by Read the full story on The Auto Wire
While much attention has been paid to the lives, homes and businesses lost to the fires raging in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, we want to shed light on the loss of collectible cars. Not only were several modern supercars and other unique attractions destroyed, a news crew also discovered that a sizable collection of classic cars had burned out in the Eaton Fire.
See more bushfire devastation, documented up close by a car YouTuber.
That collection was kept outside a destroyed house in Altadena. A reporter from KPIX rightly points out in the video we recorded that classic vehicles are as important as a house to some people and that they cannot be replaced as easily.
The collection contains a number of pre-war classics and also a number of models from the 1950s and 1960s. While some of the body panels are still intact and the tires, interior and other components were destroyed by the fire, at least one ride is such melted to the point where it was unrecognizable.
We cannot imagine the pain the owner of this classic car collection must or will feel at the sight of the destruction. That doesn’t mean the vehicles are more important than life itself or the house, just that they have quite a bit of sentimental value.
The reporter seems to have a better handle on the car scene than a lot of people, leading us to suspect that she’s a bit of a gearhead herself. She does say that the photographer on her team collects classic vehicles, so it probably helps to hang out with him. But she understands that these are not just machines, but things that bring people together and store many wonderful memories. All that is lost in disasters like this.
We expect to hear many more stories about car collections lost in the California wildfires as they continue to rage through the Los Angeles area. You might even notice that your dream car leaves behind a smoldering, burnt-out chunk of metal and melted plastic.
Image via KPIX CBS News Bay Area/YouTube
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