Citroënvie member Dave Woolley mentioned that a long time Citroën supporter in Lynchburg Virginia, Glenn Hawes, passed away on November 27, 2021 at the age of 94.
Glenn was a well-known enthusiast and master restorer of foreign cars, British and French. In the 1960s, local French/American executives affiliated with French nuclear companies, provided used Citroëns to local junk yards as there was no local market for used ones. This gave Glenn a steady supply of parts when needed, rebuilding hydraulic pumps, filling spheres, and making repairs for fellow Citroën owners, and often traveling to help those who were stranded.
Dave has tracked 25 Citroëns that have past through Glenn’s hands.
One $25 junk yard D Special was crafted back to running condition with a coat of red paint, new seat covers and off-set pistons for greater horsepower along with a cut down flywheel for acceleration. He also cast an intake manifold and mounted twin carburetors. On one cross-country night-time race Glenn broke a half axle. He clamped the brake disk, suspended the broken axel with a coat hanger, and drove home with one drive-axel with the speedometer showing twice the road speed. (He did not place in that race).
Glenn’s D Special won many local race events before it caught fire. HIs insurance agent was so impressed with the Citroën’s ride that the insurance company offered him the price of a new Citroën at settlement.
Dave also mentioned that Bob Rucker, a Citroën dealer in Bedford and Roanoke Virginia, secured from the New York Museum of Modern Art the first DS that they acquired (a 1967 Pallas titled as a ’69). It was Glenn’s only “new car”. He and Dave owned that car 5 times between them — and made money each time they sold it!
Glenn, Bob, and others occasionally made trips to New York (and to Citroën’s USA headquarters in New Jersey) to pick up fleets of new Citroëns for Bob’s shop. The delivery fees that new owners paid afforded them an overnight in the city complete with Broadway show and a nice dinner.
They also traveled to France in 2000 for the Paris Auto Show and to Amherst, MA in 2002 for the 12th ICCCR (International Citroën Car Club Rallye at the University of Massachusetts).
Glenn was a good friend and mentor to Bob and Dave and he is greatly missed.