Dorothy R.I.P. August 2008

Beverly R.I.P. February 2009

Published in AAN February, 2004

Bev Ferreira says he doesn’t remember how long ago he joined the Redwood Region of CHVA, but he says it had to be about the time of organization in 1971. He and his wife Dorothy are frequently seen on our Region’s tours, usually driving a very nice 56 Thunderbird.

To start at the beginning, Bev was born in San Francisco and has lived his whole life there. His lifetime involvement with automobiles came about because his father was

in charge of maintenance for the fleet of White Trucks owned by the White House Department Store. His father expected him to work in the garage as a young boy and man and so he learned the auto mechanics trade.

The department store moved downtown and they let Bev’s father keep the garage located at 3rd and Geary under the same name. Early in the 1950’s Bev opened his own repair shop, Bev’s Auto Repair, in the Marina District. He had it for 15 years until someone made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Bev says that he was too young to retire so he opened another business, Bev’s Antique Auto Parts. As a result of this long history of involvement in the car business he has a basement full of old repair and owner manuals for all makes of cars, collected over the years. He has now decided that it is time to sell this material.

Undoubtedly the most interesting car in his collection is the Tucker. He was at the right place at the right time and bought the car from the Cliff House Museum when they were selling everything off. Just as I do, you may remember seeing the car displayed there many years ago.

As you might expect he performed all the restoration work on his cars, even repainting the Tucker and T-Bird. This was possible because of his business ownership.

Bev’s collection of cars is very impressive. He has a beautiful 41 Packard Super 8, 4 Door. He just sold the 42 Indian 4 cylinder Motorcycle, which he acquired in 1950 and rode for many miles. His new car is the 57 Ford Ranchero, which he purchased new. Of course he still has the 48 Tucker.

In addition to his interest in cars he has also been involved in pleasure boats. In 1953 he bought a brand new 18’ Chris Craft all wood runabout minus engine. That was because he wanted to put his own pumped up Cadillac engine in it. He still hangs out at the Mariposa Yacht Club located down on Pier 50, where he was the fleet captain a number of times and had the responsibility for planning activities. He also keeps in touch with the Bayview Boat Club located a little further south.

During WWII Bev was a paratrooper in the 11th Airborne and has 3 jumps to his credit. He admits that he made the jumps because it gave him $50 a month more pay. In keeping with his automotive background he was a motor sergeant for the Division Headquarters Company. He spent time in the Philippines and was part of the occupation forces in Japan after the war ended.

Bev and Dorothy have been married for 17 years. She has 5 children from her first marriage and 10 grandchildren. Born in Oklahoma, her family moved to the California bay area in the early 40’s. She is a graduate of Berkeley High School and a 20 year veteran of the San Francisco Post Office, spending most of her life here in the bay area. Her first husband was a career Navy man and they traveled and lived many places here in the states during their 30 year marriage. They returned to San Francisco when he retired.

Before meeting Bev she had no interest in cars. They were just transportation. Dorothy has really enjoyed the involvement with many car clubs and particularly the CHVA, because of the events, good tours and good food. She says we are like the Army in that we travel on our stomachs. Dorothy’s favorite car is the 37 Packard, 12 cylinder convertible coupe that Bev sold a few years ago.

They say they are now slowing down in their participation with the many car clubs they have joined, such as the Tucker Club, Packard Club, Cadillac Club, T-Bird Club, Classic Car Club in addition to the CHVA Redwood Region. They are also supporting members of the Blackhawk Museum in Danville. For years Bev was on the Silverado Advisory Council and was a head judge many times.