Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden - Triumph car dealers

Uno Ranch a biography

Uno Ranch was born on December 5, 1907 in Gothenburg and died in 1999. He was a Swedish businessman and pilot. He was the son of the coffee maker Wilhelm Ranch. From 1954 to death he lived in Villa Beyer in Lorensberg's villastad.

After finishing the Carlstedt Real School in 1922, he attended the Technical Private School, which was a two-year further education needed to study at Chalmers University of Technology. But after a year he got enough and left school.

He arranged an internship at Örebro Flygkompani, which was based at Tingstadsvass. Here he was allowed to keep the aircraft in flyable condition by replacing oil and carrying out easier repairs. After a short time working at an import and export company in 1924, he obtained his father's permission to travel to Germany.  In Germany he studied German plus flights and engine technology at Weimarer Flugzeugbau. When he returned to Gothenburg in 1926, it was time to practise the skills he now had from Germany he was placed as a mechanic at F3.

Ranch started the company Motor Company Uno Ranch in 1928. The firm grew strongly when he managed to acquire the General Agency for Zenith motorcycles. He also became representative of the Bugatti car brand.

He was a Bugatti driver in the 1930s and specialized in speed competitions. During the 1930s he achieved several Swedish records. In 1945 he got the General Agency for Triumph motorcycles. Starting in the 1950s he also became General Agent for Triumphs cars. In 1967, he lost the agency to the manufacturer.

In flight situations, he was General Agent for the British Jet Star Boot System BTH.

During his life Uno Ranch amassed more than 10,300 flight hours and was approved pilot for more than 50 different aircraft types. He also became Sweden's oldest aviator. At the age of 83, he was active pilot and owner of two private planes, a Saab 91A Safir and a 2-engine airliner of the type de Havilland DH.104 Doves with seating for 11 passengers.

Thanks to Anders Svenson who oroginally published the above on his Swedish blog. 

Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden

 Here are some Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB of Sweden adverts.

Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden Triumph Spitfire 4

Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden Triumph Herald 1200

Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden Triumph Herald 2000

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Standard Triumph dealers in Sweden such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to facebook page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group which includes many photos of Standard Triumph garages etc from my collection and many other contributors .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: Motorfirma Uno Ranch AB Sweden Triumph Herald 1200 advert from Michel Grimaldier