How a childhood project car turned into a lifelong hobby.
What truly separates a great car from the rest of the rolling collection of iron and oil is story. A car’s greatness can be measured by the impact has on you and your life. This is why McKeel Hagerty has one of the greatest Porsche 911s in the world. In this episode of Why I Drive on YouTube, the Hagerty CEO shows off one of his most prized possessions, his 1967 Porsche 911S.
McKeel bought the car with his father when he was just 12 years old. It was the dead of winter, and the family had to dig the car out of several inches of snow to take it home. From there, McKeel and his father spent years piecing the old German car together. It turned into an exercise of patience, knowledge, and family bonding. Over that time, this 911 become more than a car, it became a staple in a man’s life history.
This is the hardest thing to explain to someone who doesn’t “understand car people.” In much the same way a photograph can bring forth a beloved memory, the right car can act as entire photo album. A catalog of laughter, dreams, experiences and stories. The right car is not a tool, and it is not an appliance. It is an extension of ourselves, of our very being that we project into this world. A car does not define us, but it provides emphasis to our legacy.
So the next time you see someone with an older car that they refuse to sell, or you’re wondering why someone would keep an old beater instead of buying something new, remember that this car likely means more to them than you can imagine. It could be their first date, the trip home from the hospital with a new baby, or even the last memory connection to a lost loved one. Think of McKeel Hagerty taking his first drive of the spring or the last drive of the fall in his red Porsche 911. Think of why you drive, and revel in that feeling and sensation.
Life is an adventure, don’t be afraid to enjoy it.
