COKER CORNER WADE KAWASAKI Wade is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Legendary Companies (formerly known as Coker Group). In his executive role, Wade oversees the 12 brands and six operating companies under the Legendary Companies umbrella. He is based out of Legendary Companies’ corporate headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and also has an office in City of Industry, California. In addition to his role at Legendary Companies, Wade is the SEMA Immediate Past Chairman of the Board, where he continues to lead the Board of Directors in making important decisions to benefit the $41 billion automotive aftermarket. CRUISING SEASON IS ALMOST HERE Driving an old car is something that just can’t compare to driving anything built in the last 40 years. The modern advancements of fuel injection, electronic ignition systems, radial tires, four-wheel disc brakes and overdrive transmissions offer great convenience for everyday driving. But, at the same time, those modern features tend to take the fun and adventure out of a good afternoon cruise. When you drive an old car a great distance, there is a sense of satisfaction that it made it from point A to B in one piece. And if you’re a gearhead, there’s even more satisfaction if you successfully perform a roadside repair and make it to your destination with a great story to tell your buddies. Whether it’s a Ford Model A, a classic from the 1950s, a vintage sports car or anything in between, collector cars can be finicky, but that’s a part of the charm. There are lots of things we take for granted, thanks to the modern era of automobiles. When is the last time you checked the air pressure, oil level, coolant level and transmission fluid in your modern daily driver? Most modern cars don’t even have a transmission dipstick any more, and they rarely consume or leak any type of fluid, so it’s easy to forget that our collector car needs a little more attention before a nice, long drive. Working at my dad’s Shell station in the 1970s taught me a lot about the importance of checking fluids on a regular basis, but I had a motive—I mainly just wanted to take a peek at the engine, especially if it was a cool muscle car. Back then, you expected the engine to consume a little bit of oil. The tolerances were not as precise as today’s engines, and crankcase ventilation was still a relatively new concept, so the manufacturers didn’t quite have that figured out yet. It’s safe to say that we’re all spoiled by today’s manufacturing capabilities, but we still need to remember these items on our older vehicles. To keep it fresh on my mind, I made a simple checklist to go over before I take a road trip in one of my collector cars. And while this checklist won’t prevent an occasional breakdown or roadside repair, it will certainly help you be more prepared for a road trip behind the wheel of your collector car. FLUIDS It’s always a good idea to check the fluids in your car, even on short trips. Check the oil, coolant, transmission (if automatic), power steering (if applicable) and brake fluid—and make it a habit. The last thing you want on a road trip is for your collector vehicle to overheat or starve for oil, so make a fluid check No. 1 on your list. Or, if you’re going on a long road trip, I’d even suggest changing fluids, filters and any other consumable items on the car. 112 • MECUM.COM
