Hunk of Metal

When I was a kid, I was fascinated by cars. I loved everything about them. The way they looked, the smells of the interior, getting my hands dirty when working on them, I mean everything. I had a fairly large HotWheel collection that my friend and I would just sit and play with for hours. I drew renderings of cars. On of my favorite memories is how my dad and I would put together models of his favorite cars, what a bonding moment. And I wasn't just particular to one make of car, I loved them all. Ford, Chevy, and Oldsmobile were a few of my favorites.

As I got older, my anticipation to own and drive a vehicle could not be explained. I liked cars more than girls when I was a teenager. Getting my licsence was serious business for me. I passed with flying colors. The next order of business was getting a car. Fortunately, that was taken care of by my dad and grandma. Grandma bought a new, economical 1986 Honda and decided to give her 1976 Olds Cutlass to me as a surprise gift. I couldn't believe it. I actually slept in it for a couple of nights until by back started hurting. It wasn't the car I dreamed of having. Most of my friends had sports cars and muscle cars and this one was more along the lines of 70's luxury. But it served me well and it was free. It only took me two months to wreck it and then I went without for a while.

Years would go by and cars would come and go. I have owned sixteen cars since then. Currently I own just two. I have my daily driver, a 2001 Chevy Suburban, which serves as my work truck and my family transporter, and I have a 1999 Ford Mustang Saleen Replica.

Yesterday, my Suburban broke down. Being -4 degrees outside didn't help matters much. I have been having a lot of little problems with it lately, but this one really set me off. To me, it became a hunk of metal. Lots of people have used the term "Hunk of Metal" to label cars to me. But I disagree. To me it is more than just a car. It is someone's creation. It is their passion! Henry Ford revolutionalized the automobile for us. He had an idea and a passion for something that went beyond his conception. This passion defined who he was. Who would Henry Ford have been without this creation?

Sure, nothing lasts forever, and someday every car will be a hunk of metal.

But who is to say that we can't take what was old and make it new again?

One of my dreams is to purchase an old Mustang and restore it with on of my kids. It would be more than just bringing an old car back to life. It would be a time of learning, growing and bonding together with my kid. It would be a memory that would last forever and maybe even into eternity. So, to me, cars aren't just hunks of metal or just merely means of transportation. They are passions, ideas and American dreams. My love for cars goes beyond what they are designed for. They are art and a way for an individual to express themself. To me, they have a soul. A soul that could be renewed again after years of waiting in an auto graveyard.