10. Gerry BLYENBERG - The MyLittleRedCar column in AUTOHEROES #021

Much of my childhood was spent in my father's garage workshops and on racetracks. He and my uncle were racing drivers. We regularly frequented the circuits of the Low Countries, such as Spa-Francorchamps, Zolder, and the now-defunct Nivelles circuit. My destiny seemed to unfold in a world filled with sleek sports cars, heel-and-toe downshifts, gasoline fumes, and the smell of burning rubber. In the paddocks, on a beautiful spring morning in 1981, their main American sponsor would alter this seemingly predetermined path and unknowingly influence the course of my life. A distributor of STP lubricants, this sponsor frequently traveled to the United States. This allowed me to admire beautiful books on automotive history across the Atlantic and to read magazines about car restoration. All of this made the ten-year-old boy I was travel and I dreamed in front of this unknown universe.

That morning, he gave me a strange toy: a magnificent 1965 Jeep Wagoneer by Tonka! Back then in Europe, it was like seeing a UFO! It wasn't that I was indifferent to miniature replicas of trucks or other construction vehicles, but at home, our focus was more on the "racing" aesthetic. Compared to other miniatures, the least I can say is that this unusual object piqued my curiosity! This hybrid vehicle, a cross between a van and a pickup truck, and my desire to discover old American utility vehicles, led me to Los Angeles at the age of 19. I quickly became an avid observer of this exotic automotive world... Add to that the sun-drenched palm trees, a great urban art vibe, skateboarding, and the numerous car shows... California quickly won me over! I quickly got into exporting classic cars there, and for the past few years, I've been a resident of the United States. Of course, a lot has changed since then; I haven't just exported old commercial vehicles! I quickly discovered the world of 60s and 70s muscle cars, then the hot rodding scene, the big car shows, motorsports like NASCAR, IndyCar, and drag racing. I've met some extraordinary people... Despite all these wonderful experiences, I can't help but think of that strange turquoise blue Tonka whenever I see a modern SUV. That vehicle, which I struggled to categorize back then, that pioneer of SUVs that would evolve with the changing fortunes of its manufacturers, managed to pique my curiosity. Forty years later, I realize how much this toy, which I made travel hundreds of kilometers in my parents' living room and garden, sparked in me the desire to travel thousands to live across the Atlantic.

Gerry Blyenberg for MyLittleRedCar

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