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Scott
with one of his
Sunbeam Alpines |
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I owe my passion for classic cars and
collecting literature to my father, who when I was young
enough to remember, would take me along on his literature
collecting jaunts, grabbing one or two copies of anything
he could get his hands on. This was in the 1970s, when
car manufacturers still produced lavish brochures and
a variety of materials to lure the prospective buyer.
Like me, my father also started at a very early age,
visiting all the dealerships in his native Milwaukee,
Wisconsin as a young lad in the late 1940s / early 1950s,
begging, borrowing, and sometimes stealing to get that
elusive piece. He once told me of his trick in checking
the glove boxes of rental cars in order to add to his
growing collection of owner's manuals!
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Growing up I was aware of the numerous
boxes stored in the basement, literally stuffed with
literature from the 1950s through the 1990s, but rare
were the opportunities to glimpse this collection as
security was tight and justice swift if I dipped my
sticky hands into this treasure trove. Full color brochures,
both large and small; press photos; dealer albums; paint
chips; owner's manuals - the list goes on and on. When
I was allowed a glimpse I was amazed to see names I
was not familiar with - Kaiser, Packard, Studebaker,
Willys, Hudson. My father's collection brought history
to life as I dreamt of those bygone days when car manufacturers
were plentiful, and the new model introduction was a
city-wide celebration.
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My particular interest is in the cars
offered by the English manufacturer The Rootes Group.
Names such as Sunbeam, Hillman, Humber, Singer, Commer,
and Karrier spur me on to collect. Have you noticed
that owning the literature simply isn't enough? It usually
leads to a purchase or two of the actual car. To date
my garage houses a 1961 Humber Super Snipe, a 1963 Sunbeam
Alpine, and a recent addition, a rare 1962 Sunbeam Harrington
Le Mans, one of only 250 built.
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For me, collecting the literature helps
in restoration, and I have a special appetite for original
press photos. Dealer stamps on the brochures are an
added bonus, especially since I've had the privilege
of talking with some of these ex-Rootes dealers over
the years.
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Now a grown adult with two young boys
of my own, I hope to impart this love for classic cars
and literature to my own children in order to keep my
father's legacy alive. Thanks Dad for giving me an appreciation
for the cars of your youth, and for passing along a
hobby I can one day enjoy with my own sons.
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