Cars We Love & Who We Are
More than the polished parts and hard to find pieces, the special interest vehicles people collect embody the character of each owner. “Cars We Love & Who We Are” profiles individual special interest vehicles and the proud owner committed to its preservation.
Conversations with People We Value
Talking with skilled professionals who support our passion for collectible automobiles.
Roads We Remember
Some roads discovered far from home reward us with a once in a lifetime driving experience. Others are old friends revisited to elevate our spirits and celebrate the joy of life behind the wheel.
In Search of the 7th Royale Series – All the Episodes Here
Conversations With People We Value # 38
My experiences in Alaska benefited considerably from the character of many with whom I became acquainted. In some ways they projected a presence that seemed “realer” than that of the quasi-urbanized east coast sort common to where I call home. Not saying that either one holds an advantage as being better or worse as a human being, but realer? I say yes.
To a degree I believe that the beauty and challenge associated with life in this water wonderland that clings like a barnacle to the southern tip of Alaska shapes the character of those who call this archipelago home. It stamps each with a decidedly “made in Alaska” personality. Not so much a chip on their shoulder, far from it, it is more like they are playing an honest hand with chips in the game.
Emblematic of this living life in living color mentality is a woman whose trip to Ketchikan in 1985 profoundly altered her future vision. She never left. Meet Michelle Masden, Alaskan bush pilot.
Reaching the heights of her dreams on the wings of a deHavilland Beaver
Michelle Masden with Lady Esther
Smart, confident, engaging, rugged as the Alaskan terrain and just as pretty, Michelle Masden does not fit conventional wisdom’s image of an Alaskan bush pilot.
Interestingly, it was Michelle’s airplane that led to my meeting Michelle. Seeking the source of the powerful, lumpy, growl building from a radial engine peaking to a crescendo from a nearby waterfront dock led me to a beautifully restored vintage floatplane and its owner and pilot Michelle Masden.
Like a featured vehicle at a concours firing up to take a trophy lap, the plane, a 1959 deHavilland Beaver roared to life. Decked out in a striking livery of red, white and silver, it clearly took “Best in Show” among the area’s large population of floatplanes. Named the Lady Esther, it honors Michelle’s grandmother who hated to fly but whole-heartedly supported Michelle’s airborne dreams.
One of a series of deHavilland DHC-2 aircraft built between 1947 and 1967, now completely restored, this deHavilland Beaver started out as a military surveillance plane. As a military plane this model had been relied upon by more than 30 countries. It began life in 1959 equipped with a machine gun drive synchronized with magneto timing allowing it to fire harmlessly through […]
Conversations With People We Value #37
Recently my search for blue highways and good stories took me to the island town of Ketchikan, Alaska. Drawing its name from the Tlingit Indian tribe language, Ketchikan translates into “Thundering wings of an eagle.” Its name offers more than a hint of its character. A single road stretches the length of Ketchikan and it is the bluest of highways. A town of mostly rough structures reminiscent of old seaports, diverse cultures and an annual rainfall of 14 feet, Ketchikan clings tenaciously to the rugged granite face of Revillagigedo Island. For those who call it home, it seduces their love of nature and fully challenges their determined countenance to withstand winter’s fury. Stories are many. I have captured a few.
One such story is that of an engaging and cheerful mother and third grade math and science teacher who possesses world class street creds as an experienced “musher’ with multiple finishes in Alaska’s brutal 1,000-mile “Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.”
Meet Angie Taggart.
35 Below, 16 Dogs, 13 Days. Angie tackles Alaska’s Iditarod
Angie Taggart at Iditarod
Called by many the “Last Great Race” on the planet, the Iditarod draws a rare and hardy breed of men, women and dogs to a starting line on the first Saturday in March that begins a thousand mile race across a frozen trail from the ceremonial start in Anchorage to Nome during the bitter and cruel Alaskan winter.
Angie, her father John and Iditarod fan who made highest bid at fundraiser for a ride with the team
Meeting Angie Taggart does not immediately instill a sense of being in the company of a daredevil looking to test her physical and mental limits against one of the most punishing environments on earth. Making her acquaintance affords one an immediate sense of being in the presence of a woman both genuine and likeable. A ready smile and a sharp mind leave no doubt that she has the qualities of an excellent teacher. That she has the guts, courage and physical prowess to conquer the Iditarod, twice, not so much. However, in conversing with Angie you gain both a sense of a quiet and powerful resolve and an inherent “can do attitude” completely devoid of bravado. In embracing a challenge Angie displays a power of intention as rugged as the island […]
Cars We Love & Who We Are # 30
My phone rings, and from the other end of the line (yes, I still have a land line) comes the voice of good friend and super car guy Bob Austin. “Would you be a judge at a concours event?” asks Bob. “Sure,” I reply and quickly follow with questions about who, where, what, etc. Bob replies that those details are fluid as this future event will be a first time event and presently stands as a work in progress. He explains that he has been asked to oversee creation of this newborn event’s maiden voyage. What could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if you take your eye off the ball. Planning the event would challenge Bob’s sharp eye.
Let’s create a Concours d’Elegance! OK…How?
Named the Concours on the Palisades, the event came to life inspired by the local father’s efforts to focus public 
awareness on all that downtown Fort Lee, NJ has to offer. For those not from the area, Fort Lee offers spectacular views of Manhattan from its perch atop the Palisades cliffs that overlook the Hudson River that flows hundreds of feet below. At the start of the 20th century Fort Lee served as home to the early film industry that would soon move to a place called Hollywood. It also anchors the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge. Save for major highways converging at the GW Bridge, Centuries old Fort Lee consists of predominantly two-lane streets.
Those with a memory for political theater may recall those predominantly two-lane streets were used to strangle the life out of, then, New Jersey Governor Chris Christy’s 2016 Presidential bid. At that time NJ state officials were accused of knowingly obstructing local traffic lanes going to the bridge at rush hour as revenge for a perceived political slight. The action choked commuter traffic back to the Delaware River (Yes, I am exaggerating but not much). Location for the Concours would be many of those same downtown streets. The Main Street, a quarter mile from the GW entrance, would be chock-a-block with classic and super cars for the concours. It, however, would be held on a Sunday.
James Liu, Bob Austin, Denis Glennon
The planning that went on in advance to make this work smoothly would fill […]
Here’s this week’s question:
Most taxis found in American cities in the mid-20th century were made by one company. Name the company.
Answer to last week’s question:
In “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” what car did she drive and what was the car’s color? – Shiny red Super Stock Dodge
About the blogger
Burton Hall has written for an automotive client list that includes Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Peugeot and Volvo. He has also written for The Washington Post, AutoWeek, Corvette Monthly, Jaguar Magazine, BMW Magazine, Hemmings.com, Hagerty Magazine and numerous auto restoration buff books.
A member of the Society of Automotive Historians, he, in 2014, created and has since taught the adult school program “Collectible automobiles as a passion.” In 2020 he originated and has since produced the Drivin’ News blog.
As a classic car hobbyist, He owns a 1961 Corvette that he bought in 1967, a 1953 Jaguar XK120MC Drophead Coupe that he restored after finding it disassembled in a barn in 1980, a 2003 BMW 330i he bought new and a 1951 MG TD that presently serves as a planter and centerpiece in his garden. All are great drivers, except the MG which has a few bugs.
RECENT POSTS
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11/10/25 – A Car Guy Offers Lessons in Taking Misfortune in Stride
10/20/25 – Intuitive Genius Wielding a Hammer and Chisel
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08/11/25 – Every Car Tells a Story, Here are 6 Good Ones
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07/01/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3. Episode 20 – A Snowball’s Chance)
06/14/25 – In search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 19 – Frozen Freeway to Freedom)
05/29/25 – In search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 18 – End Game)
05/15/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 17 – The Best Laid Plans)
05/01/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 16 – Bugatti Royale Resurrection)
04/17/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale – (Part 3, Episode 15 – The Ultimate Barn Find)
04/09/25 – In Memoriam – Driving My Sister to Mobile
03/20/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 3, Episode 13 – Return to a Heart of Darkness)
02/20/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 2, Episode 11 – A Wounded Bird Points the Way)
02/06/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 2, Episode 10 – Harrowing Escape into an Unknown Future)
01/23/25 – In Search of the Lost 7th Royale (Part 2, Episode 9 – Priceless Bugatti Lost in the Fog of War)
01/10/25 – Automotive Crimes and the Man Who Solved Many of Them, Talks AirTags, Fobs and Much More Pt. 2
12/04/24 – Jaguars Trans-formation into the New Coke of Automobile Re-branding
11/21/24 – New York City Automotive Crimes and the Man Who Solved Many of Them Pt 1
10/20/24 – The Charming Terror of Driving on Ireland’s Back Roads
09/14/24 – A Secret Sauce and Successful Recipe for Mixing Kids and Classic Cars
08/25/24 – America’s First Car Show for Kids?
08/01/24 – Classic Trucks Loaded With Memories
07/11/24 – Making It Happen: Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens
06/20/24 – This Mr. “T” Sells 100-year old Fords to German Car Enthusiasts
06/06/24 – When Car Rustlers Stalk eBay, What Does eBay Do?
05/18/24 – Loving but Leaving the Blue Ridge
03/28/24 – Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens
03/14/24 – A Sharp Engineer’s Insights Inspires a Quantum Leap in Methanol Injection
02/29/24 – Betraying the Brand or Smart Business? Part II
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02/01/24 – The Black Adder VI, An Outrageous Hot Rod Bentley
01/18/24 – Defining Collectible Car
11/23/23 – Amish Buggies, Where Worlds Collide but No One Crashes
11/09/23 – An Old Car Guy Goes Face-to-Face With Facebook Marketplace
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09/28/23 – Mobility Matters – Navigating life in a wheelchair
09/14/23 – MG Shatters Records on Hitler’s Salt Flats in the Shadow of WWII
08/17/23 – In search of the 7th Royale (Part 1 – Episode 8)
08/03/23 – In search of the 7th Royale (Part 1 – Episode 7)
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07/06/23 – In Search of the 7th Royale (Part 1 – Episode 5)
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04/03/23 – Hundred-year old Bulldog, Beloved but Doomed?
03/16/23 – Read the car, not the book and other words of wisdom that pave a path to Pebble Beach
03/02/23 – Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda with one of America’s most important cars
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02/03/23 – Fanfare for an uncommon man. A decorated soldier passes at 98.
01/19/23 – Dr. Fred Simeone’s Mona Lisa car legacy. Part 2. Fascinating backstories of cars he preserved.
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11/24/22 – How to manage down a classic car collection
11/10/22 – Saving the farm, Barry Wood’s beach club in the Blue Ridge
10/27/22 – When the collection outlives the collector, a daughter’s point of view
09/29/22 – Benny Bryant’s 50-years of building Blue Ridge beauties
09/15/22 – Visiting a community built for car enthusiasts
09/01/22 – Reaching the heights of her dreams on the wings of a deHavilland Beaver
08/18/22 – 35 Below, 16 Dogs, 13 Days. Angie tackles Alaska’s Iditarod.
08/04/22 – Let’s create a Concours d’Elegance. OK…How?
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05/26/22 – Hagerty automotive heritage dream conference. Gone for good?
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04/14/22 – The monster truck that nearly crushed Volvo
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03/17/22 – Mr. Thomas’s forest of old Porsches, VW buses and more
03/03/22 – Taking the Skyline Drive to explore the dusty attic of Virginia car culture
02/17/22 – Return of the Zipper King
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11/11/21 – Randy the Rodfather and his Green “T” hot rod
10/28/21 – Provenance – Uncovering your car’s backstory
10/14/21 – Comparing classic car sales platforms
09/30/21 – Evolution of the new car brochure (Part II)
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09/02/21 – The man they trust to rebuild history
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08/05/21 – Exploring our power within
07/15/21 – Evolution of the new car brochure (Part 1)
07/01/21 – The sputtering Mosquito and the Virgin Loretto
06/17/21 – Raymond Loewy’s 1970s Soviet world car adventure
06/03/21 – 90 GTOs, 30 Corvettes and counting
05/20/21 – An inspired venture to preserve American craftsmanship and vintage Airstream trailers
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04/22/21 – Man Cave Garage Sale unmasks Covid boredom
04/08/21 – The odd couple in Vinny Plotino’s garage
03/25/21 – Lemans 1978 – A young man’s memories
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02/25/21 – Jaguar Archive – Preserving the soul of the brand
02/18/21 – Carried away by Bring a Trailer
02/11/21 – Hollywood dentist Dr. George Schweiger’s fantastic stable of future classic car rentals
01/28/21 – And then, Nuccio Bertone signaled for his personal Miura
01/21/21 – Behind the wheel of a time machine
01/14/21 – Wurst Kase Motorsports
01/07/21 – Singing the CarGurus no title blues
12/24/20 – Rebuild it and they will come – The life of Carburetor Steve
12/10/20 – A Volvo Christmas Classic – “It’s a Vunderful Life”
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11/12/20 – Confessions of a demolition derby survivor
11/05/20 – Sons of Danger – Mad Men on wheels
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10/22/20 – Guatemala and back in a Karmann Ghia
10/08/20 – A classic Corvette and a soldier’s old letters connect to a kid brother’s memories
10/01/20 – American Pickers meets Hunger Games on a country road
09/24/20 – Crash course for an underage driver
09/17/20 – Playboy Bunnies in the rearview mirror
09/10/20 – The journey is the reward
09/03/20 – More than the next chapter, it’s the next book – Life 2.0
08/27/20 – Old School Larry
08/20/20 – In celebration of a life off the leash
08/13/20 – Asleep at the wheel – Rest Stop Recovery
08/06/20 – Rt. 17A – A sweet ride to Sugarloaf
07/30/20 – What’s a”Vineyard truck?”
07/16/20 – The woman picks up where the girl left off
07/09/20 – When time and other things stand still
07/02/20 – Drive-In movies, Back to the future
06/25/20 – Mystery of the vanishing Indian Motorcycle sign
06/18/20 – Dagavar’s Jaguar, the truth at last
06/11/20 – TAKE-OUT, Lifeline to the future
06/04/20 – Henry Hudson Drive
05/28/20 – CARnucopia Food Drive Results
05/21/20 – CARnucopia
05/14/20 – Collectible Car Culture in a Pandemic
05/07/20 – Austin Healey? Nope, It’s Austin’s Crosley!
04/30/20 – Storm King Highway
04/23/20 – Children We Love
04/16/20 – Mustang Madness Revisited
