If you grew up as I did, you probably had a number of car posters on your wall. We used to have these book fair events at our school a couple of times a year. My father would give me extra scratch so I could pick out different car and truck books. Those books usually had a tear-out poster or two in them of something I wanted to drive when I grew up.
Eclipses & Tornadoes
My coming of age was in an automotive era where cars like the Dodge Viper, BMW M Roadster, and the Acura Integra Type R were headliners. At the same time, eyes were also on these “new” Lexus and Infiniti cars, which seemed like something out of the future. As a kid, I loved the Mazda Miata and still do at almost 40. In high school, I wanted a Mitsubishi Eclipse something fierce.
In our rural Iowa community, and amongst us kids at the lunch table, the battle was always between Chevy and Ford trucks. Although after seeing Twister over summer vacation in 1996, none of us could deny the awesomeness of the Dodge Ram. When the father of one of my classmates purchased a red Ram that September, all bets were off. Dodge was “in the club.”
Growing up, we used to talk about what it might be like to drive the vehicles we loved. It was a pipe dream then, considering we didn’t have gainful employment or even a driver’s license! Now that I am older, though, I keep thinking about the exact same thing. I wonder what it would be like to drive some of these vehicles I never had a chance to.
And that’s the basis for The Collector Car Hobby by Richard Reina.
About The Collector Car Hobby E-Book
This new e-book provides an overview of how first-timers can enter the collector car hobby on a budget and acquire the vehicle they have always wanted to own. Readers will learn how to search for a classic car, what to look for and what to ask a potential seller, and how to care for older vehicles properly.
“As someone who has been immersed in the collector car hobby for the past 40 years, I’m continually educating myself by reading everything I can about the hobby,” Reina said. “I’ve also met hundreds of people who are either in the old car hobby or want to know how they can get into it.”
In The Collector Car Hobby, Reina addresses one of the biggest misconceptions about the hobby: that you have to be independently wealthy. The collector car hobby is more than just six-figure hot rods and flashy, high-dollar car shows. While having a budget and knowing what to look for is essential, it’s not necessary to win the lottery.
“As I have for years, I counter that argument with real-world examples of the affordable cars I see at car shows and auctions,” Reina explained. “Sure, big-block muscle cars and rare exotics continue to bring the big bucks. However, if you seriously want to enter the hobby and are willing to consider something different, there are plenty of choices that will open up your world to all the fun that the hobby brings.”
How To Get The Collector Car Hobby
The Collector Car Hobby is available via a free download. “The fact is, there are plenty of people who may like old cars but don’t know how to take that first step into the hobby,” Reina added. “This group is the primary audience for this e-book.”
Richard Reina has been an auto enthusiast since the age of two when his dad taught him the difference between a Chevy and a Ford. During his 23-year career at Volvo Cars North America, he held various service and technical roles and often traveled to Sweden. Although busy with work, Reina still found time to embrace his love of collecting automobiles. He bought his first collectible, a 1957 Ford Skyliner retractable hardtop, just two months after graduating college.
He currently owns a 1967 Alfa Romeo and keeps a personal blog of all of his car-related adventures. Although he considers himself retired from music, he does still know his way around a drum set.
Reina is the Product Training Director for CARiD.com, an aftermarket parts retailer. For the last six years, he has served as Automoblog’s resident expert on the classic and collector car market. Reina has written numerous articles, sharing his experience with our readers and offering his expertise to me when I write on the topic of collector cars. In short, the place around here wouldn’t be the same without him.
