The Creators

For as long as I can remember, my world has included cars.  From my earliest days, when most kids were drawn to toys, I was captivated by the sleek lines of a well-crafted automobile.  It's a passion uniquely mine, considering that my dad was never a 'car guy.'  Maybe some of that enthusiasm came from my visiting my Uncle Elwin, who ran a car service garage in Santa Monica, an hour away from where I grew up in Garden Grove, California.

One of my earliest car memories involves a less than perfect 1952 Chevy sedan gifted to us by Uncle Elwin for a second family car.  This car, with a ticking valve and the scent of its mohair headliner, embodied the charm of an era gone by.  Despite its less than sleek styling and minor quirks, it was a prize in my eyes—its old car style and chrome dashboard fueled my fascination that couldn't be extinguished.

That Chevy eventually was passed on and we got another used and newer second family car, a 1960 Dodge Matador coupe, a car that brought its own set of wonders.  With its jet-age wings and push-button automatic transmission, it was a marvel to behold.  The car also sparked a curiosity in me about riding in its massive trunk, inspired by overheard  tales of sneaking friends into drive-in movie theaters in bygone decades.  One adventurous trunk ride later, however, I learned that the experience was more alarming than delightful—a lesson in curiosity not always leading to satisfaction.

Despite that trunk escapade, my love for cars only grew. I often pondered the allure of convertibles, longing for the wind in my hair as I cruised down the highway.  And so, at eighteen, I set out to find a convertible of my own.  Unable to afford a new convertible, I turned to the suggestion of my brother, which led me to a 1965 Corvair—a car that would become my automotive apprenticeship.

At Cal’s Corvair in Wilmington, I found my future convertible—an engineless convertible Corvair shell waiting to be resurrected.  Through persistence and a network of mentors, I secured a rebuilt 140 Corvair motor and installed it with my brother's help.  It took a couple years but I transformed the car into something special. That project taught me the intricacies of air-cooled engines and fueled my lifelong interest in stylish and innovative cars.

Today, the passion that began with a ticking Chevy and a trunk ride lives on. My love for convertibles has never waned, and I find myself continuously drawn to the elegance and ingenuity of stylish automobiles.  An interest in discovering past and new car design technologies ensures that my obsession remains as fresh as it was all those years ago.  For me, cars aren't just transportation, they are history lessons, they are mechanical design instruction, they are expressions of personal style, and they are a pleasurable escape to work on or drive in.