FORMULA-3
A new amusement stunt appeared in Israel in the late 1970s – driving on a vertical wall – the "death loop". It was organized by a local businessman, a dentist. For performing the stunt, he invited a professional driver from Greece, who would bring his own automobile with him. The driver's name was Johnny.
The stunt was fairly famous: motorcyclists perform the trick on the vertical surface of a gigantic cylinder – a "barrel", riding at high speed and performing various tricks.
Here, the motorcycle was replaced by a light, tube-base construction racing automobile. This was a 1950s FORMULA-3 car with a FORD engine and a gear shift with rear-wheel drive.
The car was mercilessly exploited in performing the stunt, repairs were done somehow, so that any of the performances could have ended in tragedy.
On the day of one of the performances, Johnny walked into the RALEX Autoservice garage and requested that Rafi check out the condition of the FORMULA-3 auto. "I heard about you here in Ashdod. Perhaps you could help me. 
I have a broken-down car, but the owner of the stunt is forcing me to drive it. I'm afraid of being killed during a stunt. He used me, but refuses to invest money into the repair of the car, though it was part of the agreement".
The condition of the car was awful. Everything had been soldered, twisted, cracked, skewed.
The car was completely worn-out. Many of the joints needed to be replaced. It was impossible to allow this car to perform the stunt. And RALEX Autoservice made the corresponding conclusion: it was dangerous to use the automobile without the appropriate repairs. The owner of the stunt refused to pay for the repairs on the automobile. Johnny was happy that he no longer had to risk his life according to the contract he had drawn up with the owner of the stunt. The FORMULA-3 auto was left in the garage until better times.
The years passed and one day, Johnny came into the garage. He had come to Israel from Greece as a tourist. He looked at his racing automobile and with a kind smile said, "Leave the wreck for yourself. Maybe one day you will restore it. You love the work so much. You'll bring this car to life." Rafi was very pleased with the present.
Today, the FORMULA-3 is completely restored. New tubes have been installed, a new heart. The rest of the parts in the car – original, British. This car now brings happiness to hundreds of people visiting the RALEX Museum. FORMULA-3 is alive!
Museum of Classic and Sports Cars
I
At the entrance to Ashdod, everyone has probably seen the sign, "Ashdod Car Museum" with an ornate, drawn automobile.
Well, you've seen it, but admit it, who found the time to have a look inside? And too bad! You've missed out! However, that can be rectified. On the pages of our site you will discover one of the most wonderful visitor sites in Israel – the Ashdod Car Museum. If, as a result, you visit there, we will consider our task complete, especially since entrance to the museum is free.
And so, what was in the beginning? In the beginning was the garage "RALEX Autoservice", the staff of which consists 90% of emigrants from the former Soviet Union, having come here in the last aliya. The selection of people working here are not only capable and professional, but also bold, wishing to create something special, to show 'class', as they say.
But how can you show 'class' with the repair of modern cars, where everything is known beforehand and any parts are available? For a creative person, a master of 'extra-class', this is not enough. But what's the solution? The solution was found in the rusted carcass of a classic car, found in what could be considered a garbage heap. In a couple of months, the carcass turned into a shining, magnificent limousine. After the first restored automobile followed others. Orders came in from private collectors wishing to turn their grandfathers' uselessly rusting autogarbage into operational classic automobiles, so much in style today, but unavailable and rare.
The laborious, formidable work was crowned with the opening of the museum. Under the roof of the enormous hangar are colleted several dozen classic and sports automobiles.
The subject of sports cars is another story. These are completely original designs, developed and manufactured by the staff mechanics. In a classic car, the approach is completely different. The main point is reliability. Restoration does not use a single modern serial part. All lost components are manufactured by hand, down to the last bolt. In this way, a restored automobile in no way differs from the original.
All the museum exhibits, which are considered "on the move" are completely repaired,
have a license plate and driver's test. Time to time, they "go for a walk", participating in exhibitions and automobile races.
Translated from the Israeli journal "Commersant" .
Museum of Classic and Sports Cars
Museum of Classic and Sports Cars
II
Today we will talk about the oldest exhibit in the Museum of Classic Cars in Ashdod. This is the 1924 American "Dodge Brothers" automobile, latest model, manufactured by the Dodge brothers themselves. In the same year, they crashed during a race and their company was renamed to "Dodge".
At about the same time, "Dodge" and the French "Citroen" began collaboration. Citroen was the first company in the world, at the beginning of the 20th century, to perfect the process of stamped parts and front-wheel drive engines. These novelties allowed the decrease in the price of manufacturing and mass production, and the improvement of the car's technical characteristics.
"Dodge" very much tried to adopt the technical novelties of the Europeans, but managed to only adjust the stamped body formation (for the first time on the North American continent). Alas, the front drive didn't appear to be in their power.
The 1924 "Dodge Brothers" auto exhibited in the museum was acquired by a young Israeli lawyer in the United States who, in 1996, brought the auto to Israel. In spite of the fact that the purchase resembled more a heap of metal that an automobile, Israeli officials managed to "marinade" it in customs in the Port of Ashdod for a year and a half. However, all's well that ends well. Eventually, "Dodge Brothers" got to where it was supposed to be – the RALEX Autoservice – where its new life began.
To restore the automobile took 10 months. There is no member of the garage staff who did not participate in the restoration of this car. Much work and worry, but, as a result, the automotive beauty looks exactly the same and has the same technical capability as when it was produced over 75 years ago, when it came out of the gates of the factory of the brothers Dodge.
Translated from the Israeli journal "Commersant".
