Classic American Magazine 337 May 2019 Edizione posteriore

What’s big, white and frightening? Well, it could be the ’62 Chrysler Newport that we’re featuring in this month’s issue. It, along with a few other cars and their young owner/drivers, highlights this month’s theme of young owner/drivers of American cars, a breed you might sometimes be led to believe doesn’t exist.

Now, don’t get me wrong, owning and running an American car is never going to be as cheap as running a little Honda Civic or the like... but it’s not impossible, as these hardy souls have illustrated. Having parents or family that are already into the scene is a big help, as is a little mechanical knowledge. For me it’s reassuring to know that there’s another generation of American car enthusiasts coming up and that our interest/hobby/whatever you want to call it will continue for the foreseeable future.

Another thing that interested me with at least two of these cars, for want of another word, is their ‘patina’ (or a bit scruffy-looking). In a way, this appreciation we now have for ‘original’ or patina’d cars is something to be welcomed. For youngsters it makes sense; a scruffy car can be cool and it means those sorts of cars are actually accessible and viable financially, as long as they are mechanically reliable and safe.

Well, summer is just around the corner, so all that remains is for me to wish you safe cruising!