So why a blog about automobiles on a radio station website?
Well, why not?
They are a big part of America life for over 100 years now, in most cases the second biggest asset/investment we own, and, an undisputed source of hobbyist addiction.
Despite working in radio in some form since age 18, I have always been a “Car Guy.” Mom claims my first word was “car-car.” Sign of a budding lifetime obsession, or, just some early stuttering issues?
Enormous collections of Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars followed. Followed by obsessive-compulsive collecting and building model car kits.
My dad was somewhat a Car Guy, and taught me a thing or two at a young age.
Like now, I asked a million questions. Only then, I was better at retaining the answers. Dad told me the make and model and year of some of the neighbor’s cars, along with our own, and I plugged that into my brain and started making connections when seeing the same type of car on the road or in a parking lot.
In the late 1960’s, it was safe to tryke around the neighborhood, exploring nearby driveways and garages. I soon realized that car companies stamped the red plastic tail light lenses with the model year of the car they were attached to: the neighbor’s 65 Galaxie had a “65” on the lens. Our 66 Tempest had a “66” embossed in the plastic. Etc. etc.
Sounds crazy-dangerous today, but, I would even run ahead of my parents in the parking lot of the local Kresge store (remember Kresge?) and check for model year stampings on tail lights, make mental notes, and add to the human-child automotive mental database.
Today I’m a bit of an idiot savant of car makes, models and years, covering roughly the late 1950’s to present day. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to discern…for the last couple decades, there has been a marked decrease in annual cosmetic freshening of cars, and, the same exact tail light may be used for many years. Thus, a 2003 car may have a tail light that still is stamped “98” and you need to be aware of other tell-tale signs. It sure keeps a car guy on his toes.
In recent years, I have become a car collector. While many cars of the 60’s and 70’s today command rich-man prices, there are just as many nice examples of just-as-cool cars from that era that cost no more than an average 1999 used car.
Buying, improving and driving a classic car is a lot more fun than pulling a Certificate Of Deposit out of the desk drawer and rubbing it between your fingers.
And these days, most old cars earn a larger and more stable annual appreciation rate than traditional paper investments. Insurance and registration of nice cars over 25 years old is pleasantly affordable.
The online classic car sale sites have brought a nationwide showroom to everybody’s hometown. The amount and variety of classic cars being sold on Ebay is mind-blowing. Some of these Ebay listings fly way under the radar, and unique cars sell very cheaply.
So, are you an old car nut too? I’d love to get together a gathering of Summit listeners who are also old car nuts….either owners of the beasts, or, those who appreciate them. Perhaps in the online world, perhaps meeting up in person. Maybe our own car cruise night?
Where do we draw the line? You tell me! I say open up to cool cars of all eras and birthplaces. To keep things reigned in, maybe use 1990 as the cut-off date?
Then again, I wouldn’t want to turn away the owner of a new Corvette ZR1 or Nissan GT-R. Even an old Divco milk truck in the mix would be cool! Rumor has it a certain Akron Rock Star has even been bitten by the classic car bug.
Drop me an email at billgruber@913thesummit.com or call me at 330-761-3098. Tell me what you’ve got, and/or what you want. I’ll gather together all the responses, see where we stand, and report back to you in the near future. Cars and radio….not such a crazy idea, most cars have radios, right?
