driving-force-online-october-2015-issue-2

7th Annual Collector Car Appreciation Day to be Celebrated July 8, 2016

The SEMA Action Network (SAN) announced that the next Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) will be celebrated on July 8, 2016. The date will mark the seventh consecutive commemoration in what is now an annual event to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society. A brief recap of the 2015 festivities is highlighted in the current issue of Driving Force—click here. Also, be sure to check out the full photo gallery at the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/semaphotos/sets/72157655281264095. The images sent in by this year’s event hosts are greatly appreciated.

“With the 2015 celebration now behind us, car enthusiasts and related businesses can begin planning open houses, car cruises, club gatherings and educational events to mark the 2016 commemoration” said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. “The passion for the collector car hobby that continues to be demonstrated by SAN members nationwide is most clearly evident in this special day.”

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David Block prepares Laurie, his Mustang Mach 1, for Friday night cruising on Michigan’s legendary Woodward Avenue in the 1970s. His father’s Gremlin, as well as old man Cooper's Pontiac Catalina and Lincoln Continental, are pictured in the background.

SEMA’s own David Block was first attracted to the auto hobby when he began to help his dad change the oil on the family’s 65 Ford LTD 500. “I was eight years old and fascinated,” David recalls. “Ever since, I have struggled to find the balance between my career and my hobby pursuits.” As a teen, he rarely found time to take his Mach 1 out to Detroit, Michigan’s famed Woodward Avenue on Friday nights. “I had to bus tables for $2.35 per hour. Gas was $.55 a gallon and a loaf of bread was about $.89. I could eat at McDonalds and be full for under $2. Still, my whole life was over. I couldn't cruise Woodward.”

In 1976 he joined his first car club, the Wayne High Warriors, which was comprised of fellow students and their late-60s muscle cars. While he has great memories of those halcyon days of his youth, David dreams of one day owning—or even seeing in person—a Vector W8 Twin Turbo.

David first began his career with SEMA in 2003. Over the years, he’s held a number of positions, including his current job as Advertising Coordinator for the association’s publications. He began helping to represent the SEMA Action Network (SAN) in 2004 on the Hot Rod Magazine’s annual Power Tour. “After that initial experience, I was hooked and continued being a Long Hauler for several years. The Power Tour convinced me that the SAN’s legislative efforts are our only avenue to protect our hobby and industry.” Being a California resident for more than 25 years, David knows of what he speaks. “Generally, laws and regulations that restrict our hobby begin in California,” he explains. “However, on the other hand, the positive laws enacted in our state can also have the effect of creating opportunities for builders, hot rodders, tuners and restorers all over America.” His advice for anyone interested in joining the SAN’s efforts to create hobby-friendly laws, “turn up the volume. The SAN is as successful as the commitment of its membership to have its voice heard. We can’t back off now.”

Thanks for the endorsement, David. We hope to see you on Woodward in the years to come.

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