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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".
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