We thank Gary Ramstad who has been spearheading the Puget Sound Volvo Sports America Club since he started the VSA chapter in 1995 and also being Vice President of the national VSA club for the last 11 years.
Gary grew up in Tacoma, Washington and he served in the Navy on a destroyer in Vietnam. He came back stateside in 1969 and he moved to Seattle but more significantly:
He bought a Volvo. A two year old Volvo 122S coupe with 16,500 miles from Fox Auto Sales in Burien.
“Miss Seattle” The white 1967 Volvo 122S was his daily driver until 1984 when he decided to restore the car and make it a hobby car. For you folks that can do math, that is indeed 53 years of ownership…and counting.
With that long of an ownership, there are many stories attached to the car. This is the car that was used Gary and his wife Myrna brought their newborns home with from Northwest Hospital 1971 and again in 1976.
It was even stolen, once. Gary left the keys in the house door once and that was too much of a temptation for the Seattle Times paper boy. Yup, the paper boy went for a joy ride. The police later found the car sitting with the engine running at midnight and called Gary. You do have to appreciate the paper boy’s excellent taste in automobiles!
A later DNA test confirmed that Gary was 62% Norwegian and 2% Swedish. That 2% is all it took. It was all about Volvos from there on out.
After being the VSA Vice President for the last 11 years and local club president since 1995, Gary decided to retire from the club duties and hand over the reins to Dale Riddings.
The club honored Gary at the annual spring Swap & Show meet at Juanita Beach and we thank him for his unwavering support in the classic Volvo community.
“Kristine” Gary’s 1962 Volvo 544, owned for 35 years and counting.
“The Swedish Puzzle” A 1967 Volvo 1800S that Gary spent way too much time restoring to the delight of it’s new owner and fellow club member Charlie.
Gary even drives Swedish cars as daily drivers, one being a 2000 S40 Volvo. In 2012 Gary and Myrna took a European Delivery of a 2013 XC60 in Sweden. After picking it up in Göteborg, they drove the Bergen in Norway as his family is from there. They put about 1,000 miles on it before shipping it back to the US.
Thanks Gary from all of us!