Reader’s Rides Car Clubbin’ Provides Years of Entertainment Editor’s Note: “Reader’s Rides” features classic vehicles that remind us of the good old days. If you have a car, truck or other strange mode of transportation you’ve loved back to life, or photos of the treasure you should have never sold, send us your story and we’d love to share it. Jim and Jan Maxwell, Maxwell Products International, Duncanville, Texas 1966 Mustang Convertible 1932 Ford Sedan ERE: We hear you’ve been a classic car enthusiast since high school, Jim. Tell us about the “El Diablos” club you were a part of then. Jim: Oh, that was a long time ago — back in the ‘50s! That was just a group of guys and we all had cars. We rented a big garage as a club and we all worked on our cars there. ERE: So that kept you out of trouble. Jim: I guess so. But then I kind of got out of cars when Jan and I got mar- ried in 1960. Then one day a friend dropped off a Hemmings car magazine—that is kind of like a Bible as far as cars and parts go. In there I found a 1932 Ford and took five years to build that. It was a V8 Chevrolet engine and automatic transmission. Jan: He built it from an old shell and made it a street rod. It had everything that a new car would have. ERE: So how many classic cars have you two owned over the years? Jim: I would have to say, including what I had in high school, I’ve probably had 10 to 15. The one I really enjoyed the most was a 1947 Ford two-door sedan. It was really a neat car. It was just a com- fortable ride. It set real low, was dark blue with light interior, had cruise con- trol, air conditioning, it was just a real comfortable car. I finally sold it and at the time we had a building project at our church so I put the money toward that. ERE: So what’s in your garage now? Jan: We still have my ’66 Mustang convertible which was a gift from Jim’s mother. My mother died in September of 2000, so that Christmas his mother bought it and gave it to me. She said she it in my name and said, ‘It’s your car, Jim can’t sell it’ It was a surprise for sure. ERE: Any advice for other car col- lectors? Jim: My advice to a person wanting to build a car is to find a car that has been restored, buy it and drive it, and have fun meeting people that have the same love for cars as you do. I have driven all over the U.S.A. to car shows and have seen parts of the country that we would never have seen if it wasn’t for the old car shows.