Classic Cars & Trenchless Technology

We’re a month into summer but car shows across the country have been in full swing for far longer than that (depending on where you live) and this special section of Trenchless Technology is getting in on the act.
We are showcasing just a small sampling of what classic, collectible and cool cars/motorcycles that those in the trenchless industry have. The group includes Larry Kiest’s impressive collection of motorcycles to Jonathan Pearce and Jim Stransky with VW Vanagon campers. We have definitely assembled an eclectic mix of vehicles for you to see.

We have so much material that we cannot fit it all in our printed magazine so be sure to check out our
Trenchless Technology App for your iPad to download even more photos and video.

Mike Kezdi is an assistant editor for Trenchless Technology.

Follow the links to jump right to these trenchless experts’ collections:



Collins Orton — California Sales Manager, TT Technologies Inc.
Barry L. Sorteberg — Clean Slurry Technology
Charles Webb — President, Armadrillco LLC
Eric Dudley — Equipment Manager, Midwest Mole Inc.
Gerry Muenchmeyer — Principal, Muenchmeyer Associates, LLC
George Ragula — Distribution Technology Manager, Public Service Electric & Gas
Maynard Akkerman — President, Akkerman Inc.
Jim Stransky — Water and Sewer Department, Amherst, Ohio
Jonathan Pearce — Project Manager, City of Waterloo
Jeff Phillips, P.Eng., LEED AP, — Western Regional Engineer, IPEX Management Inc.
Lee Haessig — General Manager, Cretex Specialty Products
John Walko — President, Excavac Corp.
Jeff Boschert, P.E. — President, National Clay Pipe Institute
Leonard Ingram — Executive Director, Mid Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast Societies for Trenchless Technology
Matt Timberlake — Vice President, Ted Berry Co. Inc.
Terry Flynn — Business Development, Tulsa Rig Iron
Larry Kiest — President, LMK Technologies
Gregg Shelton — International Territory Manager, American Augers Inc.
Merrill Anders — Vice president and Semi-retired, Henkels and McCoy Inc.
Brian Maciej — President, Lime Valley Advertising, Inc.

---

Collins Orton — California Sales Manager, TT Technologies Inc.

Click here to see Collins Orton’s YouTube video.

Currently owns:
Torch Red 2000 Corvette

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
After a very serious injury, I drove past a Corvette restoration shop on my way home from physical therapy a few times a week. There was a beautiful Torch Red 2000 Corvette parked in front of the shop with a FOR SALE sign on it. I finally stopped in one day, walking in on crutches, my face and skull were still recovering from head injuries, I looked awful. Bob Waldschmidt and his staff, at Automotive Enterprise, were so nice, I couldn’t even get in the car at the time but they described everything they had done to this Corvette and it really looked cool. As time went on, I was finally able to get in the car for a test drive. We purchased the car in May 2005 and drive it year round.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
My first car was a 1950 Willys Overland Station Wagon. It wasn’t much to look at but it was my first car. Not sure if I would really want this car again. The 1953 Dodge Pickup Truck with a Chrysler Spitfire V8 would be cool to have again.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
Right now, a new 2015 Corvette Z06 would be my choice because of its modern horsepower, handling etc. It’s a race car of the first order.

What was your first collector car purchase?
2000 Torch Red Corvette

Best part of this type of hobby?
Meeting many very interesting people, seeing many very cool cars and racing. I got into Road Racing and Autocross racing through the Santa Clara Corvettes Club (sccorvettes.org). We race with groups such as “Hooked on Driving” they put on frequent “Track Days” at many locations. These High Performance Driving Experience (HPDE) events are the real deal. We run the car pretty hard, in a very safe environment, passing is allowed, and speeds come up. Some of us will run in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) or National Auto Sport Association (NASA) events, as well. I have driven at Thunderhill north of San Francisco and the iconic Laguna Seca near Monterey, Calif., numerous times. Also, we have traveled to Spring Mountain in Nevada. Everyone would love to run their car at the Nurburgring in Germany, the ultimate road track. Track Days involve usually five sessions up to 25 minutes each. This is the real thing, you will be tired at the end of the day.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
As a member of the WESTT Chapter of NASTT, our chapter has auctioned off track days with me for the last three years at No-Dig. This is one of the most popular auction items. LMK’s Larry Kiest was the successful bidder for two years in a row. I know he really enjoyed the experience. The winning bidder gets to spend a Track Day at Thunderhill driving our Corvette with a qualified instructor in the passenger seat all day.

Top of Page

Barry L. Sorteberg — Clean Slurry Technology

Currently owns:
1974 Corvette, 454 big block with 28,000 original miles, 1987 Porsche 911 Cabriolet Turbo, 1979 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II (shown in photo below), 1956 Ford Victoria, 1965 Pontiac GTO and a 1929 Mercedes Gazelle.

Background of cars
I bought the Rolls because it was the last year of Rolls Royce making this automobile. It was still hand produced. In 1980 Bentley bought Rolls and it became a production car. The silver Wraith II was an extended length and there was a very limited amount manufactured. It is a beautiful hand crafted automobile. I bought the Porsche because in 1988, they were bought by VW and that was the end of the true 911 era, air-cooled engines and hand made. In 1989, all Porsches became production vehicles. I bought the Corvette because it was in showroom condition, everything original and the last year of the big block 454 engine. I bought the GTO because it was the fastest production car ever produced and the 1965 is the most desirable of the classic GTOs. I bought the 1956 Ford Victoria with a 312 cu. in. motor because to me it was one of the prettiest cars ever produced. All of my cars are in restored condition except for the Mercedes. It is an original but is in dire need of major repairs. It is a basket case for now. I can’t find any parts for it.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I have always had classic cars from the very first one that I purchased when I was 14 years old.

What was your first purchase?
1932 Chevy Coupe

Best part of this type of hobby?
The ability to drive your retirement funds.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I bought a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham from a guy who had to move out of a large facility. I had been trying to buy this car for more than 10 years. When he offered it to me at my price, I was totally thrilled. I enjoyed the car until I no longer had a place for it and needed the space.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
I had a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. There were less than 800 made and the cost was $14,000 in 1956. A Rolls Royce was selling for $12,000 in that same year. This was a GM concept car and had many of the improvements that would come out of the GM factory in the next 30 years.

These cars today sell for more than $100,000 and are very rare. To me, it is the most luxurious car ever produced. Some of the richest people in the world owned it when it was new. Aristotle Onassis and Frank Sinatra were two of the original owners of this car. The Sultan of Brunei owns 15.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
I would buy a fully restored 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham.

Top of Page

Charles Webb — President, Armadrillco LLC

Currently owns:
1947 Willys CJ-2A jeep with a power-take off winch.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
My father introduced me to classic cars. He had several through my years growing up with him. I remember one had a rearward facing “rumble seat” and another was an old hearse.

What was your first purchase?
My first classic was a 1963 Chevy truck with a step side bed and 327 and power-glide transmission.

Best part of this type of hobby?
Working on something that is put together intuitively and the responses from the people who see you drive by.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
To get the 1963 Chevy truck my dad, brother, and I had to cut down a large tree for a man who had an old “painters” truck. We cut partially through the trunk of the tree and then tried to pull it down with the winch on a Jeep. At one point, we had the Jeep suspended in mid-air with only one tire touching the ground. The Willys had a tree growing through it and it was the last thing I worked on with my dad before he passed away with cancer. The CJ-2A was in the Arlington, Texas, Fourth of July parade for two or three years. George Bush was supposed to ride in it in one parade but it was really hot and they put him with someone else, this was before he became president. One year, Mrs. Texas rode in the jeep with us in the parade.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
I wish that I had my 1963 Chevy truck. The reason is that shortly after having it restored it was stolen from me in front of my parents’ house and I never got to enjoy it. It was so easy to work on. It had a metal gold metallic dash board and one of those horns that played 100 different tunes, including the “Dukes of Hazzard” theme.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
A 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix. That was a car that my dad gave me back in the 1980s that I totaled when a lady pulled out in front of me. It was fully decked out with power everything, power seats, power locks, power windows. Back then power options were never included. It even had one of the first in car cell phones.

Top of Page

Eric Dudley — Equipment Manager, Midwest Mole Inc.

Currently owns:
1960 Willys Motors Utility Wagon

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
My father collects antique Crosley automobiles. I have spent years with my son running a lifted trail Jeep. Put these together and it was time to find an antique Jeep.

What was your first purchase?
This Willys is my first restoration.

Best part of this type of hobby?
Each owner can build, modify and use his car as he would like and I meet many wonderful “car guys” as I show and drive the car.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I rode in this car in 1986 when it belonged to a cousin of mine. In 2003, my aunt called and invited us to South Carolina to visit with our grandmother, who was in failing health. As I took a walk around the farm the morning after we arrived, I found the very same wagon. One cousin in Indianapolis had sold it to another cousin in South Carolina and it made its way south. It had been pushed over a hill along with a couple other old Jeeps when it had quit running in 1990. When I saw it I had to have it. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had? Why?
As with most car guys, that first car is one I wish I had back. My first car was a true muscle car and at the time, I really did not know what I had. It was a factory-built 1969 Nova SS complete with a 396 Big Block Chevy. My dad told me years later that if I knew back then what I now know about cars it would have run correctly and I probably would have killed myself.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
That’s a tough one there are so many that I love. I tend to dream about orphan cars (marques no longer in production). I would love to have a large touring car made in the 1930s such as a Packard or a Pierce Arrow. I like to keep my cars as “drivers” and not museum pieces.

Top of Page

Gerry Muenchmeyer — Principal, Muenchmeyer Associates, LLC

Currently owns:
1957 Chevy Corvette,
1957 Chevy Belair and
1980 Chevy Corvette (shown in photo at right)

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Was involved, part time, in a business that restored and reconstructed Corvettes in the mid-1970s.

What was your first purchase?
1957 Corvette, among others.

Best part of this type of hobby?
Restoring the car also restores memories of years past.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
Custom designed, all silver inside and out, 1968 Corvette that was feature as the silver bullet in a car magazine feature.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
My 1964 Corvette Stingray Fastback. Great car that was our family car in which the children grew up in, also extremely valuable today.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
Mid-1967 Corvette Stingray Fastback

Top of Page

George Ragula — Distribution Technology Manager, Public Service Electric & Gas

Currently owns:
Four Corvettes: 1966 427 big block model (shown in photo at right), 1995 ZR1, 2008 Z06, 2009 ZR1 combined, the cars have a whopping 2,000 hp and were featured in a reader’s rides section of Vette Magazine

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
It’s really simple. I’ve been a motor head my whole life. I started doing car shows when I was about 10 years old. In New York City I would always go to the annual automobile show, took a lot of photos and I did all of that. When I was old enough to drive, we used to drag race all the time in the New York City area in the 1970s for 25 bucks a pop. I’ve always had a lot of hot cars my whole life, which eventually migrated me into getting Vettes as I got older and more money and income at my disposal. That’s how I got into it and I can’t get out of it, it just gets worse. If I had a bigger garage, I’d have more cars. I also have a 1981 Harley Davidson Low Rider.

Best part of this type of hobby?
I think the people in the hobby are the best part. The sense of pride and admiration as you drive down the street in a classic car or if you go to classic car show. People who are into showing these cars and talking about them are really into it and the old stuff looks a lot different than the new stuff. It’s an all-around nice feeling.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
I wish I never sold a 1971 Challenger 340 Six-Pack that I had three or four years when I was fresh out of college. I wish I had a crystal ball because if I would have saved it those kind of cars are going for $400,000 to $500,000. I raced that car all the time in New York City. I raced so much that I kept spare pushrods in the trunk. If I bent a pushrod I’d change it out on the fly and run again.

What was your first purchase?
My first classic was a fully restored 1965 Corvette with the 327 cu. in. small block that had 365 hp and that car was eventually sold to a collector in Berlin, Germany. I had that for about eight years and we were at a function at my house and he was into cars. I asked him if he wanted to go for a ride and I took him for a ride and then I let him drive and later on he asked how much I wanted to sell it for. I just through a number out because I really didn’t feel like selling it and he just shook my hand and said ‘deal!’ The next day he came by with a $2,000 deposit in cash and I realized he was serious and away it went.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
The 1965 Corvette that I purchased as my first car, I had been looking for quite a while for a car and I actually purchased the car at the San Jose No-Dig Show in California and I had it shipped back home. Another trenchless person knew I was looking for a Vette for a while and he brought in an ad one morning that advertised it. He had a car and asked if I wanted to go look at it and I said sure. It turned out to be a lot that sold antique Vettes and I ended up taking it for a ride and it was strange because the whole California scene. I asked the guy if I could go for a ride and the guy just gave me the keys and said ‘here you go.’ I had to ask him if I needed to give him my license, and he let me keep it for the day. I brought it back and we did the deal. It’s become an inside joke with people asking me if I found another car at every No-Dig after that.

I replaced that car with a 1966 big block 427 cu. in. car, I bought that car sight unseen in Pa. based on a recommendation of a very close friend that’s also a motor head.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
A 1969 L88 Corvette. The L988 was sold from 1967 o 1969 and there were only 216 ever built. It was basically was a race car that was sold to the public. When it was sold it had a heater and a radio delete option. It exceeded, depending on the size headers you put on, 500-hp output and the horsepower was intentionally understated to dissuade non-racing customers from buying it. So a lot of the racers back then were scooping it up. Back then horsepower was based on gross horsepower not SAE net horsepower so that 500 plus hp car, probably with the way hp is currently measured was probably a 650 hp car. It was a monster, those cars now you can’t touch one for less than a million.

Top of Page

Maynard Akkerman — President, Akkerman Inc.

Currently owns:
Green 1969 Charger SE equipped with a 383 automatic all numbers matching. This car had a complete restoration given to it by me several years ago. Copper 1968 Charger R/T (shown in photo at right). This car is almost 100 percent original, numbers matching, zero rust, from Indiana originally. Orange 1971 Charger R/T. This was first restoration project started 24 years ago. Numbers matching also Green 1969 Road Runner. This car was owned by a close neighbor friend up until 4 years ago and is a survivor, never painted, etc. Red 1965 Plymouth Satellite. It has a 528 crate HEMI engine that puts out about 650-hp and I have recorded a best time of 10.65 seconds in the quarter mile. Red 1963 red Dodge A330 with a 426 Max Wedge clone engine in it. Black 1966 Dodge Charger with a 383 4-speed all numbers matching car.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I first got involved with the old car hobby when in 1990 a good friend/customer from California gave me a 1971 Dodge Charger R/T that he found locally in the Central Valley. The car was in decent shape but needed a restoration. This was my first restoration project and took over 10 years as I did most of the work on it except for paint and body.

Best part of this type of hobby?
The best part of the hobby for me is talking cars with people of the same interests and, when I am restoring a car, the hunt for some obscure part.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
The car that I wish I had back was the ’68 Charger. Fortunately, for me I was able to purchase another car about 10 years ago, that was almost a clone to this one and it was in much better condition.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
I am particular to Mopars and the dream car for me to purchase would be a triple black 1968 Dodge Charger with a 426 Hemi 4-speed.

What was your first purchase?
I always enjoyed cars growing up and, as a young teenager. I would sometimes take them apart mechanically and re-assemble them. I grew up at the end of the “Muscle Car era” but was able to purchase a few of them when they were used cars. I purchased my first real muscle car in 1973. It was a 68 Dodge Charger R/T which came equipped with a 440 magnum, 4-speed. The car was copper with a black vinyl top and black buckets seats in the interior. I had this car until 1980 when I sold it because I was a young dad that needed a more practical “family car.”

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
I have been I have been working on the black 1966 Charger for six years now and had hoped to have it finished this spring but will not complete now until next year. With the long winters in Minnesota, it is nice to have a project like this to keep me occupied when I am at home during the winter months. However, when spring does roll around I put down the wrenches and enjoy the outdoors.

Top of Page

Jim Stransky — Water and Sewer Department, Amherst, Ohio

Currently owns:
A 1979 MGB (shown in photo at right) purchased from Trenchless Technology publisher Bernie Krzys and a 1985 VW Vanagon Westfalia powered by a late model Subaru 2.5 liter Boxer Engine that Stransky converted himself.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I started working on cars with my late brother Dave Stransky when I was 14 years old. I worked on cars with him in the muscle car age in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was six years older than me and took vocational automotive. His friends had muscle cars and blowing up engines and transmissions and putting clutches in. I hung around and he was very patient and a good teacher to take time to show me things. That got my interest in cars and then I took vocational automotive. I worked 20 years as a mechanic, so I enjoy working on them. I get satisfaction out of keeping older cars running. Hired in as a mechanic for Lorain Utilities Department after 13 to 14 years, I transferred to water and wastewater plant doing maintenance there and I still do maintenance for theAmherst Wastewater Plant.

What was your first purchase?
My first car was a 1969 SS Camaro and that’s probably one I wish I would have kept and had that back today. It’s a classic now but it wasn’t then but it was a nice vehicle.

Best part of this type of hobby?
That’s what I enjoy about the classic cars. I still do get satisfaction from working on cars. It’s fun for me to keep an old car running and in good shape. I have cars that I use. I take my Volkswagen to go kayaking. I go camping in it and for the last three years I’ve drove it up to Oshkosh, Wis., for the Experimental Aircraft Association Air Show, it’s the largest air show in the world. I go up there and camp with it. The MG, you put the top down and enjoy the ride. If I have to run to the store and it’s in the garage with the top down I just jump in it and go. It serves me a purpose of driving something with that open feeling versus having an old muscle car that you take from show to show or collect speeding tickets with.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
Since about 1982, I have attended the Oshkosh show and the day might come that I can take the VW across the country and do camping. The purpose was to use it and camp it. We were out at Oshkosh a couple years ago and I camp with a handful of people and they have their tents pitched and the other guy has his camper pulled over and a storm was blowing in and everyone was calling it a week as the weather was going south and decided to head home. One guy is pulling his tent down, another guy was getting his trailer ready, I just dropped the top of the Vanagon and said I’ll see you next year and was out of there in five minutes. It’s a camper, yet I get half-way decent gas mileage for a camper.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
If I was wealthy, I’d be like Jay Leno and I’d have my own museum. It would be tough to narrow it down; the old Camaro would be nice. If it was one car that could serve all my purposes, I was always interested in a 1957 Corvette convertible; It’s the best of both worlds.

Top of Page

Jonathan Pearce — Chair of the Board of Directors for CATT Construction Inspector/Project Manager, City of Waterloo

Currently owns:
1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Camper Bus, christened Duncan after the town in British Columbia.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
My wife, Deb, and I were visiting friends and family on the West Coast of Canada many years ago and one family friend had a Volkswagen Camper that he had purchased in Germany and driven through Europe and the Middle East for two years. We casually mentioned to them that if they ever thought of selling it, to give us a call because we were interested. A few years later, when we had all four children in university, and surplus cash was everywhere (NOT!), they called us and we knew that this opportunity would not be repeated, so we took the plunge. Our first trip in Duncan was across Canada to Ontario in November. Since that time, we have traveled extensively in Duncan. It has become our ‘mobile cottage’. Travels have taken us across Canada and the United States several times, down the eastern seaboard to Florida, New York City, as well as numerous trips of a more local nature.

What was your first purchase?
Duncan, the 1990 VW Vanagon, full camper version.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
Every spring and fall, we travel to western Michigan and participate in what is known as a ‘Bus Benefit,’ organized by a group of similarly-minded bus enthusiasts and hippies who have not quite passed that stage of human development! The group, ‘Buses-by-the-Beach’, raises money and support for the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors through donations, raffles, silent auctions, and other activities (some involving food, beer, and music). Back in 2007, my wife was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a year of aggressive treatments. We said when this was behind us, we would take an extended holiday to rest and recover. We spent three glorious months traveling across Canada and the United States with our two Golden Retrievers, Maggie and Molly, in Duncan.

Best part of this type of hobby?
The best part of being a bus enthusiast is the people who we meet and interact with on our travels, people with a philosophy similar to ours who take enjoyment from simple pleasures and aren’t in a hurry.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
Our dream is to keep this iconic vehicle in our family and to continue to use it for the purpose intended. A year doesn’t go by that we don’t invest in an improvement, replacement, or modification. We have since added a 1954 single-wheel Heilite tent trailer to the mix and often take it along (one of the few trailers the VW is capable of pulling!) for ‘show-and-tell’. Perhaps in the future we might add an old ‘bug’ to our collection, then people will know that we really are a little buggy!

Top of Page

Jeff Phillips, P.Eng., LEED AP, — Western Regional Engineer, IPEX Management Inc.

Currently owns:
Lotus Elise

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Growing up, my dad was an auto mechanics teacher so I got into cars and racing early.

What was your first purchase?
A 1969 Lotus Formula Ford

Best part of this type of hobby?
Finishing it and racing

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks
The Lotus Elise…I had a deal with my wife. One of our rental houses if/when it sold, I got a portion of the profits to buy any vehicle I wanted. It was a toss-up between a minivan and the Lotus. Actually, it was not even an option; the three kids don’t fit in the Lotus so it’s our date night car.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
A 1963 Corvette split window

Top of Page

Lee Haessig — General Manager, Cretex Specialty Products

Currently owns:
1969 Dodge Dart Swinger 340

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Growing up in the 1960s, a couple of my uncles always seemed to have some high performance cars and my parents would go to Indy Car and Stock Car races so it was kind of in the family. From then on, I always like cars and auto racing. Once I got into middle and high school, most of the guys and girls had muscle cars and we were always working on them or going to the local drag strip and car shows. That eventually led me to purchase my own muscle car in the summer of 1976.

What was your first purchase?
My first car was a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner with a 383 magnum with a 4 speed.

Best part of this type of hobby?
I enjoy socializing with the other collectors and car enthusiasts and looking at all of the cars and seeing the high level of craftsmanship and different things people do to their cars and trucks — from complete original restoration to over the top customs and high horsepower street cars.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
The car I have now I ended up purchasing when I really wasn’t even looking for a car. I had been on EBay looking for parts for another 1969 Dodge Dart I owned at the time and came across this really nice, numbers-matching 1969 Dodge Dart that had just been rotisserie restored. I kept an eye on the bid and when the car didn’t sell, I called the owner and made arrangements to go see it. When I got there and checked out the car and found out that there had only been two previous owners and everything checked out, I made an offer but was turned down so I figured I was out of luck. A couple of weeks later, I contacted the owner and he still had the car so I upped my offer a little bit and ended up getting the car. Now I had two 1969 Dodge Darts. I later sold the first one and kept the restored, numbers matching car.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
It would either be my first car, the 1969 Plymouth Road Runner or the Dart I sold after buying the Dart I now have. I would like to have the Road Runner back because it was my first car and I had done the first restoration on the car myself and I guess it has sentimental value. The other 1969 Dart I had was a beautiful car and had a very high performance 340 that had been bored and stroked to 422 cubic in. The car made 360 hp at the tire and 428 ft lbs of torque and ran 12s at 111 mph in the quarter mile. This car was very impressive and got a lot of attention at the shows and the track.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
Possibly an “M” code 1969 Plymouth Road Runner or Dodge Super Bee. These cars were one year only, mid-year models and came with a 440-cu in. big block and 3-2 barrel carbs (Six Pack). They are rare and were pretty much meant to be drag raced (on the street or track). One other car I would like to have would be a 1968 HEMI Dodge Dart. These came from the factory but were not even legal for street use. These cars are also very rare and command big money when they come up for sale.

Top of Page

John Walko — President, Excavac Corp.

Currently owns:
1967 Corvette big block convertible, with the 435 Hp option.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I have always been a car guy, with a tilt toward high performance cars.

What was your first purchase?
A 1951 Ford Sedan that I purchased for $40 and I sold it a year later for $50.

Best part of this type of hobby?
The people. Car guys by nature have an innate ability to appreciate most things mechanical. I am often pleasantly surprised how much of this carries over into their personal lives. The success of Chinese Auctions or 50/50 raffles at car gatherings is but a small example.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I once let a complete stranger take the 67 for a ride, thinking he was with an acquaintance of mine. It was a very long half hour before he safely brought it back. I promised myself to never do that again.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
My 1956 Ford Sunliner Convertible, as it was a lot of fun to drive with the great sounding exhaust pipes.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
A 1965 FIA Cobra, which was factory, built to compete in international racing events, mostly rallies and road racing.

Top of Page

Jeff Boschert, P.E. — President, National Clay Pipe Institute

Currently owns:
A 1972 LT-1 Corvette (shown in photo at right) and a 1976 Corvette

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Growing up, my uncles had classic Mopars and that stuck with me.

What was your first purchase?
When I was 15, I bought a 1970 Dodge Challenger.

Best part of this type of hobby?
There is fun and satisfaction in the restoration process and attending car shows.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
My 1972 was previously owned by the 1973 Heisman Trophy winner (Penn State running back) John Cappelletti in the early 1980s when he resided in San Diego and played for the Chargers.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
A 1977 Jeep CJ-7 — both my 3- and 5-year-old boys want one.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
On my want list is both a 1969 Dodge Charger and a 1972 Chevrolet 4X4 pickup.

Top of Page

Leonard Ingram — Executive Director, Mid Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast Societies for Trenchless Technology

Currently Owns:
My wife Suzy owns a mint condition blue and white 1955 Buick Special. I own a 1976 Honda 125 motorcycle that is an all-aluminum frame and body bike for wood racing. The bike is in fair condition.

What was your first purchase?
The 1955 Buick Special car was my first classic car purchase. I bought it as a 40th wedding anniversary present for my sweet wife Suzy and surprised her with it on Oct. 12, 2009.

Best part of this type of hobby?
I love driving the car and tinkering with because everyone notices you and it is easy to work on. Everything on it works good, but it is old and requires some attention. We very much enjoy decorating it with Auburn signage and attending Auburn football games with our kids, grandkids and Auburn friends. Before and after the games, we get a lot of fun and attention riding around Auburn playing our “War Eagle” fight song on the loud speakers. It also has a remote control for the CD player that we have a lot of fun with the opposition fans. The Grandkids love Gran and Granddaddy’s Auburn car.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
My last month of college, I bought a new 1969 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham with a 455 V8 engine that I drove for five years. It was a two-door light green canvas top with dark green bottom sporty car and was real sharp and fast for a big car. I wished I still had it. In 1976, I owned a dark yellow and black 1974 MG B in mint condition. I forgot how much I enjoyed it until is saw one recently in the country club parking lot. After thoroughly looking it over for a few minutes, I had a lot of memories about how I enjoyed my MG B. It was a two-seater with a three speed console stick shift and drove like a race car. It was an eye catcher to everyone. I also owned a black 1958 Cushman Eagle motor scooter that I enjoyed going to class on while at Auburn University because I could weave through traffic, park it anywhere and there were no complaints.

Top of Page

Matt Timberlake — Vice President, Ted Berry Co. Inc.

Currently owns:
1948 Ford F-1 pickup

What was your first purchase?
1948 Ford F-1 pickup

Best part of this type of hobby?
Being able to go back in time if even for a short time and feel like you are reliving some of your ancestor’s memories. Nothing beats the feeling of being in a classic vehicle and knowing that your grandfather and great grandfather probably drove the same back roads in the same type of vehicle more than 60 years ago.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I really wanted to buy a Ford F-1 pickup and have it painted red as that has been the Ted Berry Co. color since its inception in 1972. There is a local buy and sell paper that comes out weekly in Maine and I had been looking for a few years for a truck that I could look at and possibly afford, finally one day one almost jumped out of the pages of the paper to me. I made plans to go look at the truck with my friend on a Saturday and was confident enough that I brought a trailer and cash! Inside of an old Maine barn covered in dust there it was — a grey primer Ford 1948 F-1 just as I envisioned it. I bought it on the spot. After getting it home and the halo wearing away I realized this was more of a “fixer upper” than I thought and went from a little fix up to a virtual complete rebuild. During the rebuild, I spend hundreds of hours myself and way too much money fixing it up how I wanted it but it was mine. I was adamant that it stay as original as possible and still has the original flathead engine and 3-speed transmission however I did need to upgrade the electrical system to 12 volt and add radial tires.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
The year I finished my truck was 1998 and at the time I owned a limited edition Ford F-150 50th Anniversary truck, I painted the 1948 the same Ford color as the 1998 and had essentially two trucks exactly 50 years apart the same color. I wish I still had them both but am glad the one I kept was the ’48.

Top of Page

Terry Flynn — Business Development, Tulsa Rig Iron

Currently owns:
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, 1966 Chevrolet C-10 Pickup, 1977 Jeep CJ-7 and a 1926 Ford Model T Coupe street rod building for my son.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Previous to my energy industry career, I spent 20 years in the hot rod and restoration parts industry and have had countless muscle cars over the years.

What was your first purchase?
My very first car was a 1967 Pontiac GTO with Tri-Power induction. I begged and pleaded until my father finally caved in and got it for me.

Best part of this type of hobby?
There’s nothing more exhilarating than stabbing the throttle on a big V-8 engine and rowing through the gears. Besides just the love of cars, it’s a much safer investment than the stock market!

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
The 1969 Camaro was purchased by my wife’s father in 1971. Its first two years were spent racing at the local drag strip, and had only a couple of thousand miles on it at that time. Now it has only 46,000 miles on it. An old cliche, but if I had a nickel for every time someone seriously tried to buy the car over the years- I’d be very rich!

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
I have always kicked myself for selling my GTO. I’ve even rummaged through old photos of it for the license tag number and tried backtracking through the state to try and find it. I’ll always be on the lookout for it.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
The two cars currently at the top of my wish list are a Ford Model A Sedan street rod, and a 1955 Chevy Bel Air Coupe. I’ll be crossing both off the list at some point!

Top of Page

Larry Kiest — President, LMK Technologies

Click here to see Larry Kiest’s YouTube video.

Currently owns:
Vehicles: 1950 Dodge pickup, 1968 Mustang with 302 engine, 1985 Army Deuce – all wheel drive with snorkel, 2007 Corvette Convertible and a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 470 HP. Motorcycles: 1940 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead with suicide shift, 1942 Harley-Davidson Flathead, 1948 Indian Chief, 1948 Harley-Davidson Servi-Car,1948 Panhead Chopper (shown in photo at right) – 401st Panhead engine ever made (One of the oldest known pans by Harley-Davidson today), 1965 Harley-Davidson Panhead electric glide, Custom built Sucker Punch Sally with jockey shift, 1995 Harley-Davidson Bad Boy, 2000 Harley-Davidson Bagger and 2012 Harley-Davidson Screaming Eagle

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I’ve had a motorcycle since I was in fourth grade and have always enjoyed working on things like old cars and motorcycles.

What was your first purchase?
My first Harley was the 1995 Bad Boy.

Best part of this type of hobby?
Riding them. I ride them all.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
My wife and I had an outdoor wedding, and after the ceremony, instead of walking back down the aisle, we rode off on my 1948 Panhead Chopper. Also, a few years ago, my wife and I were in Milwaukee for the Harley-Davidson 100-year anniversary. Harley had an exhibit of its old bikes, and we pulled in on my 1940 Knucklehead, which was better quality than the one they had in the museum.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
1957 Buick Special. It was 19.5 ft long and was very cool.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
The James Bond Aston Martin with the machine guns coming out of the bumper.

Top of Page

Gregg Shelton — International Territory Manager, American Augers Inc.

Currently owns:
1941 Packard 120 Touring Sedan

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
I have always loved cars. When I was around 6 or 8 years old, I would sit in the front seat of my parents’ car and my Dad would ask: What kind of car is that and that and so on? I would give him the make and the model and the year of the car. It became a game to stump me. That led to the love of automobiles that I never lost.

What was your first purchase?
1976 Fiat Spyder. Everyone told me: “Gregg, that car will cause you all kinds of problems.” I had the car for five years and put 126,000 miles on it with very few problems. It did help that I am very mechanically inclined.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had?
I had a 1966 Impala Super Sport convertible. I loved that car. You could take all your friends out in it anytime — it was just so much fun! We would all pile into that car and go to the beach for the week-end or go out at night.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
1956 Cadillac Deville Series 62 convertible

Best part of this type of hobby?
Anyone in the hobby will tell you it is the people – then the cars. This hobby brings together all people from all walks of life. From Jay Leno, to the guy down the street.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
The car I have now was purchased by a doctor in Cummings, Ga. The good doctor owned it from 1941 to 1958 and then his wife sold it to a used car dealer who parked it. It changed hands about two more times until it ended up in Chickamauga, Ga., and placed in a barn. It shared space with the mice and peacocks. It has 33,000 documented miles and we are in the process of a total restoration. It is true, there are still good old cars out there in Barns, warehouses and storage facilities. I purchased the car in 2005 and when we moved for American Augers Inc. to Texas, and then to Arizona, I dragged the Packard along. Then in 2011 we moved back to Chattanooga, Tenn. We are now working on paint, bodywork and chrome. This restoration started five years ago and I estimate we have three years to go.

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
My wife and I enjoy older antique type things. Ever since I was a co-op student at Auburn University, I have been an antique collector of many kinds of clocks, cameras, guns, knives, coins, tools, pictures, furniture, etc. In 1970, we bought an old colonial-style home in my hometown of Selma Ala. Over a period of years we have mostly personally refurbished the old house into a beautiful home that is the label picture on canisters of our family company business, Cahaba Products, Inc., the manufacturer of “Southern Flavor Seasonings www.southernflavor.com .

Best part of this type of hobby?
I love driving the car and tinkering with because everyone notices you and it is easy to work on. Everything on it works good, but it is old and requires some attention. We very much enjoy decorating it with Auburn signage and attending Auburn football games with our kids, grandkids and Auburn friends. Before and after the games, we get a lot of fun and attention riding around Auburn playing our “War Eagle” fight song on the loud speakers. It also has a remote control for the CD player that we have a lot of fun with the opposition fans. The Grandkids love Gran and Granddaddy’s Auburn car.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks.
This car is very similar to my wife’s first car that she learned to drive with. I picked her brain a little at a time to get the information about her first car. Then found this classic car on the Internet in mint condition and bought it and had it shipped to me without her knowing. When I gave it to her on our 40th anniversary, she was really surprised and appreciated it very much, but later told me that she had really rather had gotten diamonds. Yep, I told her “We both can enjoy the 55” and we have very much.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
I would love to buy my good friend Jerry Hatfield’s 1956 Corvette. It is burgundy on the bottom with a black rag top and in mint condition inside and out. It is in great condition and worth about $100,000 and or better. In 1956 as a young Allstate motor scooter owner out throwing my paper route, I enjoyed watching the Corvettes tooling around town. Most were owned by the young “Prop Heads” from Craig Field, the local Air Force Base training facility. All us youngsters wanted to just drive a Corvette one time and dreamed of someday owning one. My son bought one four year age and I have driven it several times and drove way to fast. Not good! I had to quit driving it.

Top of Page

Merrill Anders — Vice president and Semi-retired, Henkels and McCoy Inc.

Currently owns:
1965 Corvette Roadster (shown in photo at right) and 1934 Steel Ford Victoria Street Rod

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Since high school — I would love to have my 65 GTO and 69 Roadrunner in the barn.

What was your first purchase?
1957 Morris Minor Convertible 24HP 4 speed.

Best part of this type of hobby?
Networking with neat people with same interest.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I am the fifth owner of our 1965 Corvette. The car came to me from a guy that wanted a boat-boy do I love boats for that reason. I had no idea what I was going to get, so I paid a National Corvette Restorers Society judge $125 to go over the car and give me what the resale value would be – he did and said to me if I did not buy the car he was going to. The value he put on the car was $5,000 more than what the gentlemen wanted so the deal was made. The car came with documentation through all its owners showing 99 percent of all fuel that has been placed in the tank, the price per gallon (34.9 for high test first tank California) and the locations where purchased. The car was born July 2, 1965. It has all original unrepaired fiberglass although it was repainted after being shipped from California to King of Prussia, Pa. and the paint was scratched during shipping. The only number that does not match is the front windshield. The car is radio delete and has an open 3:36 rear two things which are very rare especially for a car purchased in San Francisco, Calif.. The car still bears the original Black Tag California plate on the front bumper. I have visited the home of the original owner now no longer with us and the dealership in downtown San Francisco still in business today. Also I have talked to the other four owners who are heartbroken that they let it go for whatever reason. One fellow to pay for his daughter’s wedding. The marriage lasted a year. The car unlike so many that are said to have low mileage has 158,000 miles on it and is like new. I started mechanically rebuilding it from the rear forward and had a blast doing so.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
I have it — 65 Corvette convertible 4 speed. I set out to buy one three times over the years and every time ended up with something else.

Top of Page

Brian Maciej — President, Lime Valley Advertising, Inc. — Engaged in the trenchless industry since 1992 representing clients such as TT Technologies, Condux International, Underground Tools, NASTT and TuffRod

Currently Owns:
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy Pace Car edition

How did you get involved with classic car/truck/motorcycle collecting?
Watching auctions and going to car shows and roll-ins with friends.

What was your first purchase?
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy Pace Car edition

Best part of this type of hobby?
Definitely the friendships that develop at shows and roll-ins. This hobby attracts real people to real events, not just social media.

Unique story behind one of your cars/motorcycles/trucks?
I searched for a couple of years most recently specifically for this vehicle because it was the car everyone wanted when I was in high school. Back then, it stickered for over $14,600, out of reach for most students. I watched auctions and scanned the trade magazines and finally found one that wasn’t beat to heck. In fact, it’s likely one of the best preserved examples in the country with only 450 actual miles on it. I bought it from a Chevy dealer in Springhill, La. in 2013. The interior is still wrapped in plastic from the factory.

Is there a vehicle that you no longer own that you wish you still had? Why?
I had a 1977 Camaro 350 V8 with a 4bbl carb. I’d like to have that back.

What would be your dream classic car purchase if you could do it?
1967, 1969 and 1993 Camaro Indy Pace Car editions.

I’m glad GM quality has improved greatly since then and that they brought the Camaro back into production in 2010. This car certainly brings me back in time!
Top of Page