SEMA SAN STRIKE FORCE

"To keep the hobby alive, it is really important to put the vehicles that we drive and enjoy exposed and available to the general public," explains Don Amundson.  As such, he and his wife took their Sheltie puppy out to celebrate Collector Car Appreciation Day (CCAD) earlier this year at Fife, Washington's Pick Quick Drive-in.  Don says the landmark opened in 1949 and is one of the state's oldest drive-ins still operated by the same family.  "For me and my friends—while we may not travel as a group for the holiday—we still make an effort to pick out a venue that is relative to some aspect of the hobby."  For the occasion, the family drove their "survivor" 1959 Dodge Coronet 2-door.  "Painted in Coral and White, the car is 100% original and I'm the second owner!"  Its powered by a 326 cu. in. engine with polyspherical heads and has a two-speed push-button transmission.

"I've been all about Mopar offerings since 1976," Don recalls.  His first collector car was a 383 Magnum 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner convertible.  It was sold to raise funds for the purchase of his first street rod.  In 1983, the family took a memorable five-week trip to Virginia with a 16-foot car trailer in tow.  The reason?  Picking up a 1934 Plymouth PE deluxe 2-door sedan.  Not surprisingly, his stable runs Mopar powerplants, such as the 318 and 360 cu. in. engines.  He even dropped a 1970 'Cuda 340 cu. in. V8 into a custom 1939 Plymouth.  Don finished his last personal street rod in 2012, which now has about 15,000 miles to date.  Currently, he's helping his second son with a street rod—a 1929 Model A sedan delivery. 

Don is no stranger to supporting the hobby through automotive groups either.  He's held the position of secretary-treasurer in the Valley Drifters Cruisin' Association for nearly 37 years.  Membership in the National Street Rod Association (NSRA) dates back to 1981.  He served as an NSRA State Safety Inspector between 1982-1992 and was awarded "Top Ten" nationally in seven of those years.  He returned to the post a second time in 2017 but retired at the end of 2018.  At 5,569 total inspections, his current lifetime count is impressive.  While he has remained on the safety team as an inspector, Don assumed a vacant position as the NSRA's Western Washington Street Rod Division Representative in January, 2019.  "I personally recognized the potential value of the SEMA Action Network (SAN) from the beginning.  Due to a lot of hard work and participation by supporters, our organization has become recognized in a positive manner!" 

So true, Don.  Thank you for continuing to leave your mark on our automotive family!