Robert Alan Nichols

He is survived by his children, Mr. Robert Christopher Nichols of Pacific Grove, CA and Ms. Lauryn Sue Nichols of Carmel Valley, CA; his sister, Mrs. Donna Nichols Blair of Little Rock, AR; his long time girlfriend, Ms. Pavinee Francisco of Salinas, CA; his godmother, Mrs. Jean Mansfield of Pacific Grove, CA and his cousin Mr. Walter Nichols of Marina, CA. He is preceded in death by his father, Mr. Walter Alexander Nichols; his mother, Marjorie Nichols; and his sister, Sue Nichols.

Bob was born on January 29, 1951 in San Francisco, California to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Nichols. When Bob was a child, the Nichols family relocated to Pacific Grove, CA. He attended Pacific Grove High School and graduated in 1969. He served a brief stint in the US National Guard Reserve in the early 1970s.

As a child, Bob was always interested in the mechanics of motorcycles, automobiles, bicycles, and old radios. These childhood hobbies grew into life long passions as an adult. He was a car fanatic through and through, who was always most fond of old Volkswagens, but appreciated just about anything on wheels.

In 1971, he founded, owned and operated Kar Tunes Auto Stereo in Seaside, Ca. Bob made it his mission to provide the highest quality sound systems on the Monterey Peninsula and was committed to providing high quality parts and skilled installation services to individuals who knew the value of his products. His passion for high quality sound systems earned him numerous first place trophies in sound competitions throughout the United States, and he always had a smile on his face when his infamous 1986 Brazilian VW Doublecab was announced the winner!

Along with a passion for auto sound systems, he had a deep passion for and was an avid collector of all things vintage, especially vintage bicycles. His love affair with antiques was palpable! Merely mention the word “vintage” and you would see his beautiful blue eyes light up and his voice would become lyrical.

When it came to vintage bicycles, he was a craftsman. He thoroughly enjoyed taking them apart, restoring them to their original state, and as he stated, “bringing a piece of history back to life.” Bob described his antique bicycles as “Art that you can ride.”

Bob was the kind of man that people wanted to listen to. He is remembered as a charismatic, humble, honest, loyal, caring, and driven man. He was a man who knew exactly what he wanted, and knew with hard work and dedication that he could achieve those goals – which he did.

In his later years, Bob was a man who kept a low profile, but carried a huge presence. His passion for vintage items remained, as he enjoyed spending many of his weekends traveling with his girlfriend, Pavinee, to car shows, as well as searching for hidden treasures at yard sales and flea markets, far and wide. After discovering a new piece of history, he would carefully put it on display at his Carmel Valley home. He enjoyed basking in all of his special discoveries daily. If you ever asked him about any piece of art he had on display, he would quickly recall where he bought it and would happily tell you a story about it.

His children will miss him dearly and will lean on his words of wisdom and advice as they do their best to honor him by living out their remaining lives in a way that would make their father proud.

We are comforted in knowing that Bob has been reunited with his family up in heaven. Our hope is that he has already found himself a beautiful, showroom condition, 1951 VW Split Oval to cruise around in that great highway in the sky!

A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, August 6, 2016 11:00 am at The Paul Mortuary, 390 Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Pastor Mick Erickson will officiate the service. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Bob’s life.