Paul Simon’s music sounded different this week. Crisp, clear and most of all, comforting. Same with Elton John, (who had his 73rd birthday this week). His music was equally grounding. Pink Floyd was also on the shop speakers a lot this week.
These are influential sounds from my past, from times in my life that made more sense to me, when the floor was the floor, and a pandemic was more science fiction than reality. I so appreciate my own personal nostalgic soundtrack these days, when it is hard to tell what will come next.
Locked in our steel Bugeye Hut this week, I couldn’t help but marvel at the nostalgia that surrounds us inside. Nearly everything with wheels in our building was built between 1958 and 1960. Our building itself was built in 1951. We have chosen to surround ourselves with these old things, they make us feel better. And now more than ever, the cars we love, our old cars, matter that much more.
Nostalgia is a powerful remedy in this day and age. It is helping me stay strong and well for now. But even if I should get sick, we will be back, stronger than ever, grounded in the past, and ready for the future.
Because the other important quality that those of us who love classic cars all have in common, is the desire to make things better. We are fixers, builders, producers, and we are unstoppable, united when we see a path to improving that which lies ahead (that’s why we love old British sportscars, they all need improvement!). We will restore and evolve in the post pandemic reality. This is our gift.
This week, I looked through pictures of our Quonset Hut in the summer of 2015. At that time, you would never have thought it was possible to take a totally trashed structure (that many would have demolished) and make it into what it is today. Not just a cool, restored building, but a world headquarters for restoration of other cool old things (with a new extension on the back, no less). We’re not curing cancer in our building, but I think about our journey, and the pure realization of a vision that was unlikely every step of the way, and now, five years later, here we are, thriving. This is an expression of what is possible, when people set their minds to a common goal, and this very energy, this human capability, is exactly what will get us through this pandemic.
It may seem a leap from Sprite restoration to people suffering in overcrowded hospitals, but the human desire to repair, to improve, to contribute, this is what will make us stronger. No virus can take that away.
We are grateful for being in the nostalgia business. And in a business that makes people smile. Our work gives the world something fun to pull out of the garage, and from which to go out and explore the neighborhood and see it with new eyes.
When people are ready to come out and play again, we are happy to report that we are well-stocked with cars, parts and talent to support this little piece of our collective journey.
Come play with us.
With play and humor and a desire to make everything a little bit better when we touch it, we will all get through.
