[DeTomaso] Rayton Fissore/Laforza Magnum (SUV Designed by Tjaarda)

[Jeff Cobb]

How I met Tom Tjaarda.

During Pebble week of Aug 2004+-, Saturday night found my wife, son and I in a Monterey ballroom next to the R+M Auctions speaking to the Laforza salesman about his huge SUV.

He was bragging about the wonderful soundproofing that Tom Tjaarda had just completed. I question him deeply since I soundproof cars. I politely told him what he said was impossible because Tom had died a year or so before. Salesman looked at us as if I was crazy and said Tom was alive. I repeated my statement and again acted as if I knew what I was saying, I am good at that. I looked at Luci and said how Tom had died and the salesmen was using Tom's name to his benefit. Salesman was polite and asked if I would like to talk to Tom. I told him that would definitely be a long distance phone call. My wife was proud that I knew so much and my 15 year old stepson finally found a reason to like me. 

We all watched as the salesman leaned around the Laforza and called out Tom's name, like he was doing a resurrection. Tom cheerfully came around and introduced himself and said as far as he knew, he was not dead. 
OPPS! 
Wife and kid looked at me and what?

I apologized over and over how my memory played tricks on me. I took A. de Tomaso's death in May 21, 2003 as Tom's. I was so wrong. 
Tom and my family spoke for about one and a half hours. Great talk and said good night.

The next morning early, Sunday @ on Pebble grounds, I am by myself looking at a Ferrari California while wife and son are on another piece of Pebble ground. Tom, Phil Hill and Sir Stirling walked up to judge this fine car. I stepped back and watched these masters. As Phil Hill and Sir Stirling slowly strolled off, Tom came up to me and said "Good morning, Jeff". Hey, he remembered my name, ain't we special?! We spoke about the Ferrari and it's beauty. Tom then asked me if I would like to know why he made it that way. OF COURSE, go ahead, SIR! I was happy and blown away. He told me how he cut off the roof and chopped the rear and how he got Enzo's approval in about a two day time.

So cool that this world class man took his time with me. After that he and I became fine friends during my wife's cancer and enough to where he has flown over to Louisiana three times to be the man guy in my concours and then of course to come for the cool Pantera 40th anniversary party in Monterey in 2011. People still talk about Tom's easy nature and how they enjoyed his time here.

One funny moment was a 3:30 am Tuesday morn after my second concours, about April 2010 when he was stuck in Louisiana because of  Iceland's volcanic ash flow. We would wake up early and call his wife, Paola, in Turin so she would look out their window to see if planes were flying in so we could figure out how to fly him back. Better than CNN. Spent many hours everyday trying to get him home.

I had woke up early and went to make coffee in tee shirt and underwear, Tom came out in underwear not knowing that I was there and then my ex-wife did the same thing the same. We all looked at each other and Tom said, "Well, I guess we are all now officially buddies".

Tom then spent three days hanging out at my repair shop having fun with customers and being treated by many to so much food and stories.
I was humbled to walk with him through my back yard every day as we went off to work, he had fun but of course felt worried because of his work time line in Italy being damaged.

Thanks all and I hope this story helps to portray Tom's great nature as a sympathetic and compassionate man.

I sure hope my memory outlives me.

Thanks,

Jeff Cobb

Cell 225-907-4514

Jeff Cobb Auto Works
1316 South Acadian Thruway
Baton Rouge
Louisiana, 70806

www.liveoakconcours.org
Concours,Nov 1-3rd, 2013

Work  225-343-7525
Fax     225-343-7550
zumzum at cox.net
jeffcobb1 at me.com				

On Feb 15, 2013, at 10:09 AM, gpd4 at juno.com wrote:

> All bodies were built somewhere before 1989.  They were sold in the US as
> 1989 and 1990 models before they went bankrupt.  They then resurrected
> themselves in 1998, planning to do an IPO and sell stock.  They
> manufactured an undetermined quantity over the next three years using the
> same stock of bodies before closing again.  My guess is that they built
> around 300 the first time, and maybe 20 or so the second time. 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
>> 
>> DeTomaso mailing list
>> DeTomaso at poca.com
>> http://poca.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
>> 
> ____________________________________________________________
> "The Weight Loss Cure"
> Famous TV doctor recommends Garcinia Cambogia to lose fat fast
> http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/511e5dd2c3ed75dd24c08st01vuc
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at poca.com
> http://poca.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso