I Did It For The Attention

By Joe Whitaker

OK, I will give you a break this year from the usual April Fools editorial. My reason is partially in self-defense, though, because my last few spoof editorials have gotten me into a bit of hot water. So, this year I will be purely sentimental.

Remember when you were a kid and you wanted to be the center of attention and have all the other neighborhood kids play at your house? Few things seemed worse than when all of your friends took off and went down the street to play on Patrick's new swing set or go stand in line to ride Bridgett's brother's new Big Wheel. I remember one day when this happened to me when I was about 9 or 10. All of my friends split and went next door to play there, but I wanted them to play in my yard. I put on my thinking cap and had an idea! My dad was into model airplanes and he had a Cox .020 Pee Wee engine with propeller attached sitting somewhere in the garage. I grabbed it along with a hammer and some nails and went back into the side yard. There were some weathered 2x4's sitting along our fence so I selected two and made myself an ³airplane² and then nailed the little engine to the front. I then picked it up (I could barely lift it because it was so heavy) so the kids could see it and they couldn't get back over to my house fast enough to see what was up. It worked! They came back over and stayed in my yard for the rest of the day. I know I was not conscious of it at the time, but I realize now, when looking back at that moment, that it was then that I began to realize how much I liked being different from others and that being different often attracted some extra attention.

Now, you may wonder what the heck this has to do with classic Chevys. Well, we all like to say the main reason we like old cars is because they are fun to drive, fun to work on and fun to show. But, if we are honest, another big reason is our egos and the attention we get as owners of these cars.

When I first began to notice Œ55-Œ57 Chevys as a kid, my interest was purely from a love of the style of the cars. There was nothing else as graceful and well- proportioned on the roads anywhere, so I knew I had to have one someday when I was old enough to drive. It wasn't until after I had my '57 hardtop that I realized it attracted all kinds of attention; particularly from those of the opposite gender. Wow, not only did I love the car ­ lots of other people did as well! I kept that '57 for eleven years, which was far longer than I have kept any classic since.

Even though that car brings back fond memories, I never have wished I had it back. I'm sure that is because most of my enjoyment comes from finding a car, dragging it home just to have a ³new² project to work on and the process of making a nice car out of something that was once considered yard waste. Sure, I enjoy driving the car and showing it off a little when it is done, but soon the thrill wears off and I am ready for another challenge. I know I am certainly in the minority here, as most of you restore one or two cars and stick with them for years. Call me a glutton for punishment I suppose. About the time people can recognize my classic and say, "Hey, that's Joe's car!" it has a new owner and I have yet another pile in the garage to fiddle with.

I think we like old cars for the love of something vintage, something that represents another and often better time and something that has pleasing lines and real character. I believe another big part of why most of us like these old cars is because they set us apart a bit from the crowd. Not everybody has a classic Chevy to drive, so when we drive them they do attract attention!