Ever since he was 13-years-old, John McKelvey, Sr. has been fascinated by cars, he says.

“That’s when I saw my first hot rod magazine,” explains John.  “It was called 'Hot Rod.'  And, I remember that my aunt asked what I wanted for Christmas that year, and that’s what it was.”

Only a year later, at age 14, John had purchased his first vehicle, despite the fact that he wouldn’t be able to drive it for another two years.  He bought a 1949 Merc that he dechromed and tinkered and toyed with for some time.

He says that he “really just messed it all up.”

But, that was around 50 years ago, and both John’s passion and skill have grown in the time that he has stayed involved in the automotive hobby.  When he was around the age of 16, he purchased a 1956 Chevy, and he says that was the time in which he really delved into restoring and modifying vehicles.

Since then, John has owned about a dozen collector vehicles.  Among his list of specialty cars owned are a 1930 Model A Coupe, 1930 Model A Phaeton, 1932 Ford Pick-Up and a 1967 Chevy Nova.  He currently owns a 1965 Mercury Comet and a 1940 Merc (top photo).

Johh adds that his son, John, Jr., also shares the passion for collector cars.  Junior followed his father’s footsteps and also immersed himself in the hobby around age 16; two years ago, he purchased the photographed 1932 Ford Roadster. Both father and son are members of the Over the Hill Gang of Pennsylvania car club.

John, Sr. adds that while John, Jr. is an athletic Ironman competitor, it is sometimes jokingly said that he (Sr.) is “the Ironman of street rodding hobby.”

And, that is no wonder, considering that he has traveled the country in his collector vehicles, attending car shows of all kinds.

While going to a few local shows each year, John has also traveled long distances to get to some of the larger shows, such as the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, CA.  His longest drive, in his Merc, was a 5000-mile round trip from Pennsylvania to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.

 “I love the adventure of going to different places,” he says.  “Getting on the highway with the top down…”

Story by: Becky McLaughlin