Car Shows, Restoration, and Father & Son Bonding… A Real Classic!

A Real Classic

New Mexico 1966

Pike's Peak 1966

Father & Son Bond While Restoring Cars

WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTO BY SUPERSOURCEMEDIA.COM | 1966 PHOTOS PROVIDED

FIXING UP AN OLD CAR is a project that requires a lot of time, a good amount of know-how, and a willing pair of hands. When father and son do it together, the reward is more than a valuable piece of history, it’s a priceless bond.

LEGENDARY MODELS

By the age of 10, Willie Gusten had already learned to drive from his father. In 1955, he immigrated to America from Cologne, Germany and began working for Paragon Oldsmobile and eventually, Honda. This solidified a career lasting thirty years with the same company. During this time, Willie was tasked with helping to fill a huge private car museum with more than 200 classic cars. These cars, in addition to being style icons, often came with a storied past. Among them were vehicles once owned by well-known figures including Lucille Ball, Rudolph Valentino, Gene Autry, Dwight Eisenhower, Martha Post, Nelson Rockefeller, Aristotle Onassis, and former New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia There were even rare gems, like the 1980 Mercedes 600 Landaulet that belonged to Romanian Dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The 6-door convertible was one of only two made that year (the other was built for the Pope).

BUILT TO DRIVE

During his lifetime, Willie has located and restored many cars of his own. He prefers to bring them back to original condition and drive them until their odometers reach an astonishing number of miles – like the Honda CR-V that reached a whooping 398,000 miles before it was retired. When you’re driving a classic car, you’re in control of every aspect of its operation. Many find their agility and responsiveness provide a more rewarding driving experience than today’s vehicles (which are full of electronic driving aids like traction, stability, and adaptive cruise control). When these cars were built, there was nothing like lanekeep assist, or automatic braking to hold you back (no matter how you wanted to drive).

Some of the oldest cars Willie owned and restored included a 1928 Packard and a ’31 Ford, but his favorite was a white 1962 Corvette with black interior that he used as a daily driver. He still has his original 1966 Corvette and the 1965 Corvette he and William restored together. “We just had the best times in it,” he said.

GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT

Far from being a solo endeavor, restoring cars is a pastime that Willie has always shared with his son, William. “It’s always been in my blood and in my father’s blood. It’s a passion we share and it’s a bond that’s developed between us,” said William Unlike the modern mass-produced cars containing complicated equipment that’s more difficult to troubleshoot and fix (many times requiring a trip to the dealership) almost every antique automobile is much simpler. “You were not dependent on car dealerships,” said Willie. “If it’s made by two hands, it can be fixed by two hands. There’s also a certain satisfaction that comes from repairing a part versus replacing it.” It was often far from easy, however, and many times the build required a treasure hunt to locate parts – an endeavor that could necessitate sourcing parts from all over the country, or even the world.

CRUISING IN CAR CULTURE

In addition to restoring the cars, William has always looked forward to attending car shows and meeting others who have an eye for classic automobiles. “I’m a car nut and never say, ‘no’ to a car show,” he said. The Gusten family includes Willie; Willie’s wife of 55 years, Annelisa; his son William and his wife Adriane; and Willie’s granddaughter Christina, 11. They enjoy road trips and driving their carefully restored cars (which are never packed up and trailered) to a show. “Why would we do that, the joy is in driving it and getting it there,” said William.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: BURNT HILLS CAR SHOW

To everyone’s surprise, William chose to enter into medicine rather than pursuing his passion for cars full-time. Inspired by a noble doctor in Queens, William now has more than 22 years of experience in the field and is currently one of the physicians at Saratoga Schenectady Gastroenterology Associates.

On Sat., June 25th, 10am – 3pm, his office is presenting the “Cruise-In for Colitis” car show, at 1 Wellness Drive, in Burnt Hills. In addition to an expected 100+ cars, there will be vendors, food, face painting, and mini-golf. It’s FREE to the public. There’s a $10 fee for cars entering the show.

For more information, email SSGAcarshow@gmail.com or find them on Facebook @SaratogaSchenectadyGastroAssociates SS