Welcome! An introduction to my blog

Who I am:

My name is Matthew Burns and I'm 21 years old. I am in my final year of college, pursuing a business degree. I am hoping to get a job in the automotive aftermarket, or at a classic car dealership.  I have been a car nut/gearhead since I was very small. I guess it all started with my dad's auto repair shop, which I hung out in as a kid. In my teenage years, I became fascinated with antique tractors and farm equipment, and restoring old tractors became a hobby second only to cars. Basically, I like anything with wheels, from bikes to trains. And I like oldies and classic country just as much as I love classic cars. Old school through and through. I have worked in car dealerships in my teenage years, and had the opportunity to drive hundreds of different cars, so I have some first hand driving experience to draw from.  At age 20, I finally got my first car, a 1989 Volvo 740 GL. The acquisition of this car has gotten me into classic car restoration. Previously, I had driven a 1988 Toyota Pick Up truck, which belongs to my dad. I learned how to drive in it. I am currently restoring the Volvo, and will be documenting the process on this blog. Here she is.

Why I'm doing this:

 I decided to start this blog because I love to write and I love cars. I am also looking into automotive journalism as a possible career down the road, so I want to get used to writing car related pieces. My focus in this blog will be on classic car history, but I will get into the restoration of my '89 Volvo from time to time. There will be news articles about the classic car market (what classics are getting more popular, what cars may become future classics, etc.) 

I will be posting some current car news, but that will just be a sidebar, just so I can keep track of what's going on in the car world. Although I prefer the classics to any car built today, I still try to stay "up" on new cars, gov't regulations on the industry, and where the industry is heading. Often times current car technology is rooted in cars of old.

So, my basic format is: history articles/news/events/DIY stuff

What do I consider to be a "classic" car?

This is a question I feel needs to be asked, with tons of classic car blogs and everyone having their own definition of what makes a classic. To me the word "classic" represents a car that is at least 20 years old. I know there are plenty of car enthusiasts who will disagree with me on this, and they will believe in 25 years, or between 20-49 years (according to the Antique Automobile Club Of America.) I happen to agree with the AACOA definition of classic.

What kind of classics will I focus on?

I will be focusing on American cars built before 1993, but no particular type of car. I will also cover Japanese, Euro, and English car models made for the U.S. market. (Okay, maybe some grey market cars too :)

I won't do just muscle cars, or K Cars, or Town Cars. A little bit of everything is my goal here. My favorite American cars are full-size, body on frame, V8, RWD cars, but I will try to keep bias to a minimum. My first history article will be on the Volvo 700 Series. (This is also at the bottom of this post)

 I get a lot of inspiration for articles based on what I see on the road, so I will take pictures of interesting classics and post them if I have a camera with me.  

I am looking for feedback. I am a newbie to blogging and it will take some time for me to iron out the flaws.

If you think my blog stinks, don't be afraid to tell me. But please offer a suggestion along with your criticism. I encourage lively debate on this blog. Feel free to state your opinion anytime about a car I cover. All I ask is that you don't insult others, and please keep foul language to a minimum. 

Those are my only ground rules. If someone is out of line, I will tell them so, I won't take the privilege of commenting away from everybody just because one guy is an idiot. I don't let idiots spoil my day.

This week I will be working on a history article for the Volvo 700 Series. Plan to post on Friday.