Average Guy's Car Restoration, Mods and Racing

I was just reading one of my favorite automotive periodicals “Hemmings Motor News” (April 14^th) last night and I stopped by the letters to the editor section called ‘Backfire’.  I usually just skim that section, I don’t normal care about someone else’s whine…I’m an IT guy, I get that all day.  However, one letter caught my interest (maybe just because it was long).  A reader had written a letter blasting way at “the publisher and advertisers” for promoting our hobby (car collecting, selling, restoration, etc.) in such a way as to ‘…pander to the individuals who take the interest in the industry only because of the financial gains that may be made through sale or investment in collector cars’.  Which according to him was in direct philosophical opposition to many of the writers at Hemmings who complain about “…the fact that the collector-car industry has become so money driven.”  To that I say “poppycock” and “balderdash”!! I’m not even British!!

He goes on to say that the ads promoting auctions and the articles that show the results of those auctions have value only to the ‘high roller’ segment of our hobby.  Again – poppycock!!! (Oh…if you go to reprint/publish this {permission granted} and ‘poppycock’ is not in your lexicon of acceptable words – just replace with “BS”.  I’m cool with that.)

It was good to see, however, that he understood that publishing such great works such as Hemmings Motor News isn’t free and you have to chase the advertising $$$ where it’s found.

Although he brought up a valid point, there are a lot of auction related ads/results/information/articles in Hemmings’ offering. For instance, 20 of the 53 most recent Hemmings Daily email messages either directly stated “auction” or had high-end priced car values – right in the titles.   But I like reading that ‘stuff’!!!

Needless to say I disagree with the man from Menominee, Michigan that promoting auctions is evil and that there is something inherently damaging to the car enthusiast hobby by publishing the results.  I’ll explain why in a minute but I have to set up the basis for my opinion.

I’ve restored a few cars, completely or in part (1966 Impala, 1969 Dodge Dart, 1971 Thunderbird, 1970 Chevelle, 1970 Mustang coupe – trophy winner, a 1984 C4 Corvette – 2 time trophy winner and working on a 1966 Bridgestone Dual Twin – my first attempt at a motorcycle ) and sold them, but I never made a profit – well maybe on the C4, I got that one in a title for title trade for a 1995 Celica – yes that did happen (see the story here….) and sold it for a good price.

Additional, I attend, in person, at least one “big guy” auction a year (most often it’s the Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ – just up the road a piece).  Now, I have never purchased more than a hat, t-shirt, or some other trinket at these types of auctions, I just have this little blog and a lot enthusiasm, but not a lot of ‘free range’ cash. You have to attend at least one of these auctions to understand that there are some big dollar cars that pass in front of the auctioneer, but there other beautiful collectible cars that sell for reasonable prices.  Just walking among some of the iconic classic vehicles is rewarding and I come away inspired!

I enjoy the auction information and their results in the Hemmings’ magazines for a couple of reasons.  First, it is great to know where and when they are being held and what cars are worth getting an up close look at and photograph.  Having a schedule helps with travel planning. (Get a Hemmings Calendar they are listed there.)  Second, call me a “starry eyed optimistic, to the point of being delusional, car guy” (wife would just say “delusional”) but this type of information, in part, makes me see the potential in all kinds of cars.  Just dreaming about taking something that is rough and creating something that others want or appreciate is very cool.  It also gives me a threshold to try to obtain during a restoration – one I’ll never match 100%  – average guy, with average skills and a below average budget – you know how that goes.

This inspiration would be dead on arrival, if I knew there was no way that a car could be restored.  The big guy auctions and the high end restorers help keep the market for reproduction parts going and doors to salvage yards open, either by their purchase power or just by creating the want (need) to take that old VW bus setting on blocks at grandpa’s house and get it road worthy or airing up the tires on that Ford Mustang coupe sitting in the garage with a rod sticking out of the hood and creating a clone. This helps the hobby. It keeps it publicly visible, shows that there is value (even if it’s not always attainable by everyone – what is?) and promotes preservation of history by restoring to factory specs (or close) or creating history by customizing it.  How many customized cars go on to be historic (try Ring Brothers Mustangs or a George Barris creation)?

There is one more over-looked area where these big auctions and car shows benefit the hobby. Size matters. If the industry is big and it makes money on the local, state and/or national level, two things are accomplished.  First, a fan base is created that will reject the legislation trying to be passed to limit our hobby. Second, generate enough ‘horse power’ (pronounced ‘revenue’) to lobby politicians (pronounced ‘showing them the light’) to prevent passage of laws that restrict our hobby. Both very helpful.

So guys and gals at Hemmings (the best automotive periodical publishing company, ever!!! OMG!!!) I don’t care if you have to sell ads for ‘work at home schemes’, as long as you can keep Mike McNessor writing, Richard Lentinello pontificating, the other contributors submitting articles and make Daniel Strohl stop doing whatever that thing is he does with abandoned cars (just kidding – love those too) I’ll always be a happy subscriber!!

Thank you.

Tim Sweet

Tucson, AZ

1970 Mustang

1984 C4