Thursday, December 5, 2013

A Car Guy With Heart.


And here I thought that I was the biggest car fan around! Turns out I'm not, not by a longshot. A certain Cort Stevens, who I have not yet had the pleasure to meet but have exchanged with for years, outdoes me big time. He is the creator of one of my favourite Facebook pages, 'Old Cars, Strong Hearts'. Cort himself posts plenty of photos and stories, but he also lets page members post their pictures of old cars and advertisements and toys, and even shares ads for cars and parts for sale.


I get a real kick out of the mix of automotive wonders he posts, from old American classics to quirky Japanese sports cars to unidentifiable European oddballs. If it's car-related it's allowed, and as a result you never know what you're going to find. There are great sites out there for specific types of cars, but none are quite as good at showing such a broad range that will appeal to your typical old car fan.
When I first got to know Cort he was a massive Chevrolet Monte Carlo fan, and had owned many of these legendary RWD coupes. 'Monte Carlo' may evoke images of a rich, sunny gambling paradise to Europeans, but a tried and true North American gearhead knows that it's the name of a large traditional sports coupe from the 1970's and 1980's.  While he still has a Monte, these days he is more of a Chevrolet Caprice Classic fan, with a 1979 sitting alongside a 1989 in his garage. The Caprice is a legend in its own right, and is the kind of roomy RWD landbarge cruisemobile that is no longer built.

(As an aside, I personally have a troubled history with the Caprice... it was my dad's 1988 Caprice Classic station wagon, kitchen-appliance white with a burgundy interior... sitting in the rearward facing third row of seats, watching the road roll out from underneath the rear window and trying not to throw up... but I digress...)

For those that don't eat, breath and sleep cars, Cort likes to share his vast musical knowledge too. He regularly provides 'CD Showcases', with links to great old songs that one can easily imagine blasting while out on a roadtrip. Many of the songs are well known, but quite a few are true hidden gems that I only discovered thanks to the 'Old Cars, Strong Hearts' page.

Ah yes, the heart. This is the part that makes this online group even more special. I don't know all of the details, and wouldn't dare try to tell his story, but Cort is quite open about the fact that he has been through multiple heart surgeries. He recently posted a story on his 'OC,SH' page about a fellow heart-surgery friend who passed away last week. It was a touching tribute that spoke of their meeting as Cort enjoyed the experience of a lifetime, a "Coast-to-Coast" roadtrip across the US in 2011. What better way for someone who loves cars, and music, and people to spend their time than driving across the country in a car he loves, music blaring, meeting dozens of people who share his passions and trials and joys?
Cort, if ever you want to get some attention, ship your shiniest Caprice over here and organise a European roadtrip! I guarantee that you'll turn some heads, and I'd be more than happy to join you for the ride. I'll drive and you can be DJ! And that's at the heart of being a 'car guy', right?

 

5 comments:

  1. Paul,
    What a great article about Cort and his passions that he works so kindly shares with the rest of us! I agree whole heartedly with everything you said. The variety of all kinds of nostalgic and interesting items (music, toys, ads, actual cars currently for sale, personal stories, trivia, polls, inspirational posts and more) in addition to the classic cars, keeps it fresh and multi-faceted, and it's obvious he puts A LOT of work into his page. Anyone can find something to enjoy there. I'd recommend anyone give it a visit, don't forget to "like" and "share" things that you enjoy so he knows what people are enjoying and he can see what kinds of things people want to see more of!
    I consider it must visit "internet destination" because as you said, it's not narrowly focused; it's got so much variety that you can easily spend lots of stress-free time there experiencing many different kinds of entertainment, unlike so many places online that are full of debate and anger....Cort's page is always a fun and welcoming place. And interaction is the key! As you know, Cort and many of the members love to discuss the variety of topics that are featured.
    You're a good guy and great friend to write this. I hope people check out Cort's page and get in on the fun!
    Cody F

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    1. Well thanks Cody! Cort inspired me to write that, as he's a great guy and a super old-car resource with what is certainly the most well-rounded site out there! I enjoy babbling in my corner here, but he really created a cool enjoyable car community, and I figured he deserved some recognition! Thanks again!

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    2. You're more than welcome Paul!
      He is everything you said, I have learned a lot about cars (and so much more) from Cort. I love the page, try to go there as often as I can. Always afraid I might miss something! LOL! There's so much going on there. Very kind of you to give him that deserved recognition.
      Hope to continue to see you there, and here, in the future!
      :)
      Cody F

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    3. Thank you, both ... sure appreciate your kind words.
      (Cort S)

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  2. On a related note, another great site has this promo video up from the 1984 version of the Monte Carlo I mentioned:

    http://testdrivejunkie.com/1984-chevrolet-monte-carlo-manufacturer-promo/

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