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He scrounged together some money and put $100 down. In total, he paid $3,500 for the ride.
Eventually, Williams got rid of the car he loved so much in his younger days. Yet, he never forgot the Mercury.
“When I retired, I said, ‘I’d sure like to have that car again,’ and that’s it,” he said, pointing to the cherry-red 1965 Mercury Comet Cyclone parked next to his chair.
Williams’ story was shared by many classic car enthusiasts who attended this year’s Turkey Run, an annual car show at the Daytona International Speedway that ran from Thanksgiving to Sunday. Even a sluggish economy couldn’t overcome the nostalgia for antique rides. Early indications are the Turkey Run recorded its strongest year, organizers said.
Stuart Sarjeant, president of the Daytona Street Rods, said the crowd appeared to be one of the largest ever to him. He attributed the turnout to increased advertising that branded the show as a family friendly activity, instead of just an event for hardcore enthusiasts.
Meanwhile, show-car registrations were 4,845, up 300 from the previous year, Sarjeant said.
James Brady, operations manager for the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational District, said all the vendor spaces were sold. He pegged the attendance at 125,000.
“It was just a record show without a doubt,” Brady said.
Several of the people showing cars Sunday were Baby Boomers who said they didn’t have the time nor the money to own their dream car until they reached their golden years.
Williams said he spent six years and about $50,000 restoring the Mercury. Besides fishing, he has devoted most of his retirement to working on the car. The Mercury was a “junkyard special” when he purchased it.
How much needed to be done?
“Body. Paint. Engine. Transmission,” Williams said. “You name it.”
The classic car hobby can have a strong pull on those bitten by the bug.
Seventy-year-old John Super of Arcadia sat next to his 1934 Chevrolet and pondered what he would do for his 50th wedding anniversary.
He knew he needed to plan something special for his wife, Trudy, but there was a problem. He also had a classic car show he sponsors in Arcadia scheduled for the same day, Dec. 9.
Maybe they could move dinner to Saturday, he thought. Ultimately, he decided he would see how she feels about it.
“I hope I have an understanding wife,” he said.
In some cases, vintage car enthusiasts are helping to keep pieces of America’s automotive history alive. Larry Pettigrew, 70, of Cookeville, Tenn., was driving a 1929 Studebaker with a customized license plate that read, “Orphan.” The term refers to cars produced by manufacturers that are no longer in business.
Plus, Pettigrew was adopted.
“It fit both ways, so I named it Orphan,” he said.
Williams said he plans to come back to Daytona Beach next year. There are two good things about classic cars, he said.
The first is the feeling of accomplishment after a hard job has been completed. The second is that there is always more work that needs to be done.
“It is never finished,” Williams said.
By: Skyler Swisher
Thanks to: www.news-journalonline.com
Main image thanks to: www.sun-sentinel.com
Other photos thanks to: www.prweb.com
