BEHIND THE LENS DIALING UP THE DIVERSITY As winter wanes and springtime temps melt the snow in front of the garage door, it’s a reminder of what’s about to come: engines roaring back to life, the changing of vital fluids, flat spots being worked out of long-sitting tires, and the forthcoming summer months behind the wheel of our favorite toys. It’s also a time of anticipation for one of the most diversified automotive auctions in the world: Dana Mecum’s Original Spring Classic. For the photographers shooting the vehicles for the Spring Classic catalog, it’s the time of the year that we see the most intense yin-and-yang, full-spectrum and mega-diversity among the cars we shoot. We’re not just talking about the breadth and depth of production in years, countries of origin or vehicle types, but also the varying states around the country in which they reside. SCOTT MEAD With a little help from his grandfather, Mecum’s senior photographer, Scott, started driving at the age of 3 and was racing go-karts by the time he turned 8. He received his first camera (a Kodak Instamatic) around the same time and started photographing car events, races, rallies and concours. Before coming to Mecum, he was a writer and photographer for Edmunds.com, Motor Trend and spent 15 years in Hawaii photographing the island’s splendor. Scott’s wife swears he gargles with 100-octane race gas and bleeds 20/50 motor oil, and when he’s not on the road, you can find him in his garage, wrenching on their DeTomaso Pantera or Porsche 914. Make no mistake, the Spring Classic attracts a plethora of amazingly restored vehicles, but we also see cars and trucks that were recently slumbering for years in a garage, others that are original, driven on a regular basis and well-loved, and those that wear an older restoration but still make heads turn at the local Cars & Coffee events. The point is, the Spring Classic has something for everyone, from those who are just entering the collector car hobby, to the astute collector looking to fill a niche. Alright, I heard someone out there scoff, so let me pull out the ol’ shot list from the 2020 Spring Classic and prove it. 1928 PACKARD 443 EIGHT Back in the early part of the 20th century, Packard was considered to be America’s preeminent luxury car manufacturer. With every one bespoke from coachbuilder down to color, these cars were owned by a venerable who’s-who list of the world’s elite, including Charlie Chaplin, Jean Harlow, Gary Cooper and even Hirohito, the Emperor of Japan who owned 10 Packards at one time. If there’s one word that sums up Packard Motor Cars in the 1920s, it would be craftsmanship, as evidenced by this 1928 443 Eight. From the burlwood dash to the deep, chrome-plated fixtures and the elegant “Goddess of Speed” hood ornament, the car exudes quality of workmanship and style. Wearing an older restoration, the straight eight fired immediately, settling into a smooth idle that probably wouldn’t cause a ripple in a cup of tea. I’m always impressed by these grand cars, especially when all the amenities work, including the Jaeger clock in the dash. 66 // MECUM.COM
