Classic Cars Owners Passionate about Their Rides

Every time Dolores resident Darren Uptain, gets in his classic restored Model A Sedan, it reminds him of his grandfather. And classic car owners who showed off their rides at the Classic Car Show during the recent Four Corners Home Builders Association: Home and Garden Show had similar stories to tell about their rides. You’re watching the Local News Network, brought to you by Keesee Motors and Choice Building Supply ACE Hardware. I’m Wendy Graham Settle. Hundreds of classic car fans crowded around the dozens of old trucks, sedans, two-seater convertibles, and drag racing rigs. Some still rusty, some shiny with new paint and pinstripe jobs during the Classic Car Show held earlier this month as part of the Annual Home and Garden Show at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. Owners talked about finding and restoring rare car parts from obscure junkyards. Visitors recalled their youth, sitting with their girlfriends in the backseats of dad’s big old Sedan, allegedly watching a drive-in movie. The Classic Car Show hosted by the local classic car club called Over the Hill Gang had everything from trucks to Paneled Station Wagons, early Ford Model Sedans to shiny Mustangs. And what every entry had was an owner with a passion for tinkering with cars.

Well, this here car is a 1930 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan. We finally got it back on the road and running good. This is one that I had acquired from an older gentlemen, it was their father’s car. And so I was real grateful to be able to keep it running and on the road for their family. And they lived in Grand Junction. And I’ve just been keeping up, there’s always something to work on and always something to keep. You learn something new every day, put it that way.

Uptain has several more Model A Sedans in various states of restoration. They were a favorite of his grandfather’s, a Montezuma County farmer. He says he likes the nostalgia that it elicits from people as they take a closer look at the 90 plus year old technology that was state of the art in its time.

Well, it’s just the passion and the feeling of getting to ride a car like that and being able to go back to how the people in the public once what they have, what was part of their life. And it brings a lot of joy and a lot of memories out for a lot of other people, especially folks that were around those cars or had a sentimental attachment to. But my grandfather had Model A Fords and Model A Ford Tudors Sedans and things and that’s where I got the passion for these specific cars. Because him and I would go, of course this one isn’t one of my grandad’s, but I do have some of my granddad’s cars. And this one we, or you know, he would take Model A’s like this to go out in the bean fields and drive around and just go have a picnic and enjoy the day. And that’s the fun part of that.

Dawn Brunson says she paid someone else to work on her bright yellow 1972 Buick Skylark but driving her car is her passion.

It gives me chills just thinking about my response because it’s absolutely everything. It is the feel of the car, it’s nice and heavy. A solid car. It sounds really nice, so that’s fun. I took it to have the mufflers and the exhaust system changed twice to get it to the sound that I wanted. But yes, it’s just they are so quirky. When I go out, I always ask her, “Is she ready to play?” Because you just never know they have their quirks and that’s what’s neat. The times I have broke down, I’ve met really great people that have become friends for life. So it’s an adventure is what it is.

Thanks for watching this edition of the Local News Network. Covering news in the greater Cortez, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Telluride and Farmington communities. I’m Wendy Graham Settle.

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