The Man Behind the Legend
The Story of Ray P. Lambrecht and Lambrecht Chevrolet Company by Jeannie Lambrecht Stillwell
Urban legends speak of a former Midwest Chevy dealer with a collection
of hundreds of vehicles hidden away in a rural setting. Rumors abound
regarding this man and the mystery of that collection. The man behind
that legend is my father, Ray P. Lambrecht. Dad owned and operated
Lambrecht Chevrolet Company from 1946 until 1996, selling new Chevrolets
to multiple generations of families all over the Midwest and beyond.
This is his story.
Dad was born in 1918 during the Great Depression in rural Pierce County,
Nebraska, a small farming community. He displayed a strong interest in
cars and trucks from a very early age. As a boy, he created a lifelike
replica of a delivery truck from scraps of wood and metal after
spotting one on a street. The reproduction featured intricate detailing
down to a hand-carved steering wheel and a complete exhaust system
underneath.
Dad first drove a car at the age of 9. He climbed into the family’s
1927 tan Chevrolet two-door coupe and drove his mother 7 miles into the
nearest town for groceries. Driver’s licenses costing $1 weren’t
required by law until 1941. Dad made the journey driving 20-25 mph over
dirt roads, barely tall enough to peek over the steering wheel. The
sight was shocking enough to prompt the local banker to rush out of his
office in amazement saying, “Look at that little guy driving!!!”
In 1942 during World War II, Dad was drafted into the army and served as
a Sergeant for four years in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska where
fierce fighting with the Japanese had just occurred. His planned
marriage to my Mother had to be put on hold, but she followed him to
California to be closer. When Dad was honorably discharged from the
U.S. Army in 1946, he and Mom returned home to Nebraska and were
married.
Dad’s opportunity to begin his career as a Chevrolet Dealer presented
itself upon returning home. Prior to the war, General Motors had been
distributing franchises throughout small towns in the Midwest, and one
of them had been given to Dad’s uncle Ernest. Ernest had been operating
out of a small garage, and he needed both Dad’s financing and also his
ability to construct a dealership building in order to really start
growing the business.
Life was extremely difficult during this period of time, and wartime
rationing made it almost impossible to obtain even the most basic
building materials. Dad was one of very few individuals allowed to
purchase those materials because of his army veteran status. Even with
that privilege, supplies were so scarce that Dad was forced to drive
hundreds of miles from town to town to obtain needed materials such as
cement block and roofing beams. Fortunately, Dad was a gifted carpenter
and architect. He obtained the necessary materials, designed the
building, and then built the dealership that still stands today.
Dad operated the dealership in partnership with his uncle for only two
years. After a serious illness forced Ernest to retire, Dad bought out
his share of the business and became the sole owner of the franchise.
Lambrecht Chevrolet Company was owned and operated by my parents, Ray
and Mildred Lambrecht with only one employee, a mechanic. They operated
the dealership for 50 years until they retired in 1996 at ages 78 and
75. My parents worked six days a week for 50 years, never taking one
single day of vacation or one sick day. They worked hard and operated
their business with honesty, integrity, and kindness, frequently lending
a helping hand to others who were in need.
Dad managed the dealership and handled all sales. Mom was
second-in-command, and supported Dad in every aspect of the business.
She served as notary public for the dealership, handled all accounting,
and made almost daily runs for parts.
That first year, the dealership was allotted 16 cars for the entire
year. They were black or gray with cloth interiors and no heat. At
that time, cars sold for around $600 to $800. They also received 6
pickups that year. They came with no box. Dad got the local lumber
yard to supply wooden boxes for the pickups.
Some of Dad’s first customers were his army buddies who learned that Dad
now owned a Chevy dealership. These friends purchased new vehicles,
and then returned to their homes scattered all over the country. They
were so pleased with the experience of buying cars from Dad, they and
their families became life-long repeat customers. They also began
spreading the news far and wide about the good deals at Lambrecht
Chevrolet Company. Before long, Dad was one of the top sellers in the
entire country, receiving many awards for sales from GM.
Dad’s real success stemmed from a basic philosophy very different from
most auto dealers. He didn’t deal or negotiate. He gave his best price
the first time. When a potential customer arrived, Dad would pick up a
pencil, make a few calculations, and then give him a number. That was
it. People would argue with him, try to bicker on price, and threaten
to walk out. Dad would always say, “If you can find a better price on
this vehicle, then you should go get it”. Invariably they would be
back. After doing all of the legwork and the homework comparing prices
from surrounding dealers, the conclusion was always the same. Dad had
given them the best price right from the beginning.
I remember a man ringing our doorbell on a Sunday morning. He was a
very nervous fellow standing there with his little notebook full of
numbers. He very insistently told my Dad, “I’ll buy that truck, but I
won’t pay a penny over this amount”. Dad said “Fine”, knowing that the
fellow had gotten himself so confused after making all of the rounds
that he was offering more than Dad had priced in the first place. The
fellow was happy, Dad sold the truck, and all was well.
Dad sold cars all over the country. He was known far and wide as the
Chevy dealer to see for the best price and the most courteous treatment.
In 1959, Dad created the motto for his dealership while talking with
the District Manager – “It Will Pay to See Ray”. It was the slogan that
embodied his entire philosophy, and it stuck.
Dad believed in the Golden Rule, and he treated his customers
accordingly. He was especially kind to the children who accompanied
their fathers to the dealership to look at cars and trucks. Dad would
let the kids sit inside new cars or look under the hoods while he
explained how things worked to them. The kids were delighted. In many
cases they also became life-long customers when they became adults,
remembering the special treatment Dad had given them at an early age.
Dad was so well known that he even sold vehicles to residents of other
countries. I remember a man from Switzerland who ordered a new white
1969 Corvette from Dad and then had it shipped overseas. He called
before flying out, and asked if Pierce, Nebraska was anywhere near Los
Angeles. Dad told him to fly to a place called Omaha, and we picked him
up from there. He was delighted with his new Corvette, and more than
pleased with the price.
My Dad just loved to sell new cars and trucks, and he sold lots of them.
Also, he felt very strongly about the issue of safety for families
with young children. He would strive to put those families in new cars
that were safe and reliable rather than selling them a used car. That
was the genesis of my Dad’s car collection. He sold lots and lots of
new cars and lots and lots of pickups. The trade-ins were parked on our
farm outside of town. Their numbers gradually grew into a massive
collection. New cars that were left unsold were also stored. There is a
lot of history in that collection. Dad can look at any of those
vehicles today and tell you the story behind it. He remembers each used
car and the former owner, like the 1928 Durant owned by Mom’s uncle
Louie.
I remember the 1953 white Corvette convertible we had when I was four
years old and my little brother, Mark, was two. Mark spent his free
time tooling around in a little Corvette replica pedal car that looked
like the original. I, however, was more interested in getting inside
the real thing. What I remember most is my frustration in not being
able to open the doors. The 1953 Corvette had no outside door handle
and I was pretty short. I remember jumping up to grab the top of the
door and then struggling to reach inside to pull the door handle open.
Sometimes I succeeded, and sometimes I didn’t. But it was a real joy
sitting inside that beautiful Corvette. My love of new Chevrolets was
in my DNA and starting to show. When attending gatherings of friends
and family, Dad would often turn to me and loudly ask the question,
“What is the finest car made?” I would shout, “Chevrolet!!!!”, and it
would bring down the house. I didn’t really know what was so funny, but
I was happy to play my part.
When I turned 16 and got my driver’s license, it was a very exciting
day. My first car was a 1963 Chevy Corvair. It was black, with a red
interior, 4-on-the-floor manual transmission, and an oversized shiny
chrome gear-shift knob. It was a used car that someone had modified
adding “dumps” to the exhaust system. What a wonderful loud purring
sound the engine made as I drove that little car all over town, smiling
all the way. The rear engine really helped with traction in the snow.
And if I did get stuck, a couple of friends could just pick up the rear
end, spin me around, and I would be on my way. I loved that car, and it
sits in the dealership to this very day.
Growing up, I loved spending time at the dealership. Dad kept me away
from the service area in the back for fear that I would get hurt. But
my brother and I had the job of cleaning up the new cars for delivery.
In the 60’s, all new Chevrolets would arrive with an opaque white
covering of protective wax. It was a real job getting it off and
polishing the paint up to a showroom shine. The windows were always the
most difficult, and Dad invariably had to step in and finish polishing
the windows with his strong arms.
I remember how excited my brother and I would be when the new cars would
arrive on transports from Janesville, Wisconsin. Our home was right
across the street from the dealership. We would hear the loud clang as
the transport driver lowered the heavy metal tracks onto the brick
street, and we would run out of the house in anticipation. It was so
exciting to see the brand new models of Chevy cars and trucks being
unloaded.
Announcement Day at Lambrecht Chevrolet Company was a huge event for the
entire town. Unlike today, one special day in September of each year
was the first opportunity for anyone to view the new car models for that
year. New cars would be delivered in advance and then hidden away so
that nobody could see them before Announcement Day. Early that morning,
Dad would move one shiny new Chevrolet into the showroom. There would
be balloons and banners, coffee and donuts, souvenirs, and lots of
built-up excitement. Everyone in town would come to see the new car and
truck models.
Lambrecht Chevrolet participated in all of the important local
celebrations and events throughout the years. For its grand opening in
1946, there were real live elephants in front of the dealership wearing
Chevrolet banners on their backs. During the Nebraska Centennial in
1954, Dad had the honor of driving the Governor of Nebraska in our 1953
Corvette down Main Street in the parade. Pioneer Days in June of 1959
was the 100th anniversary of Pierce County, Nebraska. Dad again drove
dignitaries in a new 1959 Chevy in the parade. There were countless
other functions and parades.
Throughout the years, Lambrecht Chevrolet Company remained a small
business operated by Mom and Dad with one mechanic. Pierce, Nebraska
remained a small community of about 1,200 people. In the 80’s, my
parents made the transition from typewriter to computer for
communications with General Motors. But Mom still used an adding
machine for maintaining handwritten financial ledgers and paper files.
The original cash register from 1946 still sat on the front counter and
was used daily. Original MSO’s and titles were carefully stored. This
was a small “mom and pop” operation, and it stayed that way throughout
the decades in business.
In 1996 after 50 years as a Chevrolet dealership, Mom and Dad made the
difficult decision to give up the franchise and continue limited
operations as Lambrecht Auto Company. Now 17 years later, they have
agreed to liquidate the dealership’s massive inventory. Dad is now 95
years old, and Mom is 92. Dad is still fiercely loyal to Chevrolet and
General Motors. He actively follows trends in automobile design and
manufacturing, and loves to see photos of all of the new models.
The decision to auction the inventory of Lambrecht Chevrolet Company was
a difficult and painful one. The collection of over 500 true survivor
vehicles comprise a lifetime of hard work, tears, and joy for both of my
parents. The dealership today is a virtual time capsule that will be
opened and all contents will be sold at auction. The inventory of the
dealership’s vehicles includes many new cars with original MSO’s as well
as hundreds of rare 50’s and 60’s Chevys ideal for restoration
projects. Looking back at the history of Lambrecht Chevrolet, my
parents have no regrets, and are proud of the thousands of new cars and
trucks they sold to many generations of happy customers. They hope that
these rare collectible vehicles will now be the source of joy and
inspiration for car enthusiasts everywhere.
VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC is honored to offer this Time Capsule of
Chevrolets. It's amazing. A 1956 Chevrolet Cameo PIckup with less than
10 miles on MSO, a 1963 Chevrolet IMpala with less than 10 miles on MSO,
and the list goes on including many from the 1950's, 60's including
TRi-Fives, Chevelles, IMpalas, and more. There is also an assortment of
cars that were Trades and were parked away and not sold. There is also
an assortment of NOS parts, tools, some advertising, and more. Plan now
to come to Piercve, NE on the weekend of September 28th & 29th, 2013
at 9:30 Am. This is a once in a lifetime auction that collectors only
dream about- finding a "new" old Car in a barn- a True Survivor- The
True Barn Find. This collection has been talked about and Urban Legand
for years. BUt now the Time Capsule will be opened and auctioned to the
Highest bidder. For more information http://www.vanderbrinkauctions.com or
call VanDerBrink Auctions, LLC at 605-201-7005. Preview will be before
the auction and a video will be posted prior to the auction. You won't
want to miss this auction!
Please stay tuned for inventory, pictures, and video!
Tamco Paint
