Bavarian Rennsport & the Holmes'

[Guest Anonymous]

I don't know if anyone subscribes to the club racing lists and heard already, but I just heard that Bill, Wendy and the Holmes family survived but they lost the house and the shop in the San Diego fire.

Anyone around 02s long enough should be familiar with Bill Holmes and Bavarian Rennsport. He is an amazing 02 person with an incredible wealth of knowledge and a colorful personality. I owe him a real debt of gratitude for this 02 love affair I am afflicted with and share with all you nut cases.

If I hear anything more about something we can do for them, then I hope you don't mind if I post it here. I will try to learn more from the grapevine where and when I can.

Brian

[Guest Anonymous]

I guess I still recall him being on the shores of Mission Bay.

[Guest Anonymous]

I met Bill a couple of times, lots of know how loves tiis.

[Guest Anonymous]

Bill's shop here in San Diego moved from the Mission Bay/Morena site to a Banks St. address a couple miles south, off Morena. Two hydraulic lifts and gobs of space. I have pictures taken atop a ladder from the later days at Banks showing many 02s parked within an inch of each other.

From Banks to nearby Poway Ca., closer to home, Wendy, the kids, and none of the terrible commute. The first Poway address was on a ridge/mesa above town in a new industrial lot, gotta attach a foto of six or eight white 02s and the field of poppys...

He moved from that location down into Poway for a while, always handling beautiful examples as well as nearly dead pigs. Building race cars, tuning the occasional turbo, etc., etc.

Moved family and shop to a quiet place in the hills outside Ramona. The approach was several miles down an old stagecoach route, a shady dell with stream bed to the right, the road winding under a canopy of old oaks.

After six or eight miles(?) turn up a dirt road perhaps another mile to 02 heaven.

It was a slice of paradise, nice tin barn with two electric lifts, room between to work comfortably on a third car.

Lots of used and exotic spares, unobtainium.

Right up next to the wilderness.

Scott

[Guest Anonymous]

it really hurts to know that that piece of paradise is

destroyed now, wow I am speechless...

[Guest Anonymous]

I was at his home faciliity out in the east S.D. country side and it was a paradise. I had thought of all the wonderful roads out that way when the news of fire in rural San Diego hit....oh man what a MAJOR loss I hope Bill can recoup. That dudes whole shop was dedicated to 02's, and at least six dozen around at all time. Please keep us posted Brian if you can.

[Guest Anonymous]

He was in Poway at the time (moved from Bank Street the previous year). A very very nice guy. I drove my 1974 2002 from Montreal to Santa Fe, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, Death Valley, Grand Canyon and then back to Montreal. All this with a 4 speed tranny.

Then when I bought my 1969 in 1998 from Santa Rosa, I stopped at Ireland Engineering first and then down to Bavarian Rennsport. 8 years later he recognized me.

Yes, him and Wendy are nice people and a very important part of the 2002 community. It is going to be a challenge for both of them to restart a new home and shop. They now must be emotionally destroyed though.

[Guest Anonymous]

I heard of Bavarian Rennsport from a doctor in Ohio who has a very nice collection of 2002s (eight at last count) and had a few of his cars shipped to Cal. so that Bill could complete some work on them. I spoke with Bill and his wife a couple of times on the phone and complimented them on the quality of their work. Hope that Bill and his wife can put their lives and shop back together.

[Guest Anonymous]

I knew Bill at the time of fire's, I haven't talk to him for sometime now. But last I heard the we're rebuilding their home and Bill was working out of 10x10 metal shed (Wendy & him and built).

They where a private family and I hope what I contributed help them in some way.

I know Bill change my life forever...I hope the best for them,

Jason Mulford

formerly an O2' owner

[Guest Anonymous]

Bill's shop was heaven on Earth and I'm sure he will rebuild it

Jason Mulford