I went to Bradenton yesterday & met Adam Wollard & had a look at Gary's shop. There is a large sign over the doorway to the storage room that says "FORT SIMPLEX". I'm kicking myself for forgetting my camera.....the following description can't do the place justice. They have sold the house, but the bike stuff hasn't been moved.
there are 2 trucks, one '39 Glide, & 3 servi-cycles in good original or restored condition. In the 2 storage rooms there are 37 bikes which have at least one wheel & some amount of parts. There are at least 9 bare frames (I looked at a couple of frame numbers....04142 & 08781 are there). All of these other bikes are in "as found in the barn" condition. There are wheels & other parts scattered everywhere in these rooms. I even saw a tow bar that would go on the front of a truck.
In the front part of the garage / shop, Gary had a very nice Simplex restoration set up. A drill/mill & small lathe & gobs of cigar boxes with all kinds of dedicated Simplex reamers & cutting tools. Lots of shelves full of engine parts. I counted 18 crankcases & 8 complete motors, numerous cranks & an equal number of cylinders. Same for magnetos & flywheels. I saw a 6 inch tall box full of new gas tank decals, a newly re-covered seat still in the box from the upholster's shop. He had a chasis & gas tank set up on a stand & set up as a test stand for running in re-built engines which was pretty neat.
The family is interested in selling everything except one truck (it has a giant New Orleans Saints football helmet instead of a box) & 2 bikes. They have also been approached by a couple people about selling the entire lot, but he says they too far apart in price right now (He didn't say & I didn't ask.....as tempting as it is, I have way too many irons in the fire to take on yet another "hobby"). Personally, I think it should go to somebody who is a vendor....there's just so much stuff that the average guy wouldn't need. The difficult part is they are so far away from most of the "simplex" people who'd be interested.
Again, it was a pleasure to meet Adam & to see Gary's stuff (although it's a little wierd to go thru another guy's stuff....it was the same feeling when I was cleaning out my father-in-law's basement). I'm just so dissappointed that I forgot the camera.
Mike Sal
