Photography by Turbometal blog
This is the introduction to a series that will highlight classic cars that exemplify the perseverance and innovative spirit in the face of hardship that defines our community of enthusiasts.
If you’re anything like me, you probably admire enthusiasm and perseverance in the face of automotive hardship in all its forms. Whether this passion and grit manifests itself in the completion of a restoration project in time for an upcoming show, in the patience and diligence of spending months or even years tracking down the classic car of your dreams, or in using your ingenuity, skill, and, on occasion, ability to flag down fellow enthusiasts and make new friends to help get you and your treasured classic back home, safe and sound, after a bit of bad luck on the road.
Whenever these daunting and, occasionally, unexpected challenges arise, classic car enthusiasts never lose sight of the silver lining that, while just beyond that moment’s reach, is undoubtedly on the horizon. We know, in our two-or-four-stroke hearts, that these trials and tribulations will make us, our love for our classic, and our bond with the classic car community just that much stronger, while making the next cruise down our favorite road just that much sweeter.
Similarly, many of the most beloved and revered vintage cars were, themselves, the result of a special kind of perseverance, passion, and grit despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles. Cars that originated in this manner were often born in the minds of automotive pioneers and engineered by gifted innovators within an environment of seemingly insurmountable odds. These are the cars that have risen from a war’s ashes, survived in spite of a suffocating oil crisis, or simply thrived in the face of seemingly oppressive government regulation.
Perhaps, part of our fascination with these cars can be explained through a subtle recognition or subconscious identification of this kindred spirit existing deep within the soul and DNA of these cars. And while most attempt to encapsulate this ‘can-do’ attitude within the enthusiast community and exemplified in these marvelous automotive creations by saying we’re making lemonade when we’ve only been given lemons, I think I can speak for all who drive tastefully, in saying that our community simply appreciates when an automotive soul “steers into the skid.”
But before I give some of my personal favorites, I’d like to hear what you think. Is your classic car the result of ingenuity in the face of automotive adversity? If not, what do you think is the classic car that best exemplifies the perseverance that I think we all so admire within the enthusiast community?
Image Sources: motortrend.com, flickr.com
