This is not the kind of automobile that people rush to see when it's parked in a vintage car show. And if they did I suspect many of the younger folk in the audience, whose enthusiasm is limited to muscle cars, would wonder what all the fuss is about. But the 1928 Essex appeals to me because it looks much the same as my first car, a '31 Chrysler. Tall, boxy, and decidely unaerodynamic, such vehicles nevertheless had a certain charm in that everything was purely functional and when you drove one you felt connected to the machinery. By modern standards, of course, the steering was heavy, the brakes demanded vigilance, gearshifting required genuine skill. This Essex was nothing special in its time, one reason why there aren't many around these days. Still, it held great appeal for Larry Jarvis, for whom it is also a first car, in this case his first collectable. With no experience in the hobby, he bought it on e-Bay. Luckily it was in good condition and although some repairs were necessary, Larry does not plan a major restoration. Essex manufactured cars in Detroit from 1919 to 1932 and then, in 1933, was sold to Terraplane, which itself was acquired by Hudson. The Essex is Old Car Weekly's choice for "car of the week." With it comes Larry's entertaining story of his new hobby.

[Photo Credit: Brian Earnest]