Sunday, February 16, 2025
Home Wedding Cars Wheel Life - a man's passion for old cars

Wheel Life – a man’s passion for old cars

I admire people with passion. It doesn’t matter what it is for as long as you have it.

I can always recognize someone with passion: when they talk about it – whatever it is – I can feel their devotion, ardor and admiration.

And I can feel their inherent drive to keep that passion alive.

Years ago when I was still working I passed a white house in Tyrone twice a day on my way to work. It always caught my eye: not so much the house, but the garage.

There was an old Sinclair gas pump and a Coca-Cola sign between the garage doors, and there were a number of exquisite vintage cars in the garage.

The garage doors were open one afternoon so I decided to stop. I’m glad I did because that was the day I met Tommy Davis, a man with a passion for everything on wheels.

***

Tommy Davis has been working in cars since he was 10 years old when his father Johnny sparked this passion by teaching him about restoration. Tommy has learned his lessons well: to date, he estimates that around 100 cars have been restored in the last 50 years. But that’s only half the story: “God gave me the ability, and my father taught me how,” says Tommy, explaining his incredible ability to turn cars made before JFK’s presidency into what looked like it was straight from the assembly rolled pipe.

Tommy worked for the College Park Police Department for several years. One night while on patrol, he “passed” a friend of his after spotting a “cute blonde” in the car. In 1994 he married Shirley, the “sweet blonde”. They have two daughters, Britney and Michelle. When Britney was married, she and her husband left the wedding in Tommy’s White Ford Model A Shay ‘Polar Bear’ (I encourage you to google it!).

After leaving the Police Department, Tommy spent 28 years with Delta. Ironically, the only job he didn’t have with the airline – other than pilot – was a mechanic. Shirley has now worked at Bank of America for 35 years. In 2019, after living in Tyrone for 28 years and in Fayette County since 1975, Tommy confiscated the shares – that is, amassed his collection of everything on wheels – and moved to Coweta County of two in December 2019 Reasons: (1) his collection had outgrown his Tyrone residence, and (2) he and Shirley looked forward to the solitude and peace of mind the city had to offer.

***

Tommy says he’s been a “collector” for more than 50 years. His impressive collection includes his late father’s 1931 Model A, a car that Johnny personally restored, and a 1955 Chevy Belair that Tommy owned straight out of high school. (Technically, he didn’t own it all the time. It was stolen, stripped, and recovered in the mid-1970s. In 1992 he needed some cash and sold his beloved 55. But a year later he bought it back from the man he bought it to sold it for the same price it sold it to. When he bought it back it was repainted and reupholstered. Tommy declares his happiness: “The Lord has really blessed me.”

Tommy’s collection doesn’t stop at classic cars. He’s got old signs, model cars, gas pumps, Coca-Cola paraphernalia, bicycles (some made before the Depression), coin-operated rides (like those you’d find on the sidewalk outside Woolworths), pedal cars, and enough Americana to keep Mike and the gang around salivate on American Pickers. Tommy’s favorites include a 1936 Chevrolet Coupe – one of his early restorations with his father – and a 1932 four-way traffic light that used to hang in the middle of the town square in Adel, Georgia. How he came across the latter is what some people would call luck. Tommy just says that ‘God really blessed me:’

“I bought a car from a man of the nobility and we were $ 500 apart on price.

I noticed the light in the corner of the man’s garage

and I said if you throw the light in you got a deal. ‘

Today the light hangs in the middle of Tommy’s garage – he calls it a garage, but I’ve been to museums that aren’t nearly as impressive – and to further illustrate his luck, all 12 lights (red, yellow and green.) And all four sides ) are still lit!

***

Tommy spends an average of 50 to 60 hours a week doing restorations in his garage. He only restores the cars he personally bought. He travels to 10 or more auto shows and auctions each year, with his favorite being the one in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He is always on the lookout for high-quality classic cars and trucks. He’s hoping to bring two or three back from Keystone State.

Finally he says, “I don’t hunt, fish, or play golf.” Tommy Davis’s passion will always be for antique cars and trucks.

***

Tommy told me I wasn’t the first to stop by his former home in Tyrone.

An Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer came by 25 years ago.

Coincidentally, he also wrote a story about Tommy for the newspaper.

Truett Cathy stopped by many times to see what Tommy had. But they could never get a deal because Truett usually offered about half of what Tommy asked for.

But they always enjoyed sharing their common passion for old cars.

After Truett’s death, his huge collection of classic cars was auctioned for charity.

Tommy bought three of them.

Tommy, Shirley and their ’55 Chevy

paquLiTsG1ycg2AdMG9BzcIzrkg_62WmeYDbcy6m4Hyd6Sg13plSa1OOBQfkoLcqK-ladhQmdv5kVA4wF6if6e8DQDjFxxd86Eud1d_Vxcpf7OvlYv1Af3W

Tommy’s garage

Scott Ludwig lives, runs and writes in Senoia. His latest book SOUTHERN COMFORT is his second collection of 101 columns. His first, SOUTHERN CHARM, and all of his other books can be found on his author page on Amazon. He can be reached at magicludwig1@gmail.com

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular

Recent Comments