GEORGE ‘BUZ’ RAS III OF SEATTLE SPEEDOMETER
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY | KARL NOAKES
George ‘Buz’ Ras III is not your stereotypical automotive repairman. He is six-feet, six-inches tall, athletic, and has flowing shoulder-length blonde hair. He was dressed for a night out on the town at his local saloon replete with a Stetson hat hanging at the ready when I met him at his Seattle Speedometer headquarters just outside Ellensburg, Washington.
His demeanor reflects a certain contentment that is hard to miss. Everyone calls him Buz, a nickname he inherited from his Uncle Buz, whom he closely resembles. At first glance Ras fits comfortably into his environment as the shop is located on a farm. The whole place gave me flashbacks to olden times, a romantic notion of life on the farm that Ras is living every day, but in lieu of traditional crops his harvest is analog gauges.
FINDING HIS RHYTHYM
Ras spent his childhood in West Seattle and developed a passion for music. As a drummer in the industrial genre, the midwest became his base as he toured with his band for almost two decades. “Following a moment of clarity,” Ras realized that his rock’n’roll lifestyle was not sustainable, prompting him to return to Seattle and find a job with proper working hours and regular pay. He ended up at a local automotive instrument repair shop specializing in Chrysler gauges and soon adjusted to his new routine. His unwavering responsibility for his growing family motivated him to knuckle down.
“I had a boring job,” recalls Ras, “and I was working on uninteresting cars.” Perhaps an early sign that the artisan inside him was looking for an outlet, he began scouring eBay for products made in the 1930s that he could fix, believing that older, better-made products could be restored and reused. Ask him about period water sprinklers versus those plastic things found at Home Depot, and be prepared to brew yourself a coffee, pull up a chair, and get enlightened on how things are just not made like they used to be.
While taking his daily walks in West Seattle, pondering his future, Ras admired a slate gray 1969 Porsche 912 parked in a neighbor’s driveway. It was one of those cars that never appeared to move. Despite its shabby condition, the car lit up his imagination. After months of regular conversations with the elderly owner, Ras finally persuaded him to sell the vehicle. Instead of restoring the car, Ras chose to repair what was broken, keeping all its patina, and making it functional enough to use as his daily driver. He grew deeply bothered by the random non-functioning gauges, so he restored them to their former glory. Although, as he is quick to point out, “there were no manuals available,” he applied knowledge from his day job and began to source the required parts: “I couldn’t just walk into the local NAPA store.”
GOING SOLO
Soon, the 912 had its beat back; after seeing Ras’ work, an acquaintance at a Porsche independent shop in Seattle brought “a large box of broken parts” which is how Ras describes his first gauge gig. Ras took on the challenge of rebuilding, repairing, and restoring the random collection of parts to create functional gauges – from odometers, tachometers, pressure gauges, and speedometers – with a verve that has become his trademark.
The independent shop owner was suitably impressed with Ras’ work and a new nickname in the industry, “I became the gauge guy in Seattle,” Ras recalls fondly. As a result, word spread, leading to inquiries and subsequent orders. He felt his adrenaline pumping, reminiscent of his drumming days, and his new future began to unfold clearly. With courage, he decided to quit his sensible, yet reassuringly predictable, job for the uncharted waters of small business ownership, and thus, Seattle Speedometer was born
With lessons learned from the 912 projects and side gigs, Ras conducted extensive research to acquire new old stock, procure all the necessary test and calibration machinery, and assemble sets of specialized tools required for disassembling and reassembling gauges. If he doesn’t have the essential part, Ras says, “I generally know a guy!”
The business now thrives in rural Central Washington. The property looks like a typical farm, complete with a pair of old, weathered flatbed trucks. However, what lies inside is far more interesting. Ras has slowly repurposed this rustic barn, his workplace, for more than a decade by turning it into a working museum dedicated to humble automotive gauges.
Upon entering, one is greeted by a display of gauges and memorabilia, presented in period wooden and glass cabinets that have likely been recycled from 1930s high-street jewelers. Beyond this, containers of gauges are stacked to the rafters in the working area, each sporting a yellow stick-it note with hand-written scribbles depicting the type of gauge inside and the client’s name.
Displaying proudly in the far corner of the workshop is Ras’ 912, along with his white 1984 Porsche G-Body Carrera 2, which has over 150,000 miles on it. The Carrera is also a survivor car that needs more work. It runs well enough and safely took Ras and I for lunch along the endless empty lanes into town. The story of how Ras acquired the 911 is unusual and lengthy but typifies his laid-back approach to life. In short, a friend texted him, “I’ve found your car,” the owner was selling it as he had emigrated to Honduras. Once Ras saw the car, he immediately sealed the deal. However, the owner couldn’t find the title and, by all accounts, mostly slept in his hammock, disconnected from the world he left behind. After two years of waiting, and despite possessing the car with a bill-of-sale, all the necessary paperwork was finally done, and the 911 legally belonged to Ras. This story shows that trust and patience are great virtues.
As I was browsing in the shop, a particular gauge caught my attention. The green numbers on the indicator seemed familiar, but what stood out was how they were displayed in increments of 20 rather than the usual 10 and went up to 160 mph, higher than the typical 120-mph range. It’s not unusual for modern sports cars to have this top-speed range, but it’s rare to see it in a 1962 Porsche 356. Ras provided additional information about the car and explained that this gauge was unique and only available on Porsche 356 Carrera coupes ordered with the legendary four-cam powerplant. It wasn’t an option for the standard push-rod engine 356. The Carrera Coupe is currently undergoing significant restoration, and the owner plans to showcase it on the vintage racing and concours circuit once the work is complete. Keep an eye out, and make sure to check the gauges.
Achieving an authentic restoration means it’s necessary to redo all painted surfaces inside the gauge. However, the paint codes are generally not available from the manufacturers. To solve this problem, Ras has collaborated with a paint specialist to create a custom paint through a complex matching process. The green numbers and orange pointers of completed dials look like they just left the factory.
Upon closer inspection, I spot a matching pair of instruments waiting for the finishing touches, and although not immediately recognizable, they belong to a Volvo P1800. The owner is not a wealthy collector by any means; he is simply taking due care of his pride and joy. Ras has many such clients; they get as much care as the rarest, one-off specials.
To some, a gauge may seem like a simple instrument. Still, for Ras and his varied client base, it represents the heart and soul of the driving experience, from valuable concours winners to humble weekend drivers to vintage racers. I get it; watching the pointers dance in unison as your speed and revs increase is mesmerizing. And who doesn’t keep glancing at the dials before them with joy, seeking validation of a perfectly executed rev-mapped downshift?
THE BEAT GOES ON
During my visit, Ras was busy putting the finishing touches on a speedometer for a California-based collector. With the precision of a Swiss watchmaker, complete with vintage pliers and tweezers, he delicately re-attached a freshly painted orange pointer, gracefully setting it against a backdrop of pristine, luminous white numbers – a gauge unmistakably part of Porsche’s celebrated five-dial dashboard. There’s even some custom brass bezel work.
Ras does not provide sight-unseen online quotations despite clients’ pleas. Instead, he gives a firm price only after inspecting the gauges. He jokes, “it’s the parts I can’t see that cost the most money,” after a short pause, he chuckles, adding, “and those hidden gotchas’ take most of my time.” It’s a busy enterprise, and parcels constantly flow in and out of his shop. You know the UPS driver is due with the next batch when Birdie, the family Australian Shepherd and Labrador mix, shuffles off and positions herself at the gravel path’s end. She is waiting for treats; the UPS driver has become her best buddy due to his frequent visits to the shop.
GETTING READY FOR THE ENCORE
When asked about the plethora of old Sun Speedometer Calibration Machines scattered around the shop, Ras chortles, “These days, they usually find me.” Pointing to one beside his desk, “I use this daily.” Ras is no longer surprised by the unexpected things that find their way onto his doorstep.
One day, a friend in the antique business arrived with a 1970 AMI Stereo 200 mechanical jukebox crammed into the back of her car. The jukebox is now prominently displayed in the shop, emphasizing its significance to Ras. I suggested we play some music, but unfortunately, the jukebox was not fully operational. The arm pulled out some vinyl, but the excitement was short-lived as it quickly stopped. Ras immediately attempted to fix it and was fully engrossed in the diagnostic process. Although I felt guilty distracting him from his projects, he was determined not to give up.
The jukebox will be pivotal in his next project - a genuine cowboy bar near Throp, Washington. The bar will be functional with no frills and only serve vinyl music, bottled beers, and liquor shots. I am curious about its upcoming opening and plan to pay a visit.
A few weeks later, Ras let me know that the coin collector box of the Jukebox was jammed with numerous rare silver half-dollar Kennedy coins from the 1960s. This suggests that the Jukebox has not been actively used for 50 years or more, making it an ideal project for Ras and his skill set.
After a beautiful trip to the east along the I-90, I headed back home via Hungry Horse Road. As I drove, I pondered the significant changes in the global car industry, rapidly transitioning from analog to digital technologies across all aspects. This transformation is illustrated most vividly by the instrument display, where traditional gauges, dials, and knobs are being replaced with modern and advanced features such as haptic feedback, voice-activated assistants, and large touch screens resembling an iPad full of icons. These changes are being made in the name of progress.
Information is crucial on the road as we rely on it for confirmation, conformance, and reassurance that everything is well. Yet, as I glance at the digital dashboard and my heads-up display, I can’t help imagining bright orange pointers demanding my attention. Despite the advanced functionality of digital technology, can it match the sensory experience of traditional analog gauges? Thanks to George ‘Buz’ Ras III, we can still appreciate the artistry of the past... because gauges matter.
