One of the dominant genes in our family pool is a car guy chromosome.
We don’t quite understand the unnatural car attraction, but we follow its excessive influence like Manson’s girls followed a crazy lowlife like Charlie.
So we celebrate a visit by one of us to Barrett-Jackson like it is a family wedding.
This year my younger brother Don made the pilgrimage.
He took several hundred photos and spoke about the experience as an overwhelming circuit-shorting car guy heaven kind of world.
It was almost enough to blow up a car guy’s cerebral cortex.
Don is one of those personable guys that can warm up people pretty fast and his people skills helped him meet Craig Jackson. Don was in the Tilted Kilt Pub when Craig walked by outside, so Don called him over to the table.
The result was a visit and photo op with Craig, even though Don is not a famous guy. Later Don ended up on the stage and got his fifteen seconds of fame when he was caught in the camera’s range when the two 1981 Vettes went through the auction.
Oh yeah, the auction. Our picks were an unusual stable of vehicles for Day 2. The 1963 Volkswagen pick up/crew cab was an early pioneer of today’s diesel-powered rockets. Take away power, speed and comfort and you have a 1963 VW crew cab.
With the right amount of planning, you and your passengers in this VW could cross the continent in slightly less time (and marginally more comfort) than the covered wagon crowd from the 1800s. But it sure looked good for a leisurely short trip.
The better bet was the 1958 Buick station wagon for long trips. That baby was made for the long haul at turnpike speeds- to borrow heavily from the lingo of the 50s. But the ability to run at 70-80 mph all day-every day was not enough to make an owner forget the pinkish hue of the paint job. Don’t worry, pink was a power color of the 50s- with no political overtones after the McCarthy hearings. And 50s chicks dug it.
The first and last 1981 Corvettes from the St Louis to Kentucky assembly plant transfer were still in their bubble wrap from thirty years ago. Very interesting vehicles, but it would have been difficult to avoid tearing off the protective wrap like an ungrateful kid at Christmas and driving the bag off the two ‘Vettes.
Look for Day 3 right here tomorrow.
Jim Sutherland @mystarcollectorcar.com
COMMENTS:
TREV:”It’s true! Great minds think-alike! My two favorite vehicles were the VW truck and by a huge margine the 58 buick wagon. Your photo shows the coral color better than my TV, good job! When I was 14 I saw a 57 chevy on a car lot in Calgary and it had the coolest grill I ever saw! Yep- those cool little concave squares of the 58 buick. I have always wanted to find one for my car but there very hard to find. Wally Adams used to have one but it was in a complete car. Two tons of car & two tons of chrome! I’ll keep looking”.
DENNIS:”I’m impressed.I have 2 pre teen grand daughters visiting for the winter, their daddy is stationed at Ft. Campbell KY. in the 101st Airborne. My living room TV is consumed with Nickelodeon, haven’t been watching the auctions”.
ROBERT:”Who said nothing good ever comes out of sitting in a pub? NOT ME. ! That must have been neat meeting Craig. I went to the Palm beach auction last Easter and couldn’t get very close to the action. It was still fun seeing all those fabulous cars”.
