Can any old timer So Cal Lotus help ?

[delise]

One of the guys in the California Tiger owner's club C.A.T is also a big Lotus
fanatic /owner and posted this on the Tiger forums, any old timer Lotus fanatics here have some ideas? Thanks in advance.....

From his post:

"I've been trying to remember the place where I purchased my first
Lotus Elan (of many since) in 1969. It was a 1964 purchased used from
a large British car dealership in Anaheim. The place might have been
a distributorship. They handled all the BMC marques and was named
something like British Motors or British Car Distributors, British
Motor Corporation of Anaheim or something like that. I seem to
remember that it was near a freeway offramp, though which freeway, I
can't recall. What I'm looking for is the correct name and possibly,
address of the place. I am trying to trace my automotive history, particularly,
my long Lotus history"

[delise]

Well he got his answer from another forum and it is very interesting. I did not know there was a Lotus Dealership in Manhattan Beach in the 1960s on Sepulveda Blvd !

Here is the reply:

"Rod is right, it was British Motor Car Distributors, Ltd. The address I have
listed was 1601 Anaheim Blvd, Anaheim 92805.

I remember seeing a long showroom building easily visible from what's now Rt
110 / Interstate 5 on the north side of the freeway, very close to Disneyland
(that's why this Valley Boy was in the area) and I usually saw new Austin Healey
3000's displayed outside.

BMCD is still in business on Van Ness in San Francisco (British Motor Cars). The main
man is Mr. Kjell Qvale, and he's credited with bringing over the MG TC, so you
know he's an interesting guy.

I used to pick up parts at the BMCD regional parts center on Susanna Rd, Compton,
where I discovered he was the U.S. distributor in 1969 for the de Tomaso Mangusta
289 and 302 models. This was prior to Lincoln-Mercury bringing the Pantera to
the States.

At the time, BMCD took care of Austin Healey and MG, and had some tie in with
Aston Martin. Jaguar was, I believe, in Hollywood, British Leyland (Rover and
Triumph)was in South Central LA.

Lotus had a dealer listed (in 1965) in Santa Ana. Bob Challman, in Manhattan
Beach, was listed as both the distributor (in 1965)under the name Ecurie Shirlee
Distribution, and as a showroom and service location, a block apart from each
other on Sepulveda Blvd."