seeking info on Dr. Art Burritcher, AACA member

[PFindlay]

I'm doing some research on a 1915 Russell-Knight car that was owned by Dr. Art Burritcher during the 1960s-70s.  During a fine teaching career begun in Iowa he also spent many years in Illinois and Florida.  He was active in the AACA with a 1909 Buick and a 1932 Stutz DV-32 convertible Victoria.   He died in 2002 near Monticello, Iowa.

 

It's a long shot, but if anyone can point me toward any information about Dr. Burritcher, it may help piece together a little more of the history of a very rare Canadian car which may still be in existence but has vanished for now.

 

Prior to Dr. Burritcher, the car was apparently owned by Enoch (Ollie) Olson in Salinas, California.

 

 

Peter

[1937hd45]

I remember what seamed to be a never ending list of cars the Doctor listed in Hemmings back in the 1960's - 1970's. Good luck with your search. Bob 

[John_S_in_Penna]

This is an aside, but accurate:

I understand he was a Ph. D., but not a medical doctor.

One must not use the term "Dr." socially if he is a Ph. D.

He would be a "Mister."

[alsancle]

Back to the subject,  he would spend summers in Illinois and then move to Florida for the winter.   I don't know if he maintained two inventories or how he did that.   Here is an ad for a Reo Royale he had for sale in 1977.

[trimacar]

I bought a car from Burrichter in the early 1980s, a 1928 Packard 443 coupe.  It was one of the few cars I bought sight unseen, and that was a big mistake.  It was a nice car but not at all what was described, and I paid a premium price for a non-premium condition car.   I should have gone to Florida to look at it.  He refused to take the car back.

 

He always had a big inventory of cars, and usually at Hershey he'd have six or eight lined up for sale in the flea market.

 

Is anyone else bothered by the "I sandblasted the engine compartment" comment?  That seems to have all sorts of downsides......

[Terry Bond]

Wasn't he one of the early dealers bring cars on from Sputh American countries? I seem to recall seeing hom listing lots of cars from Argentina especially.

Terry

[edinmass]

He worked out of Deerfield Beach Florida, just off of 95 in the winter months. He had his brother in law "The Colonel". He was to say the least...........ok, I won't say anything. He was strictly money hungry and a dealer. He wouldn't have a file on any car as I had visited him every year in Florida from about 1985 to when he was no longer active. The shop had lots of visitors as his ads in Hemmings always said...."Where you would send a friend". I would look elsewhere for your leads. If he actually had any info on the car, it would have been published in Hemmings. My two cents......Ed

[George K]

There was a dealer that advertised in the 1970’s calling himself “Honest”. Was that Art Burrichter?

[edinmass]

32 minutes ago, George K said:

There was a dealer that advertised in the 1970’s calling himself “Honest”. Was that Art Burrichter?

Yup………he also kept tossing around “adult education “ and college professor like it was a blessing from the Vatican. 

[60FlatTop]

9 hours ago, PFindlay said:

During a fine teaching career

If his doctorate was in teaching he may have worked like the teachers I had in the '50s and '60's. They painted houses during the Summer. That gave them opportunity to look into the garages and barns of a lot of places. The doctorate would have put him into school administration but he would still have feelers with the house painters.

 

He was one of my top three goto's in Hemmings. Burriichter, Goldenrod Garage, and, of course, Elite Motors with the $9,999 Auburn Speedster kits.

[George K]

27 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Yup………he also kept tossing around “adult education “ and college professor like it was a blessing from the Vatican. 

Always be concerned when somebody uses “Honest” to describe themselves especially in a print ad.

[Marty Roth]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

He worked out of Deerfield Beach Florida, just off of 95 in the winter months. He had his brother in law "The Colonel". He was to say the least...........ok, I won't say anything. He was strictly money hungry and a dealer. He wouldn't have a file on any car as I had visited him every year in Florida from about 1985 to when he was no longer active. The shop had lots of visitors as his ads in Hemmings always said...."Where you would send a friend". I would look elsewhere for your leads. If he actually had any info on the car, it would have been published in Hemmings. My two cents......Ed

Yup  !!

 

I also visited with Art and the "Colonel" in Deerfield Beach when my parents retired to Plantation, FL.

I especially wanted to see his Packards.

I was not impressed by the quality of his cars as the ad hype seemed to outclass the actual cars.

Maybe he should have specialized in the commercial body type "Huckster" ?

[B Jake Moran]

Boy this does bring back memories.  I am 58, so this was at the beginning of my interest in old cars in the late 1970's.   There was also a "Dr." in northeast Iowa that ran ads back then and got out in the late 1980's, maybe early 1990's, mostly Cadillacs.  I almost bought one of his last Cadillacs for sale a 1941 Series 62.  

[58L-Y8]

Here are a couple of the good "Dr.'s" advertisements from Cars & Parts magazine in the 1970's:

[CarlLaFong]

11 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

This is an aside, but accurate:

I understand he was a Ph. D., but not a medical doctor.

One must not use the term "Dr." socially if he is a Ph. D.

He would be a "Mister."

Like Dr. Laura or Dr. Biden???

 

[1912Staver]

Interesting to see that one of the very rare Brass Era,  Oakland , big 6's passed through his hands. { upper advert } They were discussed a few months ago on the forum. I think the consensus was that there are only 3 or 4 survivors. Mind you, $19,000.00 was a very large amount of money in 1974.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[trimacar]

Note he did not offer money back, but rather money back toward another car.

 

He mislead a lot of buyers, including me.

 

I will say the the 443 he sold me was solid and drove well, after a number of years it became worth what I bought it for…wish I had it back but it’s body and running gear have been redistributed to other frames  and cars, to me a sad story..

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by trimacar (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Here is the 1913 Oakland in the 1974 Cars & Parts ad…….19k in 1974……..about 200k today.

 

 

[K8096]

November 1982 ad.  

[1937hd45]

How did he find time to teach? 

[trimacar]

10 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

How did he find time to teach? 

He did a great job of teaching me a lesson.  I bought something like 180 cars after the one I bought from him, eyes on every one before money changed hands.  
 

Damn, I’d hate to say thanks to him, but, to paraphrase, every car dealer has a purpose, even if it’s just to set a bad example..

[James-Wahl Motors]

Now I can’t remember if I actually met him in person but I did try to buy a car from him in the late 80s. I was in Florida then, just a punk kid, though seeking university education. He wasn’t impressed. Then he offered to buy my very similar car. Which I still own.

[Dave39MD]

Did he have a parts car lot in Stuart, FL and a sales building south of Hobe Sound, FL on US 1 in the late sixties/early 70's?

 

Dave

[cgaller]

On 11/28/2022 at 6:09 AM, John_S_in_Penna said:

This is an aside, but accurate:

I understand he was a Ph. D., but not a medical doctor.

One must not use the term "Dr." socially if he is a Ph. D.

He would be a "Mister."

Not true:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)#Doctor_as_a_noun

[alsancle]

5 minutes ago, cgaller said:

Not true:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)#Doctor_as_a_noun

I wonder who wrote the wiki page that says you can call me Dr if I happen to have a PhD in something completely worthless?

[cgaller]

1 minute ago, alsancle said:

I wonder who wrote the wiki page that says you can call me Dr if I happen to have a PhD in something completely worthless?

The word "doctor" is literally derived from teaching: 

 

The doctorate (Latin: doceō, lit. 'I teach') appeared in medieval Europe as a license to teach (Latin: licentia docendi) at a medieval university.^[2] Its roots can be traced to the early church when the term "doctor" referred to the Apostles, church fathers and other Christian authorities who taught and interpreted the Bible.^[2]

 

 

[Terry Bond]

And that's why medical doctors have MD following their name.

Terry

[SC38dls]

Bulls##t, More S##t and Piled Higher & Deeper. Definitions from an old man that doesn’t care what you think your title entitles you to be called. It is not improper to call a lady Ms or a gentleman Mr. If you have never been properly introduced and therefore would have no idea of their educational standing. Let’s get back to old cars this character had or sold. 
dave s 

[37S2de]

Oh my!  Art Burrichter.  That’s a name I didn’t see coming today.  Back in the days when I thought that I could make a living transporting antique cars I had quite a few dealings with Art. I finally stopped taking his calls.  

 

The transports were never profitable,  there was always something added, as in “while you’re there…”. 

 

There was never a “Thank you” and I was always treated like just more hired help.  (I know that that is just what I was, but I didn’t need it rubbed in)

 

Several times I dropped the tailgate on the trailer and get whatever it was out of the trailer and the customer would say, “Wow.  That’s not exactly what I was expecting”. I felt like I was being blamed for something I had nothing to do with.  I was just a transporter.  I stopped taking his calls.

 

Tom

 

 

[alsancle]

I’m still waiting for that glorious day when somebody with a PhD in ancient languages corrects me for calling them Mr.

[trimacar]

51 minutes ago, 37S2de said:

the customer would say, “Wow.  That’s not exactly what I was expecting”.

That's what happened to me.  The description was a wonderful car with excellent cosmetics and so forth.  Got to me, paint was starting to craze, had awful vinyl upholstery (in a 443 coupe), and to top it off wouldn't start as it had a battery in it which was probably used to shock dinosaurs to stun them.  Big money in the early 1980s, 25K, and the car was probably at the time a 15K car.  He refused any discussion of sending it back.

 

Interesting discussion but it brings back a sad memory of old car dealings to me.  I will say that I kept the car long enough the value exceeded what I paid for it, a 1928 Packard 443 coupe is quite a machine.  Also, once I got it running, it had a great running gear and drove nicely...

[CChinn]

I’ve held back on joining the conversation by following our moderators advice, but the Dr. comments have continued. So here’s my contribution, I’m an MD, I tell people to just address me by my first name. For what it’s worth I also tell them not to call me Admiral 😀

Now getting back to old cars. Those 1970s prices look mighty fine in 2022!😭

[alsancle]

9 minutes ago, CChinn said:

I’ve held back on joining the conversation by following our moderators advice, but the Dr. comments have continued. So here’s my contribution, I’m an MD, I tell people to just address me by my first name. For what it’s worth I also tell them not to call me Admiral 😀

Now getting back to old cars. Those 1970s prices look mighty fine in 2022!😭

I would have no problem calling you Dr.

[Laura S]

6 hours ago, Dave39MD said:

Did he have a parts car lot in Stuart, FL and a sales building south of Hobe Sound, FL on US 1 in the late sixties/early 70's?

 

Dave

I don’t think it was him . I remember that place on rt 1 in Hobe Sound . My grandparents started going to Tequesta in 1962 and my parents started in 1972. We would stop in and tour the place . The metal building is still there . Jim 

[Marty Roth]

2 hours ago, alsancle said:

I would have no problem calling you Dr.

Titles are awarded based upon accomplishment, and I'm in favor of recognizing what has been earned.

I would normally address you either as Admiral, or as Doctor,

unless and untill instructed otherwise-

but then, I'm "Old-School", and brought up that way.

 

By the way, My MBA work in Administration doesn't require you to address me as Master,

Just plain "MARTY" is just plain preferred

Edited November 30, 2022 by Marty Roth (see edit history)

[trimacar]

Oh, I always thought your MBA stood for  “Marty Be Awesome”….

[Marty Roth]

8 minutes ago, trimacar said:

Oh, I always thought your MBA stood for  “Marty Be Awesome”….

Thanks, and now if you could just chat with my better half ....

[PFindlay]

Thanks to all who have replied about Burritcher and his car dealings.  While it doesn't shed any new light on the particular car I am asking about (1915 Russell-Knight), at least I have some idea of why he had it (i.e. to re-sell).  He probably didn't do anything to it during those years.  I believe he sold it around 1973 and it looked much the same as when the previous owner had it.

 

If anyone happens to be perusing old copies of Hemmings or The Antique Automobile and sees this car in his list of cars for sale, I'd appreciate seeing it.

 

Peter

[alsancle]

32 minutes ago, PFindlay said:

Thanks to all who have replied about Burritcher and his car dealings.  While it doesn't shed any new light on the particular car I am asking about (1915 Russell-Knight), at least I have some idea of why he had it (i.e. to re-sell).  He probably didn't do anything to it during those years.  I believe he sold it around 1973 and it looked much the same as when the previous owner had it.

 

If anyone happens to be perusing old copies of Hemmings or The Antique Automobile and sees this car in his list of cars for sale, I'd appreciate seeing it.

 

Peter

He advertised quite a bit in cars and parts. I have a bound set and I will try to look for you.

[PFindlay]

12 minutes ago, alsancle said:

He advertised quite a bit in cars and parts. I have a bound set and I will try to look for you.

Thanks.  I knew we should have kept all those old C & P mags from our dad's place.