classic car – Solano Writing

As I struggle to find inspiration for new blogs, I am going back to an old favorite.

Guess what this image is cropped from.

When this was new, it was considered mundane. Something only boring people would have.

Now we look back and longingly wish such attention to style was still around.

Today, design is centered around safety and practicality, much of which is enforced by government oversight.

In the mid 1950’s even a practical item like this was enhanced with jet age style.

I am a very practical person.

My clothing reflects professionalism at work and comfort at leisure.

And I drive a minivan.

But I infuse my life with music, humor, and enthusiasm.

I tend to live life loud – often literally.

I am passionate about the life my faith brings to me and where it takes me.

I try to share it with that same passion.

I’d venture to guess that today’s secret item is not so secret to you by now.

I saw this 1955 Chevy 210 Townsman station wagon at a car show last weekend.

1955 Chevrolet 210 Townsman Wagon (photo enhanced by Chat GPT)

I can relate to it.

It is very practical.

At the same time, it has enough style to bring some fun and enthusiasm to daily life.

That’s me.

I know some of you who will read this and relate.

And then I know some of you who are more like a Corvette or a Beetle.

Whatever you relate to, I pray you bring enthusiasm to the unique life that God has placed before you.

And if you relate to a fun old wagon like me, join the club and bring on the nachos (if you are a fun nerd like me – five different nachos).

If you were a car, what kind would you be?

Why?

In my last full blog, I explored whether I was an author or a writer.

The answer was yes.

Tonight, I ask myself –

Am I a sports car guy or a classic car guy?

First, you should know I am a car guy. From the Matchbox, Hot Wheels, and slot cars of my childhood to watching tons of You-Tube videos about cars nowadays, I’ve always been into cars.

My dad set the example. He did most of his own work on the old VW bus of my childhood. I helped, uh, watched. Then his midlife crisis hit in the form of a brand new 1975 Datsun 280Z. I loved that car. To my fledgling driving skills, it was like driving a rocket ship!

I’ve made it past midlife without a crisis car (unless I live to be more than 116!).

I have plans to get a project car when I retire, but what kind to get?

I go to car shows and feel that twinge of desire for much of what I see there. But I want a car I can drive whenever I want without worrying about it.

The ’65 VW bus of my childhood has gotten too expensive to drive without being nervous about scratching it. Most 280Zs have turned into a pile of rust. Same for the ’68 Plymouth wagon and ’73 Opel 1900 that were my first and second cars.

Somehow, I have gotten my eyes glued to a certain classic car model. It was popular enough for many preserved examples to be available. It’s unpopular enough for it not to be terribly expensive. Parts are readily available and it’s easy to work on.

And it has a role in the Wil Clarey series.

In the first rough draft of Wil Clarey: Impossible Summer, Wil encountered a Nash Metropolitan. I eventually decided (spoiler alert) that he would try to fix it up. Parts for the tiny British made American car are quite difficult to find and expensive. I had to find different car.

The car needed to be within Wil’s means to get on the road again. It had to be a hardtop that could survive a few years exposed to the elements. I also wanted it to be a little quirky and unique like Wil, (and me).

The car he found – the car I want to occupy some of my attention after retirement from my day job – is a VW Squareback. Look it up. It’s like a classic Beetle with a wagon body.

So, if you ask me – sports car or classic car?

As the pile of Classic Car Magazines next to me testifies, I’ll take classic over sporty any day! Sure, I might squeeze a few more horsepower out of that air-cooled flat four, but it will be a practical classic car to match my classic but practical personality.

What about you? Classic or sports car? Or both? What’s your dream car?

Tag: classic car

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