Cars have always been more than simply a hobby for Brian Adcock.
The Sylvan Lake man, who owns Fountain Tire in Beju Industrial Park, admits the intense obsession he had as young man over time turned into a lifelong passion, and as far back as he can remember, “there’s always been something in the garage.”
Currently, its a 1969 Dodge Charger that he’s got parked inside — although it’s much more suited to being outside, he concedes.
“There’s not a show-and-shine I go to where I’m not the only one there,” he says. “I definitely get the people wanting to stop and take a closer look.”
The reason, he says, is the coveted car’s relative scarcity not just locally, but nationwide.
“The ’69 Charger is one of the hardest ones to find right now. If you tried to find one Canadawide through all the search engines — which I do — I think you might find five for sale.”
Many, he says, were known to have been destroyed in the filming of the Dukes of Hazzard TV series in the ’70s and ’80s, while others simply succumbed to “the world of rust and rot.”
Adcock purchased his own Charger about 10 years ago following a period of intense searching online. He eventually came across exactly what he was looking for, and before long was on his way to Calgary with an extra driver in tow to pick it up.
It’s the latest in a long list of classic cars he’s had in his possession over the years, which have included Camaros, Mustangs, Pontiacs and Mopars.
He assures the Charger, however, is special. And he’s got no plans to get rid of it any time soon.
“The right deal comes along at the right time and the right price, and you let one go and then you get to start shopping for a new one, (but) this one’s staying,” he says. “I won’t be shopping for anything new any time soon.”
Locally, Adcock certainly isn’t alone in his enthusiasm for classic cars. He describes the scene in Sylvan Lake — with its gatherings of all sizes held weekly, monthly and annually — as “incredible.”
“It’s car lovers, plain and simple,” he says. “It’s a good conversation with a lot of good people.”