Car guy meets car girl,
Couple shares a love for anything with wheels, especially classic cars.
TEXARKANA, Texas – When a self-described “car guy” met a girl who also appreciated a classic vehicle, it was a match made in automotive heaven.
“I’ve always been a car guy, beginning with building models when I was a kid, to restoring my first car, a 1949 Plymouth,” said Texarkana resident Mike Jones.
Mike met Debbi in December 1970 when they were both working in the Texarkana Gazette classifieds department. They quickly realized they had a lot more in common than work. He was driving a 1966 Pontiac LeMans and she was driving a 1964 Chevy Convertible.
Ever since then, the couple has shared interests in all wheeled vehicles, including drag racing, stock car racing and motorcycles. But antique and classic cars are among their favorites.
They have owned or driven more than 60 antique or classic cars and trucks.
Mike is from Texarkana and Debbie grew up in Smackover, Arkansas.
Mike owned Texarkana Speed Equipment, an auto store that specializes in racing equipment parts, for 19 years.
One of their prized cars is a 1929
Model A Roadster.
“I love the look of old stock cars, so I stripped it down to basics and added a tow bar on the front, like the ones the drivers used to tow their race cars to the old Texarkana Speedbowl,” Mike said.
They carried the Model A to local car shows and were able to get 39 autographs of drivers that raced at the Speedbowl. They also set up a display at the Four States Auto Museum with trophies, helmets and other items the drivers loaned them.
Mike and Debbi’s most recent vehicle is a 1930 Model A Coupe. They traced the owners back several families to find out it is possibly the same 1930 Model A that once belonged to Debbi’s grandfather.
Their most road-worthy vehicle is a 1940 Chevy Sedan Delivery that had already been restored when they bought it. It’s even air-conditioned and they have it driven it to Indiana and Colorado to visit their two sons, Evan and Jonathan and their families.
One of their favorite places to be is the garage on their property. It not only houses vintage cars being repaired, but all types of decorative items and collectibles related to vintage automobiles.
Mike still even has some of the model cars he built as a boy.
“We started decorating it to look like an old garage from the 50s and 60s and it got out of hand,” Mike laughed. “We’ve collected stuff, and stuff and stuff.”
One of his favorite items is a 45 RPM record player made to play in a car. He also collects 8 track tapes and has several players.
Both Mike and Debbi are cancer survivors and Debbi has been a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure volunteer for several years. They even painted their Gala Jeep pink and drive it in local parades and Komen events.
“Because of that (cancer), we appreciate life even more and enjoy doing things together, like tracking down an old car or truck. We love going to car shows and meeting new car people from all over the country,” Mike said.
Mike and Debbie hope to keep driving the roads together for a long time.
They are members of two local car clubs: Ark-La-Tex Roadrunners and Tex-Ark Antique Auto Club. They also participate in Sept.11 events with Texarkana Jeep Junkies.
“If you are a car guy or gal, there are plenty of opportunities locally to get involved,” Mike said.