Man’s love of the past fuels his collection

By Mike McMillan

Independent Mail

Mike Schultz’s business card calls himself the “doctor of strange.” He seems

normal enough, except that he has a vintage gas station in his front yard. And a

‘50s-style diner behind that. And he has an antique sign collection that would make

any picker weep.

Shultz is more than a car collector. He deals in all manner of memorabilia, and cars

happen to be just part of the mix. His collection is so large that it won’t fit in just

one Motor Mouth column.

“I’ve been a collector all my life,” he said.

His cars include a ‘48 Chevy truck, a classic Mustang and an original Beetle

convertible. He even restored a horse-drawn carriage.

Still, his high school dream car was a 1951 Chevy, which he spent two years

restoring and modifying.

While all 1951 Chevys had straight-sixes, this one comes with a beastly 454 V-8

with a mean cam that makes it sound lumpier than a gravel pit at idle.

As the engine suggests, the Chevy is a long way from stock. The outside is a loud

shade of orange with pinstriping and a flying eyeball design on the continental kit

out back.

The hood ornament comes from a Pontiac of the same era, much like the ‘56 I

wrote about a couple of months ago. Schultz said he always loved the light-up

Indian chief head, so he incorporated it into the Chevy.

The car itself is built on a 1977 Monte Carlo chassis. The grille is from a 1957

Corvette and is all chrome — with the exception of one gold “tooth.” The steering

wheel comes from an Impala.

The Chevy fits right in with his Shell gas station, built to the side of his house. It’s

a replica, of course, but it has old-style pumps from the days when gas was dealt in

cents per gallon and lead-laced fuel was the norm.

Schultz said it took him two years to build the gas station and three years to pay for

it. It’s a work of art that wouldn’t be possible in many parts of the country because

of zoning laws.

“You can’t build these anywhere else but in Hartwell,” he said.

Walk inside the gas station, and there’s a ‘50s-style diner with tables, jukeboxes

and a counter, along with a bunch of neon signs and memorabilia.

“I like to create and preserve the best of the past,” he said.

Schultz also builds couches and other furniture made from cars. They come from

the trunks of cars like a ‘56 DeSoto or ‘56 Ford Crown Victoria. He said car parts

are so hard to find that he has to charge high prices for them. Still, they’re works of

art with working lights and all the trim.

In front of his shop are a couple of front ends from a Studebaker and Ford that he

plans on making into a desk.

The walls of his shop are stacked floor to ceiling with vintage metal and neon

signs. One interesting piece is a metal “car hop” with a motor-driven waving arm.

He said he works on these pieces, even though demand has been flagging.

“Neon is getting to be a lost art,” he said. “It seems all I work on is disappearing.”

1951 CHEVROLET FACTS*

Base price: $1,385 ($12,691 today)

Wheelbase: 115 inches

Curb weight: 3,125 pounds

Engine: OHV straight-six (216.5 cubic inch)

Compression ratio: 6.6 to 1

Output: 92 horsepower @ 3,400 rpm

Torque: 176 @ 1,000 rpm

Brakes: 11-inch hydraulic drums, front & rear

Differential ratio: 4.11

*These figures are for a stock 1951 Chevy. This car has been highly modified from

factory condition.

Source: Classic Car Database

COMING CRUISE-INS & CAR SHOWS

Saturday

Pelzer Church of God Car Show. 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. All vehicles and motorcycles

are welcome. Registration is $15 from 10 a.m. to noon with awards at 1:30 p.m.

There will be music, door prizes, food, games and more. For more information,

call 864-434-3865. Proceeds will go to mission trips.

Marathon Christian Cruisers Cruise-In. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fatz Cafe, U.S. 123,

Easley. All vehicles are welcome with door prizes, 50/50, music, food (free dessert

with lunch purchase and car entry).

Keeping it Country Car Show. 3 to 7 p.m. Sue’s Wings & Things, Exit 27 off I-85

on S.C. 81, Anderson. All cars, trucks and motorcycles are welcome. Registration

is $25 from 3 to 5:30 on the day of the show. Re-registration is $20. Awards will

be at 7 p.m., with these classes: Cars, trucks, hot rods, motorcycles and best of

show. Judging starts at 5:30 p.m. There will be live music, food, door prizes, 50/50

and a raffle. For more info, call 864-982-0990. Register by phone or email,

davidcraigband@gmail.com.

Jeep Night at Seneca Family Restaurant. 5 to 9 p.m., 515 Bypass 123, Seneca. All

Jeeps are welcome. There will be music, door prizes, 50/50 and food. For more

info, call 864-247-8816 or 864-710-0035.