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Burt Richmond has had a passion for gears, cars and motorcycles since he was a young boy. His career was in interior architectural design but his enthusiasm for all things automotive never diminished. He organized and guided motorcycle tours around the world and founded Lotus Tours, an international motorcycle touring company. He participated in the Peking-to-Paris Rally in a 1953 Citroën 2CV, he’s driven in many road rallies including the Colorado Grand, California Mille, and SCM1000. He was pivitol in the development of LeMay – America’s Car Museum serving on the Board of Directors. In 2010, he and his wife, Diane Fitzgerald, who is a past Cars Yeah guest, began producing microcar world meets and in 2016, Burt realized a lifelong dream of developing a member-based collector car storage facility, which he did in Chicago. Collectors Car Garage has been the site of many enthusiasts’ events.
SHOW SPONSORS
Covercraft • Techforce • American Collectors Insurance • Linkage Magazine
INSPIRATION
His father who helped him build his first car body and taught him to work on things.
CHALLENGE
Having spent a lot of weekends away from home at a young age while building his business.
SPECIAL AUTOMOBILE
Studebaker Starlight Hardtop, the car that drove him to be a car designer.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Catherine The Great by Robert K. Massie
The Secret History of Armand Hammer by Edward J. Epstein
PARTING WORDS OF WISDOM
If it’s not fun don’t do it.
WHERE TO FIND BURT
SHARE THE INSPIRATION
If you enjoyed this show, please go to Apple Podcast and leave me a five-star review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and help others to be inspired by Cars Yeah. * indicates a past Cars Yeah guest.
Today I met Mr. Burt at a gas station in the north of Chicago, in his 1956 car. He told me that he had traveled many places, he asked me where I was from, from Argentina, I told him. He asked me again what is he starting from? From Córdoba Argentina, and he showed me photos of him when he had been in Córdoba! I could not believe it ! he knew my city! He said that he travels to Argentina very often. A huge taste Mr Burt!
In the 1990s Burt’s location housed the restoration works of Mike Urschel. Mike restored my 1965 Royal Enfield from the assorted parts I found it into the running machine I had met my wife on at Michigan State in 1968. One of the cars in Burt’s garage was a Talbot Lago one of the most beautiful cars ever conceived. It was also the inspiration for the Chrysler Atlantic concept car of the 1990s. Burt had many awesome cars like the little Messerschmitt and unique motorcycles like the Moto Guzzi single with expose valve springs. I do wished I had the time in my early years to take one of Burt’s tours in New Zealand or Italy.
I worked at Richmond Design for Burt in Denver CO in the mid ‘80’s. I still have the souvenirs he brought me from Nepal and Thailand. I hold him in high regard.