The classic 4x4 culture has suffered a devastating loss

[RiverPatrol]

I have recently learned that Marv Spector of Specter Off-Road has passed away after a short battle with cancer. Marv was a dear friend of mine. He enabled me to have some very special opportunities in my Patrol enthusiasm that I otherwise wouldn't have had. He was very supportive of the Patrol community, and even started stocking a handful of Patrol parts in his shop. I will miss him deeply.

This is my eulogy for Marv:

Like thousands of others, I met Marv through a need for FJ40 parts. We quickly recognized that we had mutual passions and became fast friends. My passion was not with Land Cruisers but with their rival the Nissan Patrol, and Marv appreciated the overly developed interest that I had in Patrols. I would stop by the shop occasionally just to talk about and compare the vehicles, exchange vintage articles, compare parts, and just generally car-bond. We would have in depth conversations about the strengths and weaknesses of either vehicle. I'm not claiming to have totally convinced him, but he did end up with a Patrol and I still don't have a Land Cruiser.

His vast knowledge, not only of the Land Cruiser but of his well stocked and voluminous shop was beyond praiseworthy; he not only knew which part someone needed and how to install it, he also knew exactly where in his shop it was located.

Marv made friends with everybody he met, I don't know that there was anybody that he didn't like. He touched the lives of everyone he came in contact with; I know he touched my life in a big way. And while he was an astute businessman he was also immensely generous. He wouldn't hesitate to help with a practical request.

I never saw Marv down; he was always upbeat and energetic. The economy could be beating him up yet he still had a positive outlook and he persevered, determined not to break up the SOR family whatever it took. He always had a smile and a joke to go along with it. When I balked at someone's suggestion of using a Land Cruiser front bumper on a Patrol, his comment was "You're a good woman, Les." With a smile of course.

His reach was worldwide, more than I'll ever know. Through Marv I have connected with friends of his in other countries and imported things I wouldn't have had the opportunity to without him. I would enjoy coming to the shop after he had been on a trip and he would proudly play his latest video of him lost in seas of Land Cruisers.

The classic automotive culture has experienced some significant losses in recent years, and the loss of Marv will resonate loudly. The end of an era? No, I don't think so. The enthusiasts will continue to love their vehicles, they will just have to work a little harder themselves. The path has already been shown to us, we would do well to strive to follow it. We won't do it nearly as well as those before us have, but at least we have been shown how it should be done.

Kay and the SOR family: I share your loss. There are no words that can console you now. Yes, time does heal, yet the larger the loss the longer it takes. This will take a long, long time. Rest in the assurance that you have a world of support there for you when you need it.

Marv, I love you, man. Keep on 4 wheelin'.

Deepest Regards,
Leslie Brown, aka RiverPatrol, aka The Patrol Lady

[faux40]

Leslie,

That is a very nice eulogy. Highlights what a huge loss Marv's passing is to his family, who must be devastated, but also to the Landcruiser and Patrol communities and, importantly, to you personally. You and Marv's family have our warmest condolences.

John, Emily, Joe, Barritt & Jay
The Family Patrol

[RiverPatrol]

Marv's wife, Kay, and the entire Specter Off-Road crew held the memorial Celebration of Life and Land Cruiser meet on Sunday, May 4. I drove my Australian pickup to Chatsworth to attend this much anticipated event. I had been given permission to park my Patrol in the closed area that had been set aside for the Cruiser Meet - this was the token Patrol. This particular Patrol was fitting since Marv had helped me bring it over from Australia. When I arrived, they directed me to park off to the side with other non-Land Cruiser vehicles, and right next to the dumpster. I told them I didn't take offense.

The event was absolutely outstanding. Kay and SOR had spent months planning the event, and they didn't cut any corners. The port-a-potties were even air conditioned. They were very generous to everyone that attended. It was meant to be a happy celebration, so they didn't spend much time eulogizing. There were video and still cameras everywhere, the event was well covered. It was a very memorable send off to an admirable man.

Here is some great coverage and pictures by Autoweek: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014050 ... dailydrive

At 2:43 they had a bagpipe player play Amazing Grace. I recorded most of it:


The SOR website is posting up pictures and videos as they can. Here is the link: http://www.sor.com/Marv/MarvSlideShow/index.html . There are a couple of pics of my Patrol in there somewhere. In one, I am standing with the guy from Australia that coordinated the shipping, Ron Hall of Hall's 4x4 in Bayswater.

Here are a few of the pics that I took:

My Patrol with a Unimog type military vehicle

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Can you spot the Patrol on display with all of the Land Cruisers?

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There it is! Up on the loading dock. Marv's G61

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A life-sized poster of Marv, greeting everyone to the part's counter.

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The tent.

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I am glad that I was able to attend this and share Marv's memory; I am sad that it was necessary. I had so much more that I wanted to talk to him about.

[zed]

We should all have a positive influence on the people who touch our lives, as Marv seems to have had in his life. May he rest in peace and kind thought of him live on.
Keith

[Birdseye97]

Sorry to hear about Marv. Specter off road has alwAys been one of those websites that cause me to drool.