When a legendary hot rodder like Mike Fennel of Mike Fennel Enterprises passes away, the whole automotive community mourns. Not only is there the loss of an amazing person, but also a loss of their continued contributions to the industry. But for the family and friends of such great automotive artists, its more than just mourning a loss – it’s also about sorting through all the stuff they left behind.

When Fennel died last year due to complications of a brain aneurism, he left behind countless cars and antique parts. The brunt of this task fell to his wife Julie, who after years and years of watching Fennel collect the cars of his dreams, now has to decide which cars and components to keep and which would be better served elsewhere.

Thanks to Jason Lewis, automotive extraordinaire and YouTube’s “AutoEdit,” Julie’s story of dealing with the loss of her husband in so many ways is told in the video above.

A true hot rod gal herself, Julie is just as into old cars as her late husband was. Enjoying every minute of driving whatever Fennel parked in the driveway on any given day, Julie’s also very knowledgeable on fixing and maintaining the gorgeous rides.

Among the cars in Fennel’s collection, a 1949 Buick Special, 1950 Mercury and a 1953 Buick Skylark, all holding great memories for Julie, are available currently for purchase. Fennel bought each of his cars to drive and those that remain in his collection are built and maintained specifically for that purpose.

Even the ’50 Merc, which is completely original right down to the factory paint, is kept in driving condition for a spontaneous cruise.

Fennel has been gone a year now but his memory and influences in the industry will live on for decades. This is a comforting thing for Julie, who still gets choked up at the thought of the loss of her husband. But in the long run, Fennel’s passion will only grow from here.

Our condolences go out to Julie and her family, as well as friends of the Fennels. For more information on the cars currently available, you can email the shop at Mfennel@socal.cc.com.