Chuck Stoddard

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Tom Coughlin
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#16 Post by Tom Coughlin »

Richard: Chuck's dealership in the small Cleveland suburb of Willoughby, was a must stop for me as I visited Ohio on business in the late 1970's. Of course the parts business was there if i needed to pick something up and the service shop often had a gem. One example was the otherwise everyday 356 coupe on the lift that upon further inspection turned out to be a Carrera. The showroom always had a section that contained a tasty array of Chuck's race cars, of which he had too many to count. He was a Porsche racer and dealer who loved our fast cars and he was quite a guy.
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Adam Wright
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#17 Post by Adam Wright »

tom coughlin wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 9:31 am Richard: Chuck's dealership in the small Cleveland suburb of Willoughby, was a must stop for me as I visited Ohio on business in the late 1970's. Of course the parts business was there if i needed to pick something up and the service shop often had a gem. One example was the otherwise everyday 356 coupe on the lift that upon further inspection turned out to be a Carrera. The showroom always had a section that contained a tasty array of Chuck's race cars, of which he had too many to count. He was a Porsche racer and dealer who loved our fast cars and he was quite a guy.
I took this pic at the dealership a few years before it was sold for the last time, I had a 52 on the trailer so it seemed fitting. Years later I presented a copy to Chuck, he had never seen it,I think he liked it.
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Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.

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DonCichocki
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#18 Post by DonCichocki »

+1 all of the above. Glad I got the chance to meet him at the Akron ECH. RIP Chuck!

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#19 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Back in the early 2000's in Chuck's home office when Karl came to town to do the book signing for the latest Excellence was Expected. Note the fax machine, pleated pants and early gen iMac. I could sit for hours and soak in the stories which we often did late into the night. He was a notorious night owl and I found myself driving back to Ann Arbor at 1 in the morning quite a few times, but it was always worth it.
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Sebastian Gaeta
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Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#20 Post by Doug McDonnell »

CHUCK also owned 012345 which Vic wants because it is his birthday
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Dan Macdonald
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#21 Post by Dan Macdonald »

Since owning my 356A since 1973, in my opinion, if it wasn't for Chuck Stoddard there would be FAR less 356's on the road.
Back then Stoddard was the ONLY source for new 356 parts.
Few people gave a damn about these cars. They were interested in 911's and the 356's were old hat...obsolete!
Dan Macdonald 
'59 A Coupe (105327) 
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Phil Planck
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#22 Post by Phil Planck »

3 Chuck stories
At the Indy Holiday late 80s we got to do laps. Cars were arranged oldest to newest so Chuck was in the lead in his Gmund coupe. We were close behind in our 55. The track speed control car led us around at a pretty slow pace. Chuck decided to go even slower until we had a sizeable gap. Then we would all floor it for a while to catch up, then repeat.

One Saturday morning at the cars and coffee at Neil Goldberg's old Stuart Tool, Chuck was there. He was like a kid in a candy shop going up and down all the rows of tools filling a shopping cart.

At the Cleveland Holiday I mentioned to Chuck that I had only had a 356 for about 30 years. His reply: " That's a goid start."
Phil Planck

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George Hussey
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#23 Post by George Hussey »

another Porsche icon passes into history, RIP Chuck
George Hussey

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Stephen Gunder
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#24 Post by Stephen Gunder »

Chuck seems to be approving of Brett’s “bump-start” on the cab. My ’53 Super coupe was previously scrutinized by the “master”. Under our tree relaxes (seated) Chuck’s past mentor and employer, Don Marsh (Midwestern VW-Porsche-Audi distributorship, Dublin, Ohio). We’ve now sadly seen both of these icons pass within a year.
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Michael Branning
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#25 Post by Michael Branning »

I met Chuck at the 1998 Holiday in Troy MI, when I was fretting about finding a perfect paint match for my Smyrna Green Cabriolet. Had a nice talk. He told me, “don’t worry so much...we used to have a truck roll in to the dealership with 3 new ruby red 356’s, and they were all different shades.”
Michael Branning
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Frank Barrett
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#26 Post by Frank Barrett »

Chuck was a true Porsche hero, and I am sad that he passed but so glad to have known him. In the 1970s, he was the inspiration for thousands of 356 and early 911 enthusiasts, including professionals. I met him first at Warbonnet Tech, where he was recognized as the great American Porsche technical guru. Early on, he recognized the need for 356 restoration parts and began searching out and offering parts that were no longer available from Porsche. Later, he commissioned excellent reproduction parts. Chuck raced Alfas in the 1950s but also established the premier Porsche dealership in this country, in Willoughby, Ohio. If you wanted to buy a trick Porsche, you called Stoddard. He eventually sold his dealership to Porsche AG, and retired to play with his own Porsches: a Gmuend Coupe, an America Roadster, a 908, and many more, even a 917. Chuck Stoddard truly helped to build Porsche in the U.S., and all of us should be extremely thankful for his long-term efforts. Chuck had a great manner of talking with authority mixed with dry humor. Even now, I can hear his voice. So good to see him at the L.A. swap meet last March. RIP, Chuck.

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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#27 Post by Frank Barrett »

Sebastian Gaeta wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2019 10:23 am Back in the early 2000's in Chuck's home office when Karl came to town to do the book signing for the latest Excellence was Expected. Note the fax machine, pleated pants and early gen iMac. I could sit for hours and soak in the stories which we often did late into the night. He was a notorious night owl and I found myself driving back to Ann Arbor at 1 in the morning quite a few times, but it was always worth it.
Sebastian:

Please write an obituary for the Registry and Panorama. Surely many people (Brad Ripley, Bill Green, Jim Perrin, et al) could contribute great stories. Chuck was far too much of a positive influence on Porsche in America to be allowed to slip away unnoticed.

Frank
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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#28 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Would be honored to do so. I know in the registry Dan Mainzer wrote a nice story in the last issue though. I will contact Rob Sass at Pano to see if there is interest.
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

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Craig Richter
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#29 Post by Craig Richter »

Almost makes me wish I'd grown up in the midwest so I would have had a chance to meet this legend. I did get a lot of parts from him over the years, but never had the pleasure of a meet. I think we would have had a ton of fun.
 

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Sebastian Gaeta
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Re: Chuck Stoddard

#30 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Craig Richter wrote: Mon Dec 02, 2019 1:22 am I think we would have had a ton of fun.
You would have and he would have liked you very much as he could sniff out the people who were in the hobby for the right reasons.

His personal shop is/was amazing, there was almost nothing he could not do or fabricate right at home and you would have loved it. One time I had a 356 steering wheel with the 911 extended column riveted to the backside. The only problem was there was nothing for the horn button rubber cuff to sit on. I got out a caliper, read him some dimensions over the phone and the next day I had a little collar that popped right in and solved the problem.
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

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