There’s a song by Tom Waits that goes something like “If I owned a car lot, I’d drive a new car every day.” Visiting the Nixdorf Classic Car Museum in Summerland makes you feel kind of like that. Each one of these fully restored, antique cars is drop dead gorgeous. I’d drive a different one every day if I could. Hmm… feels like a cherry red mustang sort of day. They might be big and slow and guzzle gas like there’s no tomorrow, but the word classy sums up this gleaming rainbow of custom made, lovingly detailed steel and chrome. Reminds me of another song…“I’m built for comfort, not built for speed.”

This private car museum could really be said to be a tribute to the expression “they just don’t make things like they used to.” Talk about attention to detail– each bumper, each dash, each body, each paint job is unique down to the aerial knobs matching the dashboards. That certainly could never be said about new cars. Cars have become the workhorses of the family, a means to get from place to place. The Nixdorf Classic Car Museum bring us back to an era when cars were art, one of a kind show pieces and status symbols of the new American wealth.

Garney Nixdorf has been collecting classic cars for about 50 years. His son Tim caught the bug or inherited it in the genes and also began collecting. Between them they own the 100 on display at the museum (a rotating display of 50 at a time) with about 16 more in restoration stage; mostly convertibles and two door hardtops from 1937-1970 with a few muscle cars thrown in. In fact, the most valuable car in the collection is a 1970 Ford Mustang “Boss 429.” In mint condition and one of only 499 made of that model making it extremely rare and collectible.

The museum is managed by Jim Kyluik, Garney’s cousin and also a self-described “car nut.” As he watched his cousin’s collection grow over the years, he kept hounding Garney to display them to the public. They were just too beautiful to keep hidden away. He even offered to manage the museum if it ever happened. Eventually Garney agreed and built the warehouse on his Summerland property, opening three years ago. Jim kept his part of the bargain, semi-retiring from his work in project management to get the Nixdorf collection into the public eye.

The Nixdorf Classic Car Museum is a not for profit enterprise. So far, they’ve been just making ends meet (buying and restoring cars is an expensive hobby). But should there ever be profit from the business, the Nixdorfs plan to donate it to a children’s charity, preferably something helping children with disabilities.

A new part of the business was added this year– wine tours using the classic convertibles. Jim and his wife Joan Kyluik do the tours, tailoring them to the clients’ needs and interests. These have been a great success, even spinning off into a cable series called “Vintages and Vines.” Watch for it on Shaw. And do yourself a favour, stop at the Nixdorf Classic Car Museum at 15809 Logie Rd., Summerland, and be amazed.

www.nixdorfclassiccars.com