Classic car enthusiasts

Kernersville’s Kevin and Crystal Tanner are two of the many proud members of the Old Salem Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) who will be at the Downtown Kernersville Classic Car Cruise-in on Saturday.
For the Tanners, there are a lot of reasons why they enjoy cruise-ins and car shows.
“As far as taking vehicles to car shows, everyone enjoys having something that draws attention or something to be proud of. Whether it is bought or built, they are proud of their vehicle,” Kevin said. “A lot of the people that go to the shows have like interests. Throughout the years, you establish some friendships with people. There are a lot of people at the shows that are not huge car enthusiasts, but one thing I hear all the time at the shows is, ‘my grandfather had one of these’ or ‘my mom had one of these.’”
He continued.
“People who aren’t members will remember their mom, dad, grandfather, grandmother, uncles and aunts had cars like these. With the children, they just enjoy the shiny cars and chrome and all of that,” Kevin said.
The Tanners own three classic cars, the oldest of which is a modified 1925 Ford Model T.
“I bought the car as an abandoned project. I had a couple of extra dollars so I decided to buy a car. It took about eight months to finish it and I have had it since 2015. It has a 1967 327 small block Chevy engine. The numbers indicate it is probably out of a Camaro, and I updated the brake system,” said Kevin. “The 1925 is just stupid cool. With it being an abandoned project, it was really cheap. I had the mechanical ability to fix 95 percent of it myself. It all started for me when I was a teenager. I was a mechanical type person and I liked old cars.
“Back then, they weren’t really old cars. I just learned on my own and I have made jokes about it before. There is a reason why I am somewhat knowledgeable about cars. I had to buy junk, and I had to work on them to get them to work.”
The 1925 Model T, which originally only had 40 horsepower, is sometimes on display, but not nearly as often as the other vehicles.
“I have only put 77 miles on it since its completion. It sits in an enclosed trailer. If there is a good place to park it, sometimes we take it out,” Tanner said. “Very seldom do we take all three cars to a show or cruise-in.”
The Tanners also have a 1974 Chevy Nova and a 1977 Ford F100 Pick Up.
“The 1974 Chevy Nova has a small block V8 in it. It is a 380 Stroker engine. It was a 350 and stroked. The computer shows 450 horsepower. We finished it in 2018. We updated the transmission. It has a newer model five speed transmission and that helps with gas mileage, and we put in factory air conditioning,” said Kevin. “Sometimes, we take the Nova to shows and Crystal will drive the truck. It is an old model truck, and the old 70 model truck is what my grandfather had. The old 1977 Ford F100 has all the original motor, transmission, rear end and brakes. The biggest thing was putting in new suspension, new interior and a bright, shiny paint job.”
Crystal Tanner, a human resources officer for the Town of Kernersville, also thoroughly enjoys classic cars and going to the shows, as does their 17-month-old grandson, Kody.
“He (Kody) does not have the appreciation for it yet, but he enjoys the shiny colors and being outside,” Kevin said.
Kevin and Crystal Tanner have three boys. The oldest is Jet Tanner, the middle son is Wesley Gray and the youngest is Christian Gray.