Today’s Post by Joe Farace
On July 10th Collector Car Appreciation Day is celebrated each year to raise awareness regarding the importance of automotive restoration as well as the hobby of collecting cars. Many people believe, including me, that restoring and collecting cars play an essential role in American society because it highlights the car business that has benefited the USA.
It’s typically a big day for the collector car world: Enthusiast organizations like the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) often promote member businesses. Car museums may offer discounted admission or host special exhibits. Some classic car auction houses, such as Barrett-Jackson, might feature themed online sales or highlight significant vehicles. On a more personal level, here’s a photograph of one of Mary and my classics…
How I made this self-portrait: I was never really a car collector but at one time in the not-too-distant past, Mary and I owned five cars. Today? Don’t get me started…At that time, one of these cars was this lovely 1953 Packard Clipper Club Sedan. Mary and I made this self-portrait in downtown Brighton, Colorado when we owned this Packard when we were preparing to participate in The Great Race. Due to sponsorship from a camera company falling through–the marketing guy we were working with lost his job–we were not able to afford to participate. The camera used to make this image was a Canon EOS 1D Mark II N with an EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens with an exposure 1/250 sec at f/8 and ISO 100.
Americans have had a fascination with automobiles since the first U.S. horseless carriage was demonstrated in 1893 by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company. The invention and availability of the automobile influenced America’s sense of adventure. Today, collectors of these vehicles keep history and memories alive. They restore and maintain old metal and engines. Specialists take great care finding the right part or color and skilled artists put their labor to work restoring a single collector car. They spend hours painting, repairing, rebuilding and welding to recreate the final result of a pristine collector car. This day recognizes all of those individuals who are dedicated to preserving a piece of American history.
We associate each era with a certain car. Whether we ride in a Prohibition-era Cadillac Sedan, a 1960s era muscle car or our grandfather’s pickup truck, they take us back. So remember to hug your classic on July 10th.
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