The newest electronic equipment, computer equipment, telesystems - this is how Ralex Autoservice, which is located at the entrance to Ashdod, looks. Its owner is Rafi Gershkowich, who came to Israel from Kishinev 21 years ago (in 1974).

"The first year I lived in Dimona. Then, I moved to Ashdod, when I understood that this city has opportunities. And I was right. Having moved to Ashdod, I immediately started to establish my own garage.

I try to understand how, in those years, Rafi managed to get capital out the Soviet Union. Bewildered, he replies that "My only capital were my head and my hands. Until I moved to Israel, I was department head of automobile servicing. I always loved to work. My first partner in Israel immediately understood that. He had money, and I had knowledge and good hands." After that followed five other garages, which changed their size and location in proportion to the growth of popularity and income. Rafi (or as many call him, Ralex) explains his success first of all as his capacity for work. "If I worked only 8 hours a day, I would not have achieved any of this. I am at work 12-18 hours, and when I come home, I read articles about the automotive industry.

I naturally have a question: What is this for, if, except for work, there is no time for anything else? What could this work possibly give you? Rafi's eyes light up and he enthusiastically begins to explain to me that cars were his passion since childhood. Even as a boy he dreamed of designing new models and driving the most magnificent automobiles.

He now drives to work on a 1970 Jaguar, which he assembled anew, and on holidays, he drives a 1938 Jaguar, which he also assembled with his own hands. Since similar cars are very few in Israel, this car is often used in film shoots. In his garage, "Ralex Autoservice" there are several other restored classic cars. This work is very laborious, and sometimes takes up to 2 years. Quite often, specialists from abroad are invited to participate.

Having quickly calculated his income, I have no doubt that Rafi is a millionaire that lives in a magnificent villa. "Nothing of the sort. I am, of course, not a poor man, but I'm no millionaire. I live in my apartment (and not a villa) for only the last 6 years. My pride is my garage. My love to my profession - above all else"!

The entrance to the garage is through the showroom, where Toyota automobiles are sold. The design of the showroom and work was completely done by Rafi and his staff . On the walls hang excerpts from national newspapers, where articles about 1920s and 1930s cars, restored in this garage, are written. Rafi shows albums with letters and certificates, received in competition for 'the most beautiful garage', for 'the garage with the most state-of-the-art equipment'. "Buying equipment is a huge investment. However, as a result, the quality of our work increases and so does the trust by our clients." 

The success of the garage is largely dependent on the selection of its staff. For sales, Rafi prefers people having been born in Israel, while for repairs he has selected only people who have emigrated from the former Soviet Union, whom he values for their knowledge and work ethic. 
Before leaving, Rafi circles the garage one more time. Cleanliness, order. Everything is ready for a new working day.

18.10.95
Newspaper "Week"
Liora Tamir 

The Grandfather of the Cat Family 
Jaguar SS, 1938

"This car looks like a thousand pounds sterling but costs three times less!" - exclaimed visitors of the London autoshow in the "Olympia" hall, where the Jaguar SS was first presented to the public. Among the many automobiles which are available for viewing in Ashdod's Ralex Autoservice, is the original 'fate's spoiled child'. First, the car constantly distracts attention from the other exhibits. Second, it was 'returned to life' from a condition which most experts would term hopeless.

Rafi, the owner of Ralex Autoservice and the tireless enthusiast of all things automotive, received this sedan more than 20 years ago - as an honorarium for the restoration of two side panels and four carburators of a sports Mercedes-Benz SL. The honorarium looked liked this: the body on a completely rusted frame, wheels with missing spokes, the side panels - separate (chickens drank water from the inverted side panels), the doors - separate (some smart guy hung them at the entrance to the garage).

Restoration began at the end of 1979 and advanced with great difficulty. To find parts for the automobile - which was over 40 years old - was not a simple thing. Мany parts were brought by Rafi from Great Britain, one at a time, two at a time…
The restoration of the car (or the more appropriate "resurrection work") continued for four years. And then, in the Ashdod collection appeared a real "gem". Truly, not a pearl-grey color, but a cream. The automobile, while in motion, really looks like it just came off the assembly stand in Coventry last week, and not sixty-three years ago.

The complete name of this car is Jaguar SS, 1938 1.5-liter saloon. SS means either Swallow Sidecar, or Standard Special. There is no official explanation. The company, founded by William Yolsley and William Lyons in 1921, at first manufacturer motorcycle side-cars, then began to manufacture improved versions of popular compact automobiles. In 1931, it introduced the first cars of their own design - the SS1 и SS2. Both used motors and assemblies of the Standard company. 

The creations of the two Williams were not expensive - only about 1.5 - 2 times more expensive than the mass-produced automobiles of a similar class, and twice as cheap the then "grandees" of the British automobile industry. 
The economic depression and tough competition (there were about 20 firms similar to SS, in pre-war Great Britain) did not hinder the light, powerful, and beautiful cars from winning the hearts of those, who refused to buy "common cars", but couldn't afford the luxury of a Bentley, Daimler or an Aston Martin. The cabin of the SS1, with its huge windows, received the most enthusiastic marks from the press... 

To pick a name for the new series of high-speed sedans was not simple. William Lyons at first wanted to call them "Sunbeam", but it turned out that the name was already taken by the Rootes group (in thirty years the sportscars Sunbeam Alpine and Sunbeam Tiger will make a lot of noise). The brand "Jaguar" belonged to the Armstrong- Siddeley Corporation. Aircraft engines were called by that name. Company management decided that the 'land' jaguar did not interfere with the 'sky' jaguar, and granted Lyons the right to the 'predator' for free.

The new sedans and phaetons (according to the company classification - saloons and drophead saloons) outwardly resembled a Bentley. Chrome moldings extended along the body, and the interior was finished according to the highest quality. Huge Lucas headlights gave the automobile a certain chic.
"This car looks like a thousand pounds sterling, but costs three times less!"- exclaimed visitors of the London autoshow in the "Olympia" hall, where the Jaguar SS was first introduced to the public. The company continued to install Standard-4 engines on its automobiles, with a 4-cylinder capacity of 1.5 liters and a 6-cylinder capacity of 2.5 liters. A more powerful version was longer. Later came the 3.5 liter engine option - the same as the famous sportcar SS100. 

The series in which the Ashdod 'pearl' is included, was manufactured for four years. What happened after that will be discussed at a later time. With the beginning of the World War II, the manufacture of automobiles in the factories of Lyons will be stopped. The company will manufacture parts for fighter planes, will repair fighter planes, will deliver 10,000 motorcycle side-cars to the army. In February 1945, it will change the name to Jaguar and begin the first peacetime season with the remake of a pre-war model - under the name Jaguar Mark IV. The same model, with a new 6-cylinder engine ХК (Mark V) will become the basis for the long series of large and medium sedans, while the engine itself will be manufactured on the production line for 50 years! 

The company Jaguar in the 70s will lose independence and will become a part of the sadly famous British Leyland concern. In 1984 it will be re-privatized, and in the beginning of the 90s, will be sold to the Ford Corporation. 

Evolution, begun in 1935, continues to this day. Today's automobiles, with the silver beast on the hood, are distant descendants of the SS Jaguar. They are still cheaper than the Bentley, but to compare them with "common cars" - both in price and in quality - would never occur to anyone. 

Victor Dorfman, №2, 2002, June, monthly Israeli automobile journal in Russian, "AUTO EXPERT".

The Ashdod "Chrysler" - The Best!

At the recent exhibition in the USA, traditionally held by the "Chrysler" Corporation, First Place was held by an automobile (manufactured in 1960-64) brought from Ashdod. It was a "Chrysler New Yorker 1964". The car was restored by the well-known "Ralex Autoservice" in Israel, which is headed by Rafi Gershkowich.
This huge and powerful automobile contains the original engine with a capacity of 5.904 liters, an electric gearshift, and the original air conditioner. Its use of gasoline completely corresponds to its dimensions - 20 liters for 100 km in the city and 14 liters for 100 km on the highway. By the way, the restoration of the car took place in a matter of months and required an investment of 20,000 shekels, but not in vain, because specialists estimate the value of the car today at around $60,000. (In 1982, it was acquired by the previous owner for only $4,000.) 

The total number of similar cars "on the go" in the world - 33, and all are registered in the "Chrysler" club, but the automobile from Ashdod was recognized as the best.
We have repeatedly written about "Ralex Autoservice", and about its owner, Rafi, about his desire to restore older, but magnificent, automobiles - like the "Jaguar SS 1938" for example, the "Jaguar 1970" and others. However, not only antique automobiles interest Rafi. Right now the garage is working on a new and interesting project - the design and manufacture of racecars, but about that, next time.

Dodge Brothers 1924

This is an American automobile from "Dodge Brothers", 1924 model, the latest model, manufactured by the brothers Dodge themselves. That 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".