High Beams On...

We have a wide range of members in the Old Farts Sports Car Club and this time caught in the High Beams is James. When I told him that his name had been drawn from my oil can, he asked what kind of oil, being caught on the spot I made up an answer, but he was willing to talk to me anyway. We were in the breakfast area of a hotel {get your minds outta the gutter} it was at the Decatur Sleep Over and other Old Farts were there.
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I learned James had been a drag racer a few years back, he mentioned racing at a couple of drag strips but I’ll bet he did a little on the streets too. You know how tempting some of those straight-aways can be. He had lots of fun when he raced at drag strips in Tyler and Porter, the Gulf Freeway and at the old Naval air strip in Victoria. His car was a 1932 Ford coupe, chopped and channeled with a 304 Chevy engine followed later by a 1931 Ford roadster. Although he liked drag racing he put it aside for love of family. He and his wife have now been married forever, I mean just F~O~R~E~V~E~R. Next time you see him, ask about his drag racing days and see a smile cross his face and his eyes light up, and remember he doesn’t speed now because James does not own a highway.
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I found James to be a confidante man happy to talk about cars. I asked about his first one, it was co-owned through a partnership with his brother. I have a feeling that traffic slowed down when their car was one the street, let me elaborate a little. It was black and white, like a police car, a 1955 Chevy 2 door sedan. In fact it had belonged to the Cotulla Sheriff Department when they bought it. {Can you hear the sirens?} It wasn’t long before he bought his own, a 1958 Impala with air suspension. A really cool car to drive, James said, because the suspension could be adjusted on the front and back, low rider, high rider, and all points in between.
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James went through a long list of cars he has owned both new and used in fact a couple times he had the same model more then once. He and wife Charlotte figure upwards of about 35-40 cars, that’s a long way from that first one that was co-owned. His dream car {I bet it changes every year} a new 2007 Corvette and he would probably like that in a red please the medium classic red color he associates with power. Now don’t get me wrong James is not power hungry he just happens to like cars with “brute power, raw brute power.”
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Time for his favorites:
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drive- anywhere he can see things new or old, just the act of driving itself is a pleasure for him
food- if pressed he would have to say {yes I pressed} crab cakes from Maryland
music- rock-n-roll all the way mostly 50s and 60s
season- fall for the changes in color and temperature
time of day- anytime and all the time because he is blessed with another one
book- James is not by habit a reader, but he would have to say the Bible is a good one
color- red, it’s hot and powerful
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James is a Can Do kinda guy, he really doesn’t like to hear anyone say that they can’t do something. I’m sure we all understand this pet peeve, who among us has never gotten a bit peeved when told, “I can’t”? He described himself as outgoing with a friendly personality who loves people {I agree}.
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He has no allergies nor does he name cars. Although his dad had a Chevy they called Molly Belle. James is the second of four boys. He was not sure what he wanted to be when he grew up, so he went to work for Exxon like a lot of Texas boys. Currently he owns a tractor dealership with his son. James handles sales and service {more of that people side of his personality}. While still waiting to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up he is happy hanging out with Old Farts, buying, selling and working on cars and of course enjoying life with his wife along the way. He’s a pretty neat guy and if you get the chance to talk with him be sure you do.
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Here’s the recommendation James offers to us…
Live your life like you want, let others live theirs and love the Lord.
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See ya