Hey Car Guys and Gals! So the question I hear you asking yourself right now is, “Hey Car Guy, who inspired you for your love and passion for cars?” Welp, you don’t have to look any further than my dad. From the moment I could crawl, he was instrumental in showing me different types of cars, even sitting me on his lap when I was 4 years old and allowing me to steer us down our long drive way to our home from the gravel road up in Copperhill VA. The picture within this post shows two of my father’s first sport cars he owned in his young adult life. He even graced me with detailed recollections of how he came to purchase each one. Check this out below:
1968 Jaguar XKE convertible 4.2 liter
This picture was taken on Lincoln Avenue in Institute, West Virginia the photographer was standing in front of Clemoth “Pop” Prewitt’s house. (Pop was my father’s college professor, mentor and a surrogate grand-father to me.) The location of this shot was several blocks away from the campus at then West Virginia State College now West Virginia State University. My dad had an earlier model, a 1964 3.8-liter, maroon in color which had more torque because the 68 had smog control. My dad told me that Enzo Ferrari himself, said the XKE was one of most beautiful cars ever made. He said he thought he was James Bond with driving gloves, and the whole 9 yards!
Back in 1972, when my dad received is Masters of Education at Eastern Michigan University, he had also accepted a 3-month internship at San Jose State University where they were going to fly him out to California and provide a rental car for him to drive. He instead decided to drive cross-country in the Jag and it took him from like a Saturday morning through Wednesday evening, and by his account, he drove 12-14 hours each day to get there. Now that’s impressive.
Between 1975-1976, my dad decided to sell his Jaguars and a 1965 MGB roadster he had to put a down payment on our home in Copperhill, VA, where he created his dream, Apple Ridge Farm. Apple Ridge became a camp and conference center focused on providing Inner-city youth with an outlet to explore varied opportunities that may not have been normally available to those less fortunate. Today, Apple Ridge stands as an astutely successful Not-For-Profit entity which has touched thousands of lives both young and old and continues to service the local, regional and national communities alike. I didn’t understand at first when I was younger why my dad decided to sell the roadsters but now that I am older, I can definitely appreciate his sacrifice for the greater good. And that’s what makes him not only my inspiration, but a beacon for many others to follow….
Car Guys’ Car Tip
When shopping for your next ride, it is always a good idea to check your credit and know your financial threshold for monthly payments prior to your first dealership or private purchase visit. Also, it’s always a good idea to have your own financing options as a fallback in case you don’t agree with what may be offered.