Classic cars make their seasonal appearance

You see them zipping by in the milder months. With colors of deep teal, metallic brown, a rare powder blue, some emit beep-beeps while others rumble mightily.

They are the vintage cars of Alaska, on display now. Like showy birds, they largely go away before bad weather arrives, their owners careful to protect against snow, potholes and inattentive drivers.

"These cars are meant to be seen," said Eli Guzmán, whose Chevrolet Bel Air required 10 years of work. It had belonged to his great-uncle. Restoring it became a labor of love between Eli and his father.

Eli's car has won several car shows and he was proudly showing it off at a car show at the Dimond Mall in early September that was organized by the Antique Auto Mushsers of Alaska.

The Antique Automobile Club of America https://aaca.org/ has two regions in Alaska: the Vernon L. Nash Antique Auto Club of Fairbanks and the Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska based in Anchorage. Both groups meet up during the summer and share tips and expertise.

Sonny Byrd, Jr. is a recent addition to the Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska. He is 50 and owns a milk-chocolate brown 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air. The car is a beauty, known for one-year-only styling, quad headlights, and expansive chrome trim. Byrd beams when he talks about Daisy Bel, as she is named, or is in her proximity.

Richard Golding is the president of the Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska. He sprinkles dad humor throughout his conversation, to the mock exasperation of his wife, Linda Mattes-Golding, who is a past president of the club.

When asked how one gets into vintage vehicles, he replied without missing a beat, "Usually through side doors."

The Antique Auto Mushers were described by two different members as an eating club with a car problem, and sure enough, Senior Voice caught up with them one evening in early September outside Sami's City Diner on the corner of Minnesota Avenue and Benson Boulevard in Midtown Anchorage. It was easy to spot them, as several immaculate vehicles were parked outside, including a silky 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider. A cherry-red 1967 version was featured in the film "The Graduate." There was a powder-blue Citroën that belongs to the Goldings, a Rolls Royce and other vintage models.

The club's last car show of the season was Sept. 5 at the Dimond Mall, but it won't be long until some of the cars are out again on the open road.

"Blacky" Black, a Vietnam vet with two long-haired Dachshunds and two Model As at the car show, said he drives one of them in the winter. He puts cables on the rear tires of the four-door coupe. There are some things you have to know, like how to work a double clutch and deal with a spark advance. He also mentioned that the car has narrower tires than you'll find on modern vehicles. "You're fighting the steering wheel." But it was not a complaint.

Golding and Mattes-Golding both emphasized that the vintage car club makes appearances at assisted living and other residences, often engaging with residents about the make, model and memories of a particular car. Many members also participate in a series of visible events, such as the Fourth of July parade in downtown Anchorage and the Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River.

Tom Cresap, wearing a flat cap hat (some might call it a driver's hat) is the longtime editor of The Tinkering Times, the club's newsletter.

He was a teacher with a few extra dollars when he decided to get himself a Model T for a birthday present. By building homes, he was able to supplement his teacher's income and add to his collection. But the real gift has been the friendships he's made along the way.

"This is like a family," he said. "We pat each other on the back."