Mar 25, 2011

Geofry Park


Yes, I do own R4305B.  It is a 1963 Avanti origionally Turquoise/ Turquoise, R1, Automatic with 
PW and A/C.
 
History:  This car was bought new by Doreen Rypinski in San Diego, California.  Doreen lived 
in Marina Del Rey.  She loved the car dearly and kept it garaged till about 7 months before she 
died, when she gifted it to me.  During it's life with me she had it painted because her husband 
didn't like the origional color.  She painted it a Cadillac blue/green.  She also changed the 
carpets because she spilled turkey dressing on the origionals.  I later replaced the carpets with 
origional salt and pepper carpets.  The car currently has 72,000 origional miles.

 
Family History:  Doreen was born in England and first married a jewler.  They had no children.  
After their divorce she met Robert Rypinski, and after some time they married.  Robert had two 
children, Allen and Don, by his first wife Flora.  Flora had danced in the Zigfield Follies and was 
a roomate with Harriet Nelson, of Ozzie and Harriet fame.  They were life long friends.  Bob came 
from a wealthy Pasadena family (grandfather had made a fortune with a patent on a battery).  Bob's 
father gave him a Hudson dealership in Pasadena and that is where he meet two young men who like to 
set off rockets in the desert.  The three of them became good friends and they rockets evolved into 
a business based at Cal Tec, which later became JPL.  Bob worked at JPL till almost his death.  
Doreen had a hand in raising Bob's two sons.  Most of their teen years were spent living on the boat 
in the New Port harbor where Don taught Ricky and David Nelson how to waterski.  Don is a graduate 
of Art Center School of Design in Pasadena and has a passion for boat design.  His brother Allen is 
best known for procuring a formula that was being used at the Cunningham Museum making the tires 
shinny, and founding a company called "Armor All", later selling it for close to 60 million.

 
Doreen dearly love her 63 Avanti and wanted it to go to a good home.  She wasn't worried about 
money, only concerned that it would be well cared for and cherished.  I am proud to be selected to 
be it's care taker.  It is currently in excellent mechanical conditon.  It does need a paint job as 
the finish is fading badly.  The interior is origional and in great condition.  I hope to repaint it 
soon and present it for display with the history so others can appreciate Doreen's love for the car 
and generosity in giving it to me.  She was a great lady!