Members of the Pottstown Classics Car Club worked Saturday beneath the Ford Galaxie 500 of veteran Brad Herron, preparing it for an upcoming car show in Oaks
POTTSTOWN PA – Nobody stood around the garage bay Saturday morning at Brennan’s Auto Repair, 2012 N. Charlotte St. in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township, with their hands in their pockets. Every able pair, even those of 9-year-old Patrick Brennan – son of owner Jim Brennan – were busy in the attempt to prepare a single car to be shown this weekend (Friday through Sunday, March 23-25, 2012) at the Northeast Rod and Custom Car Show in Oaks PA.
Not just any car; Brad Herron’s car.
Veteran Brad Herron was busy painting the underside of his car
Patrick Brennan, 9, meticulously cleaned parts of rust
Herron is a U.S. Army veteran who served six years of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere as part of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. He’s also the beneficiary of what members of the Pottstown Classics Car Club, the same group that sponsors street car shows in downtown Pottstown during the summer, say is their greatest gift: helping restore someone’s automotive pride and joy. Bringing Herron’s 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 back to showroom condition has been a club project for the past 18 months.
It’s almost ready.
Almost, but not quite, which is why about a dozen or so people filled Brennan’s during the weekend. Mechanically, the car is in cruising shape, Brennan said, but the extra snap and pizazz is provided by a new coat of paint and the touch-up details that transform it from simply “nice-looking” to “spectacular.” The crew attended to those details over several hours, a few cups of coffee, and a box of doughnuts.
Herron’s wife Dina approached the car club in late 2010 to seek its help in giving Brad a welcome home gift in his car’s restoration. Since then, members have responded enthusiastically. The community has too, Brennan noted. The project has received assistance from a long list of sponsors and donors, and help from Pottstown High School students.
Jim Brennan, left, and Jeff Chomnuk work on the chassis
Great Coverage from the Sanataoga Post!! The Car club is taking the unfinished car to http://www.northeastcustomcarshow.com/ in Oaks this weekend to raise more donations to help with repairs still needed. We were there last year and raised some much needed funds. The 2012 Northeast Rod & Custom Car Show has graciously allowed us to return this weekend. We are hoping to have the finished car presented to Brad and Dina at one of our shows this summer on High Street. At this time we will honor and salute all who serve this country in its fight for freedom. This we will do by honoring Brad on their behalf.
Yeah, this project has really taken a giant step forward the past month. I am very grateful for Pottstown Classics to push this thing along and for Jim at Brennan at Brennans Auto. I can’t forget to mention the rest of the project committee: Mike Benner at MAACO (awesome paint by the way, Mike!) , Brad Ray, Jeff Chomnuk, Brian Heisey and Jeff Sperring. The list of “thank you’s” goes much further than this, obviously, but they are really pushing for this thing to be done this summer in time for the nice weather and trips to the beach! Seeing these guys, with very limited resources, do what they’re doing is simply awe inspiring…just an all around great group of people at Potttown Classics Car Club. I’m proud to know and be a part of the BEST car club in PA!
You guys rock!