spain as I had managed to contact him, and we had spoken briefly on the phone.)

I was really quite upset when I heard the news, one believes legends like Dan will always be there. He will certainly be sadly missed in the Historic Racing scene. Fortunately I found a website for a British magazine,"The Automobile". It gave a list of articles that had recently been published. In the January, March, May and July 2010 issues there is a series covering Dans career in Motor Sport, with some superb photo's. I'll treasure these even more now. What a great man. Bryan V. Allart

Edited by bryanall, 25 September 2010 - 06:33.