Costa Mesa’s Crevier Classic Cars has recruited a trio of veteran salesmen to ramp up sales of its vintage, exotic and muscle cars.
“It was a great opportunity for us,” said Larry Alderson, who came to Crevier Classic from San Juan Capitsrano-based Family Classic Cars, along with El Hathaway and Mark Drewitz.
“Each one of us has our own area of expertise,” said Drewitz, who focuses on American muscle cars.
Alderson is an Italian sportscar expert. Hathaway’s focus is on British cars.
Hathaway led the move to Crevier.
“I’ve known Donnie Crevier for years,” he said.
Crevier, who owns Crevier BMW in Santa Ana, owns the classic car shop.
Crevier Classic, which opened a few years ago, started out as place where collectors could hang out and store their cars, a few worth millions. Some celebrities keep their cars there including an undisclosed “American Idol” celebrity.
The 25,000-square-foot facility includes a 4,000-square-foot area for events and meetings. It’s also a club, with several seating areas, a pool table and wireless Internet.
Crevier has about 30 of his own cars there.
About half of Crevier’s cars are for sale. Others are keepsakes.
“He has a wonderful collection,” Hathaway said.
One he won’t sell: a 1936 two-door Ford.
Crevier bought the car from the family of Henry Ford’s personal mechanic, Hathaway said.
Crevier Classic has a mix of cars for sale at different prices.
It has a Ferrari for sale for $1.2 million. It recently sold a restored 1967 Volkswagen Beetle for $16,000. A 1936 Buick went for $25,000.
“It’s the same amount of effort to sell the $16,000 Beetle as the $1.3 million Ford,” Drewitz said.
In all, there are about 25 autos for sale at Crevier Classic.
Crevier Classic gets cars from private collectors all over the world. Sometimes they buy them at auctions.
The cars are advertised in duPont Registry, on eBay and elsewhere. They’re also sold by word of mouth.
“Orange County is a strong collectors market,” Drewitz said.
On Saturday mornings at Ford Motor Co.’s marketing and design facility in Irvine, car buffs gather to chat about and show off cars. About 350 cars are displayed.
“Certainly Southern California is the haven for the collector car market around the world,” Alderson said.
Classic cars are an emotional buy, according to Hathaway.
The investment is secondary, he said.
“We sell the story,” Alderson said. “Each car has a story. So we’re able to weave the tale of the car.”
Their favorites?
Hathaway: “I’m a Jaguar guy. I have a Jaguar collection” including a 1957 XK140 Drophead Coupe, which has a type of convertible roof. “Jaguar has a phenomenal history.”
Hathaway likes new Jags, too: “The new ones are very nice. There was a time when there were issues. But the new ones are exceptional.”
Drewitz: 1949 Buick Super Sedanette, a two-door fastback with an eight-cylinder engine. It was a one-year-only body style for Buick.
“It was all about style at that time,” he said. “It’s got fantastic lines, just beautiful chrome, very tastefully done.”
Alderson: The Ferrari GTO, “the quintessential Ferrari of all time.”
There were only 39 made. The last time a GTO was sold it went for $28 million.
Auto Tech Contest
The Newport Beach-based Orange County Auto Dealers Association, a trade group for local dealers, held its annual auto technology competition on Saturday at Hyundai Motor America’s headquarters in Fountain Valley.
The yearly competition teams local high schoolers and dealers in a fix-it competition, designed to promote auto technician careers. The winners go on to a national competition in New York.
Sam’s Club Closure
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is closing what it calls an underperforming Sam’s Club warehouse store in Irvine. The company is closing 10 Sam Clubs across the U.S. in all. The Irvine closure means about 160 job losses.
Mall News
Cypress-based Vans Inc., part of North Carolina’s VF Corp., is opening a store at the Costa Mesa Courtyards.
The shopping center is managed by Phoenix-based Vestar Development Co., which owns and operates The District at Tustin Legacy.
Vestar recently gave the Courtyards a boost, reconfiguring the parking for easier access to stores. The center also had a few other face lifts including paint, landscaping and lighting.
As for the The District, it’s readying to announce a new general manager.
At The Market Place, the mall that straddles Irvine and Tustin, grocer Henry’s Farmers Market is set to open on the Tustin side.
