by "NickMaronese" (NickMaronese)
Published 01/24/2017 at 16:24
by "NickMaronese" (NickMaronese)
Published 01/24/2017 at 16:24
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STARS: 4
As I may or may not have mentioned before on these pages, I’m a car enthusiast. What I mean by that is, I am not a driving enthusiast. I’m really all about cars as cultural objects in and of themselves; the feel-behind-the-wheel is secondary for me.
I dig cars for the history, for the art of design, for the subculture they’ve inspired. And I write about cars for a living in part because I like to think of myself as part of a register of these parts of car culture. I’m putting history down on the page. I’m making obscure parts of car culture more easy to find.
That’s why I love comprehensive listicles or encyclopedias on automotive topics. And it’s why I assigned walking car encyclopedia Michael Banovsky – author of Weird Cars – to deliver me a deep-dive gallery on a semi-obscure piece of the car world: Shelby Cobra replicas .
Everyone knows the Cobra is one of the most widely replicated cars out there. And most enthusiasts can probably even name a kitmaker or two. But have you ever come across a list of Cobra-shaped cars like this one? (I’m not saying one’s not out there—if it is, please link me to it.)
This gallery’s not going to get a lot of clicks. It’s not even going to turn most enthusiasts’ heads. But for the budding Cobra fanatic or the curious kit car kook, now it’s out there, a little historical index they can use to delve even further into one of car culture’s less-known parts.
I guess at heart, I’m just a car culture nerd. It’s the trivia, the untold stories that get me most interested. It may be something silly, but it’s that sort of information I like most, and so most like spreading and bringing to light.
It’s why I was glad to be assigned (by Michael, coincidentally) a comprehensive guide to every cat and feline reference in the automotive industry. Or why I tackled a near-exhaustive guide to neoclassic cars .
Because it’s information worth researching, compiling, and publishing. And because I’m sure I’m not the only car culture nerd out there.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
01/24/2017 at 16:36, STARS: 4
I’m a car enthusiast. What I mean by that is, I am
not
a
driving enthusiast. I’m really all about cars as cultural objects in and
of themselves; the feel-behind-the-wheel is secondary for me.
Somebody on here laid out three fundamental frameworks for car fans, which effectively broke down to driving enthusiasts, tinkering enthusiasts, and owning enthusiasts... or something like that. I don’t think it’s too far off, though there’s a lot of overlap. In that framework you’d be an owning/object enthusiast most and a driving enthusiast last - most interested in it as an object with its own iconic and symbolic qualities, less interested in it as an object of physical engagement and curiosity, and least interested in it as an instrument to effect
driving.
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
01/24/2017 at 16:46, STARS: 4
I’m the opposite. I’m a driving enthusiast. I know all the great roads, how to get to them & and road hazards. Ask about most automotive history, random facts and I’m dumb founded. I know basic car maintenance (brakes: cleaning, pad change, rotor change. Oil changes, tire changing) anything beyond that I pay a shop to do it.
"Phatboyphil" (justphil)
01/24/2017 at 18:50, STARS: 1
But do you know how to slide a Tesla onto Electric Avenue?
"Frenchlicker" (frenchlicker)
01/24/2017 at 19:09, STARS: 0
I’m only a step above you. I do dream of being car crazy but it takes effort.
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
01/24/2017 at 19:14, STARS: 1
You do the electric slide.
"NickMaronese" (NickMaronese)
01/24/2017 at 19:23, STARS: 0
Yeah, that sounds about right. Had never heard of that framework, but it makes a lot of sense.