Bob Holbert passes away
11-16-2007, 12:29 AM
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Bob Holbert passes away
From the Racing forum:
For the few of you who don't know... his son Al Holbert set the production world land speed record in the car now raced by Mark Kibort.
DISTINGUISHED PORSCHE DEALER AND RACER, BOB HOLBERT, PASSES AWAY
Robert McCormick Holbert, one of the first Porsche dealers in the country and a prominent Porsche race driver in the
1950's and 1960’s, died in his native Warrington, Penn., on Monday, Nov. 12.
Born in Warrington in 1923, Bob opened a general purpose automotive garage in the late ‘40’s, moving to the more famous Holbert’s Garage building across the street in 1951 when he started a repair and parts business specializing in
foreign and sports cars. In 1954, Holbert’s Garage became one of the first
authorized Porsche dealers in the country, and continues today as one of the
most well-known and oldest Porsche dealerships in America.
Holbert’s love and knowledge of cars included a distinguished racing career with
awards ranging from The New York Times “Best Sports Car Driver” three separate years to top finishes in the 12 Hours of Sebring. He drove to a record six class victories at Sebring including second overall in 1960. His racing career
started in 1953 in an MG, then moved to Porsches in 1957 after seeing driver
Jack McAfee pass seven drivers – all cars with bigger engine displacements – in
a Porsche 550 Spyder at Cumberland Raceway. His subsequent racing activities in Porsche RS-550 and RSK led to four SCCA National Championships, and a podium finish at Le Mans with Masten Gregory. Holbert also sold Roger Penske his first race car (1958).
“Through his dealership and racing successes, Bob Holbert helped establish the
Porsche brand in America,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and chief
executive officer of Porsche Cars North America. “He was a true American Porsche pioneer.”
Holbert later became a Shelby Cobra team factory driver, winning the first
United States Road Racing Championship title in 1963. He and frequent co-driver Dave McDonald won the GT Class at Sebring in 1964. McDonald’s death in a racing accident at Indianapolis several months later was a major factor in Bob Holbert’s decision to retire from racing later that year.
Son Al Holbert, who also helped run the dealership and was the President of
Porsche Motorsport North America, had a brilliant racing career of his own,
winning twice at Sebring (1976 and 81), the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times,
and multiple IMSA titles before his remarkable career was cut short by a 1988
plane crash. His other son, Larry, has been the president and general manager of the family-owned dealership for the past 25 years.
Robert McCormick Holbert, one of the first Porsche dealers in the country and a prominent Porsche race driver in the
1950's and 1960’s, died in his native Warrington, Penn., on Monday, Nov. 12.
Born in Warrington in 1923, Bob opened a general purpose automotive garage in the late ‘40’s, moving to the more famous Holbert’s Garage building across the street in 1951 when he started a repair and parts business specializing in
foreign and sports cars. In 1954, Holbert’s Garage became one of the first
authorized Porsche dealers in the country, and continues today as one of the
most well-known and oldest Porsche dealerships in America.
Holbert’s love and knowledge of cars included a distinguished racing career with
awards ranging from The New York Times “Best Sports Car Driver” three separate years to top finishes in the 12 Hours of Sebring. He drove to a record six class victories at Sebring including second overall in 1960. His racing career
started in 1953 in an MG, then moved to Porsches in 1957 after seeing driver
Jack McAfee pass seven drivers – all cars with bigger engine displacements – in
a Porsche 550 Spyder at Cumberland Raceway. His subsequent racing activities in Porsche RS-550 and RSK led to four SCCA National Championships, and a podium finish at Le Mans with Masten Gregory. Holbert also sold Roger Penske his first race car (1958).
“Through his dealership and racing successes, Bob Holbert helped establish the
Porsche brand in America,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, president and chief
executive officer of Porsche Cars North America. “He was a true American Porsche pioneer.”
Holbert later became a Shelby Cobra team factory driver, winning the first
United States Road Racing Championship title in 1963. He and frequent co-driver Dave McDonald won the GT Class at Sebring in 1964. McDonald’s death in a racing accident at Indianapolis several months later was a major factor in Bob Holbert’s decision to retire from racing later that year.
Son Al Holbert, who also helped run the dealership and was the President of
Porsche Motorsport North America, had a brilliant racing career of his own,
winning twice at Sebring (1976 and 81), the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times,
and multiple IMSA titles before his remarkable career was cut short by a 1988
plane crash. His other son, Larry, has been the president and general manager of the family-owned dealership for the past 25 years.
11-16-2007, 12:34 AM
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11-16-2007, 10:39 AM
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11-16-2007, 11:55 AM
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11-16-2007, 01:59 PM
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11-16-2007, 02:06 PM
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Girls...? That implies that I'm a girl too! No no no! 
I wear the pants... Enzo is the skirt wearer!
And no... we didn't have a tiff... but we might now!
I wear the pants... Enzo is the skirt wearer!And no... we didn't have a tiff... but we might now!
11-16-2007, 05:52 PM
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R.I.P. Mr Holbert. He was great to me. Used to lend me money for lunch. Very humble guy too. His office was like a racer's who's who with old race pics of him with Carroll Shelby, Penske, et al, just hangin' out.
Hammer
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11-16-2007, 06:10 PM
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I still watch his 928 record speed run video from time to time... was a pretty cool guy. did enzo post something? I had my skirt on my head for the last couple of weeks and didn't do much rennlisting....
11-17-2007, 10:41 PM
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Bob
This is my first post. Looking forward to enjoying my newly acquired 85 928s 5 speed. It had 28 bent valves when I got it and about 2 or 3 .lbs and 20 years worth of grease and grime under the hood. It's getting put back together now, after head work and electrical harness (FI and ALT) replacement. I knew Bob because I had my first car serviced there (87 gti 16v) WHAT A CAR!!! Anyway, I was about 17 and there was a 930 rotting away in the service yard, I mean, 3 flats, rotted interior, rusting, just sitting there...for years. I sought "the man who is in charge", to learn more about the 930....Thats how I met Bob Holbert. He told me the guy who owned the car owed him $3,500 for parking it there the last 3 years, and won't come to pick it up...So I asked for the guys number and Bob gave it to me! I called the guy, and started negotiating with money I didn't have... I think he wanted $8000. For a 17 year old kid; I had no shot...Anyway.... I socialized with Larrys son Matt once or twice...And years down the road, Larry called me via an advertisement I was running in the local Valpak...I was a chimney guy at that time and he wanted some work done, and an estimate blah blah blah.....end of the day he wound up being such a bastard.......His chimney needed some extra work above my intitial ground level inspection of his 50' high 200 year old dual chimneys....One was actually in worse shape once on the ladder... it was an extra $650. I had his wife call him to authorize it....She shouted up to me on the scaffolding " He said just do what we originally agreed to or go the hell home!" I was taken aback because what I was trying to do was remedy underlying issues with the masonry.....To HELP THEM> And they obviously felt differently about my intentions.... Anyway, I finish up a day later, and ask to get final payment.... She calls him , yet again. He was trying to send me a check in the mail, and I wasn't having it, it's not the way I did things...needless I was about to storm into that dealership and knock some teeth out...[in retrospect-GLAD I DIDN'T] I think Mrs. Larry Holbert could sense my position, which was just, and she I guess is a nicer person than her husband...She gingerly went in the house and within 5 min. I had my check....
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST....Here's the best part.... 5 months later the guy calls me up because a tornado force storm hit us and took the top half of the chimney with it!!!!! He asked me what I was going to do about it... I said " I knew this was coming if you didn't address it Mr. Holbert, and you told me to go the hell home"...."If I'm coming there now to rebuild the top 3' of your chimney, it's going to cost you about $4000 or so.... He replied in a sheepish way "I understand, thanks anyway"...... Why is it that wealthier folks are always so greedy....I know that being greedy isn't the only way to be a wealthy person. That's sickening....at any rate.....Bob Holbert, racing legend, and nice guy.....RIP.
I'll talk to you guys soon, when I actually get to drive my 928 and be part of this experience for real!
Later-
Mason
SORRY FOR THE LONG POST....Here's the best part.... 5 months later the guy calls me up because a tornado force storm hit us and took the top half of the chimney with it!!!!! He asked me what I was going to do about it... I said " I knew this was coming if you didn't address it Mr. Holbert, and you told me to go the hell home"...."If I'm coming there now to rebuild the top 3' of your chimney, it's going to cost you about $4000 or so.... He replied in a sheepish way "I understand, thanks anyway"...... Why is it that wealthier folks are always so greedy....I know that being greedy isn't the only way to be a wealthy person. That's sickening....at any rate.....Bob Holbert, racing legend, and nice guy.....RIP.
I'll talk to you guys soon, when I actually get to drive my 928 and be part of this experience for real!
Later-
Mason
11-24-2007, 01:34 PM
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Larry is Mr. Holbert's other son. Al's brother. I'm familiar with the barn he's talking about. I can picture what he's saying exactly. The Holbert's (except for Al) can be very rude as is being alledged by 'surfridermason'. For some reason Al was totally the opposite. But if they knew you (and were in a good mood) they could be very nice.
Larry has a large collection of rare cars. I worked at Holbert's when I decided to sell my 68 Hemi Dart. It was uncut & totally original & I knew Larry would be interested in buying it. I asked him if he'd be interested in it & he just smiled & said no. About two weeks later it was close to selling so I offered it to Larry one more time. He just laughed & said no again. So I sold it to someone else. The next week I came in with a brown paper bag full of hundred dollar bills & paid cash for my 928. When Larry found out, he came back & asked me where I got that much money since there were times in the recent past when I borrowed 5 or 10 dollars from him or Mr. Holbert to buy lunch. When I told him I got it from selling my Dart he was furious! He didn't believe a 'peasant' like me would really have such a rare & expensive car when I asked him if he was interested in it. He said, "Why didn't you show me some proof that you really had the car when you asked me?" Rather than admit that his arrogance cost him the chance to buy the car he just got mad & didn't talk to me after that. Shortly after that a rumor swept the dealership that I was a drug dealer & a month or so after that I was fired. I must have been a fast learner as a drug dealer to go from borrowing money for lunch one week to buying a $40,000 car the next!
Hammer
Larry has a large collection of rare cars. I worked at Holbert's when I decided to sell my 68 Hemi Dart. It was uncut & totally original & I knew Larry would be interested in buying it. I asked him if he'd be interested in it & he just smiled & said no. About two weeks later it was close to selling so I offered it to Larry one more time. He just laughed & said no again. So I sold it to someone else. The next week I came in with a brown paper bag full of hundred dollar bills & paid cash for my 928. When Larry found out, he came back & asked me where I got that much money since there were times in the recent past when I borrowed 5 or 10 dollars from him or Mr. Holbert to buy lunch. When I told him I got it from selling my Dart he was furious! He didn't believe a 'peasant' like me would really have such a rare & expensive car when I asked him if he was interested in it. He said, "Why didn't you show me some proof that you really had the car when you asked me?" Rather than admit that his arrogance cost him the chance to buy the car he just got mad & didn't talk to me after that. Shortly after that a rumor swept the dealership that I was a drug dealer & a month or so after that I was fired. I must have been a fast learner as a drug dealer to go from borrowing money for lunch one week to buying a $40,000 car the next!
Hammer
11-25-2007, 12:07 AM
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LOL
I was worried that I opened my big mouth again!!! I feel vindicated.... 
My wife and I just watched the Turboencabulator tutorial...Holy sh*t!!!! That's hysterical!
My wife and I just watched the Turboencabulator tutorial...Holy sh*t!!!! That's hysterical!
