of the Board My First Car

My love affair with the automobile began as a young boy. I grew-up in the 1950’s when new car models were introduced in September of each year. My great uncle Ed owned a Cadillac, Buick and Pontiac dealership in eastern Oregon. My grandfather and I were always at the unveilings. Ed would show us all the new cars, explain the changes, etc. I was totally captivated.

Ed was born in 1876 and died in 1977. On his 100th birthday, I asked what he thought was the most significant change in his lifetime. Without hesitation, he replied “the automobile.” He said it gave us freedom.

Three cars stand out in my life. As a broke teenager, all I could afford for my first car was a rough 1953 Ford with a flathead V-8. The master brake cylinder leaked, the paint needed work, and something always required fixing. I learned a lot about auto repair on the cheap with that car. Not much of a car, but as my great uncle said, it gave me freedom.

The first car I really fell in love with was a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville. The nation was in the early stages of the Space Race and cars were showing design elements that reflected planes and rockets. The ‘58 was a transition style and only produced for one year. To a young boy it was beautiful. Long, low and lots of power (as Pontiac was joining the muscle car world). It made getting a date a lot easier.

The third car is an Aston-Martin Vanquish S. I’ve loved Astons since I first saw Sean Connery driving a DB5 in Goldfinger. I saw a 2006 Vanquish soon after they were released and vacillated over the cost, storage, etc. I kept finding new excuses not to own one, but I really loved that car. Finally, my wife looked at me and suggested that perhaps I should buy the car before I was too old to drive it. I had permission, and I bought it the next day.

Each of these cars have special memories for me. As I watch guests at the museum, I see parents telling their children stories involving a particular car in the collection. Each classic car has a story, and those stories must be preserved.