Who am I? I’m a retired pharmacist, home renovator, father of 3 grown daughters, a husband, a grandfather of 2 beautiful grandchildren and a longtime serious car enthusiast! I’m also the new NAACC PEI Director. My love of classic cars began as a young boy living in Calgary in the early 1970s. My younger brother and I would count Punch Buggies and Rocket Cars with their large rear fins and taillights, as we drove in the backseat of our 1965 Rambler ambassador. While walking to school daily, I walked past a neighbor building a rear engine drag car. I was hooked. We moved back to PEI in the mid 1970s, and spent weekends on my grandparents’ farm, where my uncles were always around with interesting old trucks and cars to get rides in.
I saved my money from cutting lawns to purchase my first classic car in 1980 at the age of 15, it was a 1950 Meteor with 3 on the tree with a Flathead engine. I restored the interior and had the car painted and re-chromed the bumpers. I’ve always owned a classic car from that time on. While in university I drove 1965 Buick Grand Sport, a 1962 Pontiac Catalina, an old 1969 GMC truck to lug my lawn mowing equipment, the 1974 Triumph Spitfire, in a few Minis and in a 1974 BMW 2002.
In my final year of pharmacy at Dalhousie in Halifax, I purchased a new 1989 5-Litre Mustang Convertible, which I sold in 1994 after our first daughter arrived. A car collector contacted me 3 years ago saying he believed he had my car. I had the original documentation stored and we verified the VIN. I repurchased the car and it was in my garage in less than 24 hours and is in excellent condition.
I enjoy detailing and tweaking classic vehicles in my garage at home.
I currently own several classic cars that are all driven regularly in the summer around Prince Edward Island.
They include a red on red 1968 Pontiac Firebird, a low mileage 1963 silver Corvette Roadster, an original red 1990 Mazda Miata, and a 2006 velocity yellow Corvette convertible 6 speed. I attend as many car gatherings as possible, big and small, throughout the summer on Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick meeting fellow automobile enthusiasts and sharing stories and laughs.
I believe it does not matter what type of classic vehicle you own or what condition its in, as each of us have individual interests and memories of these vehicles. We all share the same passion and love of preserving, driving and showing these classic vehicles.
As the New NAACC PEI Director, I look forward to meeting our team in person and helping to preserve the antique car culture in Canada.
I am Troy Handren.