June 1 has come and gone, as has Spring.  Yet, as the first official post here, I wanted to honor the car that inspired my obsession with cars as I know it.  This car was my first foray into researching a car’s history, attempting to connect myself with its past, as well as hunting for the most obscure parts and unobtainium.  I started when the internet was a small thing that people traded emails through; at a time when eBay was a much smaller place with a limited assortment of trinkets, a time when Hemming’s was the only real go-to source for anyone in the car hobby.  It’s amazing how far we have actually come and how far we have yet to go.

On June 1, 1965, this Vintage Burgundy T-5 rolled off the assembly plant in Metuchen, NJ.  She has had at least 7 owners over the last 49 years, but has spent the last 11 years with me.  Parts for this car were sourced from around the world, but amazingly, the original T-5 emblems were only 10 miles from where I bought the car. 

Although my inspiration for working on this car came from my family.  Restoring Betsy back into a T-5 was greatly enabled by Gary Hanson, who had an early web presence and serves as the American T-5 ambassador.  I still remember the day clearly when he was on the phone with me while I measured a seemingly random pattern of holes on my fender which ended up being the missing piece of the puzzle, confirming my car was a T-5. 

What ever your passion is, there are people like Gary seeking to share their knowledge with you who you must seek out.  Although they may be hard to find, the quest is worthwhile when you realize the value of a mentor.  The only payment most people will ever ask, is that you too help those who come to you and keep our great hobby alive.

Happy Birthday Betsy and thank you!