New Jersey Shop Owner Restores 1934 Race Car

Artie Conk, owner of Artie’s Summit Garage in Summit, NJ, discovered a 1934 open-wheeled race car at a friend’s house. The car was in pieces and scattered around the property. Conk has rebuilt the vehicle using Model A and Model T parts and says that it can now reach speeds above 90 mph.

Below is the article as it appeared on the www.NJ.com website.

1930’s race car gains a new lease on life at Summit garage

By Liz Keill/Independent Press
Published: Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 11:50 AM

SUMMIT — A rusted metal relic of a bygone age of auto racing is coming back to life at Artie’s Summit Garage.

The 1934 open-wheeled race car was built in Madison and won numerous trophies, but spent recent decades in pieces and rusting in Long Hill Township. Now it is returning to pristine condition, with red lettering memorializing the name of its original owner, Alperti.

It’s a far cry from the dismantled and dirty relic that Artie Conk, owner of the auto repair shop on Industrial Place, discovered at a friend’s home in Meyersville.

The chassis of the once sleek racer was upside down in the yard, while the rusted engine, steering wheel and various parts were scattered inside the garage. The bulk of the frame had been painted blue. Now it’s a pristine white with red lettering.

To read the entire article, visit the NJ.com website at http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2010/08/1930s_race_car_gains_a_new_lea.html.

When Your Shop Is Worth Much More Than You Thought

Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.

Case Study: Owner of San Francisco-based Import Service Shop Delighted to Discover Just How Valuable His Business is to Qualified Buyers
I sometimes share case studies of the clients I have been able to assist in my role as an aftermarket business broker and provider of intermediary and advisory services. I do that when I think the story will provide a reader in similar circumstances with new insights or helpful information.
In the case of Cowden Automotive, Inc., I acted in a consulting capacity assisting the owner and his broker in valuing the business, creating a marketing plan, finding a qualified buyer, and arranging financing for the sale.
Although every sale of a shop in which I am involved has its own unique set of circumstances, which makes my job both very interesting and very challenging, Cowden Automotive stands out as particularly memorable because I was able to demonstrate to the long-time owner, Paul Cowden, that his business was worth about three times what he had initially thought.
Needless to say, delivering that kind of good news to a shop owner is a rewarding experience. Discovering that the sale of his business would result in his retirement nest-egg being substantially larger than he had ever thought was a fitting tribute to someone who had spent his entire working career as a busy automotive service shop owner.

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