Among the community of classic car owners in 91原创, David Turner is known for owning a lot of cars, rarely for very long.
At 76, the Fernridge resident isn鈥檛 exactly sure how many have passed through his hands.
鈥淚鈥檝e probably had 30 good cars, cars that were fixed up nice for car shows,鈥� he estimated.
鈥淥ver a lifetime, I鈥檝e probably had a couple hundred.鈥�
His very first car acquisition came about when he and his brother asked about a neglected 1946 Ford, and the owner said the two teens could have it for free, if they could push it off the property..
They did. As it turned out all the old car needed was a new fuel pump, and the brothers were able to sell it.
鈥淚t think we got $20,鈥� Turner laughed.
His interest in cars started getting serious about the time Turner was 18, and he bought his first car for driving, a 1956 Ford that was a former California police cruiser.
After putting a lot of work into fixing it up, he didn鈥檛 get to drive it very long, because the car got hit by a drunk driver.
鈥淚t was a write-off,鈥� Turner recalled.
鈥淗e [the other driver] had no insurance.鈥�
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After that, Turner went on to acquire many other vehicles, getting into the habit of buying them and working on them until someone else was willing to purchase them.
It was more of a hobby than a business, he explained.
鈥淚t was just for the fun of building them,鈥� Turner told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淲hen I was finished, I鈥檇 get bored. As soon as I get them to the point where you can sell them, I sell them.鈥�
A high point, he recalls, was selling his prized 1964 Comet, after 20 years of ownership, to Bill Gates鈥� neighbour in Seattle.
Now retired from his job with the Township water department, and a later job at a stove and stone store than lasted about 10 years, Turner still keeps an eye out for potential acquisitions.
鈥淚鈥檓 always looking.鈥�
Turner spotted his latest project while he was out for a drive and saw a neglected 1995 Firebird.
鈥淚 found it in the back of a barn out in Aldergrove. It was one of those ones you鈥檝e got to have,鈥� he related.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 more than 20 in B.C.鈥�
It needed a lot of work.
鈥淚t was pretty rough.鈥�
It took about 60 hours just to clean accumulated grime from the body, engine compartment and wheels, and get the T-roof locks working, among other things.
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By the time he showed up for the annual Brogan鈥檚 Diner car show fundraiser against cancer, he said the car hadn鈥檛 been repainted yet.
The upholstery was in good shape, though, and he covered the driver鈥檚 side seat with a towel for protection.
Other than that, it was in good running order, perfectly able to handle the demands of a four-hour drive to Harrison and back.
Admittedly, it was a different choice for Turner, who usually ends up working on classic hot rods.
鈥淚 just wanted something different,鈥� he explained.
鈥淣o matter what you do to a classic hot rod, it鈥檚 still not comfortable. These are a little bit more comfortable and fun to drive. And it鈥檚 collectible.鈥�
He was able to make the round-trip in comfort with a working car heater while some hot rod owners ended up getting pretty cold, he related.
A 20-year-old grandson, aware of Turner鈥檚 tendency to lose interest in projects when completed, has been dropping hints about the Firebird.
Bad news for the grandchild; Turner isn鈥檛 planning on selling this one, although he concedes old habits might be hard to break.
鈥淚 hope not [to sell], this time,鈥� is how he described his decision.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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