Pete Condos & Frank Ferro ( Con-Ferr ) (1 Viewer)

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Double thanks! That's awesome! :beer:
 
A couple Google Street views of the shop site today?
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They had a big footprint.
 
Outstanding

Two blocks from my shop Nolen. I have watched every iteration of business that was in that building for the last 40 years. Cal4wheel and Buggy moved in when Pete closed the retail operation; he still owned the building. George Adler leased it for many years as a 4wheelParts location. Eventually George tried some funny business on Pete, and Pete wasnt having any of it, so George moved out on a bluff. Pete had the last laugh, as he immediately turned around and leased it to one of George’s oldest rivals!

I have a good story about the factory too.
 
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Here’s another bit o history: one of my shop shirts.
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And... is the story coming or do you save it for later?

The easiest way for me to tell who is following along is for them to hit the like button...like I just did for you. ;)
 
Mark do you know who owns the rights to the con-ferr name?

I know Hickey is still registered and being used ... often wondered about the conferr

I do not.

Here’s another story from the early days.


Pete used to make steel 1/2 doors for the FJ40. Simple skin with a double fold for a top edge and a couple of gussets welded on. Phased them out because of poor sales by the late ‘80s. @JohnnyC probably can pull up a pic from one of the old catalogs. I went to Pete in ‘93 or ‘94 to ask him about them. Having already seen the factory, and having an inkling of his character, I said ‘ I’ll bet you still have the patterns laying around’. He smiled and said he did.

He gave me his quantity requirements and price point and I agreed, trying to remain poker faced; it was a really good deal. Then I looked him in the eye and said “Just one more thing. You’re not going to make one or two or three extra and put them on your shelf for ‘a rainy day.’ You will make exactly the number of doors we’ve agreed to and no more, for one year. Every one that wants one of these will have to come see me.”

Then he gave me the biggest smile I ever saw him give, and he said “YOU are a smart businessman.”
 
Well, it seems only one person was interested in the last story. :meh:
Hi. Pete condos was my grandpa. I Google him sometimes and come across these forums and they bring so much joy to my heart. I know this post is very old, but if you happen to see this, I would love to hear about my grandpa and his shop.

My grandpa was the greatest man I knew. I didn’t have a relationship with my dad, and my grandpa raised me along with my grandma and my mom.

He was just grandpa to me. You all have such interesting stories. I grew up in their shop at 123 S. Front Street in Burbank, CA. I knew my grandpa was special and he’d always share stories about old celebrities, but he was my grandpa. He had long since given up actually racing when I was born in 1988. We watched Game Shows together and he taught me to make Greek food.

He died when I was 20 in 2009. I miss him so much everyday. My mom, his daughter, died last year. My grandma died in 2014. My uncle Terry A. Condos that someone mentioned earlier died in February of this year. They all played various roles at Con-fer. My grandma was the book keeper and ran payroll. She also proofed the catalogs since my grandpa’s strong suit was not spelling. Without her there would be no con ferr. Anyway, just missing them all and googling and came across this. Thanks to you and everyone who shares about my family’s business and about my grandpa. :)
 
Hi. Pete condos was my grandpa. I Google him sometimes and come across these forums and they bring so much joy to my heart. I know this post is very old, but if you happen to see this, I would love to hear about my grandpa and his shop.

My grandpa was the greatest man I knew. I didn’t have a relationship with my dad, and my grandpa raised me along with my grandma and my mom.

He was just grandpa to me. You all have such interesting stories. I grew up in their shop at 123 S. Front Street in Burbank, CA. I knew my grandpa was special and he’d always share stories about old celebrities, but he was my grandpa. He had long since given up actually racing when I was born in 1988. We watched Game Shows together and he taught me to make Greek food.

He died when I was 20 in 2009. I miss him so much everyday. My mom, his daughter, died last year. My grandma died in 2014. My uncle Terry A. Condos that someone mentioned earlier died in February of this year. They all played various roles at Con-fer. My grandma was the book keeper and ran payroll. She also proofed the catalogs since my grandpa’s strong suit was not spelling. Without her there would be no con ferr. Anyway, just missing them all and googling and came across this. Thanks to you and everyone who shares about my family’s business and about my grandpa. :)
To this day, I have a cartoon hanging up in my office that your grandmother gave me. My office is five blocks from the old Front Street location. I was just telling @kevos37 last week about when your grandfather sold the property to the city for the Metro Station.
I’d be happy to meet you sometime after Thanksgiving; I’m kinda swamped right now. I’m not hard to find:

www.marksoffroad.net
 
I have owned more than one FJ40 that rolled through the hallowed halls of Con-Ferr and I always liked their products. Some of my trucks were actually owned by Con-Ferr as indicated on the title. Scores of trucks I have purchased came with Con-Ferr products and piles of literature, catalogs and Con-Ferr receipts over the years. I wish someone would remake that storage box that sat behind the front bumper!


This 1969 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Factory Soft Top, VIN FJ4067128 was purchased new by Wilbur H. Hanson according to the original invoice from Con-Ferr Manufacturing in Burbank, CA dated August 1969. I spoke with Beverly June Hanson, widow of Wilbur H. Hanson and her son John Hanson in March of 2018 about the history of the vehicle.

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I have owned more that one FJ40 that rolled through thet hallowed halls of Con-Ferr and I always liked their products. Some of these trucks were actually owned by Con-Ferr as indicated on the title. Scores of trucks I have purchased came with piles of literature, catalogs and Con-Ferr receipts over the years. I wish someone would remake that storage box that sat behind the front bumper!
I’ve got one I’ll send you
 

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