Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar and more. Take a spin in some of the region’s most radical rides.
By Bill Bartlett
HQ 107 | AUTUMN 2019
Huntington, like many communities around the country, is home to some really wonderful cars.
Having lived here for more than 20 years, I’ve seen some beauties. There are high-performance sports cars, vintage cars that have been lovingly restored and some cars that are just plain cool. As a kid, I dreamed of owning or even driving some of them. I read all the automotive publications like Road and Track, Car and Driver and Motor Trend. I couldn’t wait for the next issues to hit the newsstand. I had posters of Lamborghini, Corvette, Porsche, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari hanging in my room — whenever I saw one of these gorgeous machines cruising down the road in Los Angeles where I grew up, I was mesmerized. To me, they were rolling pieces of art.
I’ve learned that I’m not alone. Many people have dreamt of owning their dream car, and some have been fortunate enough to make it happen. So, I set out to find some of those folks in the Huntington area and learn more about them and their rides. What I discovered along the way is that every car has a distinct personality, not unlike their owners.
In part one of a series, I will introduce you to five truly unique cars. You can come along for the ride as I meet the owners and give my impressions of what it’s like to take a spin in one of these magnificent machines.
SERIOUS
Stan Tao
2007 Ferrari F430
Built in Maranello, Italy
Designed by Pininfarina
Stan Tao is a serious man. As an orthopedic surgeon, decisions in his life are often very thought-out and deliberate. But one day about seven years ago, he lost some of that. He was browsing the internet looking at cars when he came across a pre-owned 2007 Ferrari F430. Sporting a black exterior, black interior and black wheels, Stan described the look as “triple black.” This was a very serious car with a mystique that only Ferrari offers.
“Believe it or not, I bought it sight unseen from a seller in Chicago,” Stan recalled. “I just took a chance and had it shipped here in 2012. I love the way it looks, its thoughtful design and the way it sounds. There is nothing that sounds like a Ferrari.”
At Stan’s home, I found myself staring at this stunning vehicle. Even while standing still, it appeared to be breaking the speed limit. Ferrari is the quintessential exotic brand, not only for its performance and mystique, but also for its beauty. To me, the F430 truly is art on four wheels.
Stan shared an amusing story that reminded me of the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Four years ago, during his son Andy’s senior year of high school, Stan and his wife Ann were out of town. And even though it was strictly forbidden, Andy decided to drive the Ferrari to school. He and a buddy even went for a cruise around town. Stan recalls this story with mild admiration for his son’s audacity and still finds it all a bit comical.
Enough talking, it was time to go for a spin. Stan started the Ferrari and it literally barked to life. With nearly 500 horsepower, the Italian V8 engine produces a smooth, yet angry tone unique to Ferraris. That’s what old man Enzo Ferrari wanted. We drove through Stan’s neighborhood carefully, but the car felt like it was longing to be on a racetrack. Through corners it felt like we were connected to the road by rails. We hopped on the interstate and Stan gave me a brief demonstration of what Ferraris do best — go incredibly fast. As the engine shrieked toward redline, we probably broke the speed laws slightly. As I was pinned to my seat, I experienced a ride I won’t soon forget. For much of that day I kept smiling and telling myself, “I just rode in a car that appeared in one of the posters that hung on my wall as a child.” Box checked.
SWEET
Roger Smith
1936 custom Oldsmobile 3
Window Business Club Coupe
Originally built in Lansing, Michigan
Customized 10 years ago by previous owner
When you get the privilege of meeting Roger Smith, you’re greeted with a warm handshake and an infectious smile. He’s formed strong relationships throughout the region as a real estate broker, and his warm personality has surely been a part of his success. You just can’t help but like Roger. He’s a sweet guy.
I went to Roger’s home, and together we opened his folding garage doors to reveal his beautiful 1936 Oldsmobile 3 Window Business Club Coupe. The sky-blue body and black fender color combination was striking. Roger fired up the engine and the unmistakable sound of an American V8 roared to life. This was no underpowered antique, I thought.
Once it was freed from its enclosure and parked in the daylight, it became one of the sweetest vintage custom cars I had ever seen — a true showstopper. Roger invited me to drive and I gladly accepted. The interior was flawlessly finished with the finest materials and completely updated with modern gauges. It even had air conditioning! Under the hood, a General Motors automatic transmission lent even more convenience to this reimagined classic.
As we drove together through Roger’s neighborhood, I could hear and feel the big Chevy engine rumbling and easily propelling the coupe down the road. We admired the beautiful homes in Huntington and talked about what a great place it is to live. Neighbors working in their yards undoubtedly heard us coming. Many stopped and smiled and gave us an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Roger and I grinned at each other as we returned the approving gestures. The whole experience was sweet.
“One of the biggest reasons I bought this car is because we’re from the same era — I’m 1938, the Olds is 1936,” he explained. “I bought it at a car show in Myrtle Beach on my birthday just over five years ago. The previous owner was a musician who played in some pretty famous bands. Prior to that, the car had lived in a museum in Arizona for over 30 years. The color combination and the upgraded appointments did it for me. I loved it from the moment I saw it.”
I understood why. The swooping lines and classic shape truly make it a work of art from a bygone era.
A sweet guy in love with a sweet ride from the same era. What a thrill to have spent a few hours with them both.
THE BATMOBILE
John Buckland
Custom built in Dayton, Ohio
John Buckland is Batman! How many people get to say that? But John is not a silly guy that dresses up in a superhero outfit. He lives and breathes all the good things Batman represents, and John’s own life story is nothing short of remarkable.
John described to me a past filled with childhood sexual abuse, extreme bullying and abuse at the hands of his father. Like many individuals with that type of background, he turned to drugs to cope.
“I’ve survived two suicide attempts,” he said. “I spent seven and a half years in prison for two armed robberies. I have been through every nightmare that a person addicted to drugs can face.”
But today he has been clean and sober for 28 years. He said he was able to turn his life around due to his devout faith. John said the Batmobile and Batman persona are a way to share his story with those in the community who are struggling.
John’s biggest passion is getting the message out to local school kids, usually in assemblies. He is open about his past, holds nothing back and encourages kids to reach out to school staff when things are bad in their lives.
“I’ve learned that after hearing me speak, kids have reported issues of abuse and bullying to school officials,” he explained. “If I can reach just one kid, I’m happy.”
There are four things he teaches in his presentation: Never give up, always do the right thing, help other people and never be a bully.
“There is a drug prevention message as well,” he added. “You can’t reach kids effectively with brochures, pamphlets and statistics these days.”
The Batmobile is almost as remarkable as John. In fact, it is the busiest Batmobile on the planet, logging thousands of miles a year to help John get his message out. He had it built by a specialty house in Dayton, Ohio. Sporting an American V8 engine and transmission, the vehicle is huge. The cabin opens like a clam shell and allows John and one passenger to crawl in. Underneath the canopy, there are 34 plaques with kids’ names who have lost their lives to violence, trauma and illness. Sixteen of them got to ride in the Batmobile before they passed away from a terminal condition.
John picked me up and took me for a spin in undoubtedly the most unique car in Huntington. The interior has two bright yellow bucket seats, a stereo system and air conditioning. A slit that serves as a windshield does not offer much visibility. Instead, onboard video cameras help John see the road more clearly. We drove through Huntington and got lots of looks from folks who couldn’t take their eyes off of this wild machine. But the real gift of the ride was knowing I shared that passenger seat with some real heroes whose lives were cut short. The Batmobile and John Buckland are bigger than life, and I was honored to have met them both.
For more information about the Batmobile and John Buckland’s foundation, please visit his website at www.h4hcharity.org.
THE ATHLETE
Nick Goff
2016 Porsche 911 GT3
Built in Zuffenhausen, Germany
Nick Goff is an athlete. He runs distance races and is dedicated to being as strong and fit as he can be. Nick would tell you that he wasn’t born this way — he has trained hard over the years to achieve his goals. He’s a really pleasant guy who is very passionate about his cars.
Unlike Nick, the Porsche 911 GT3 was born an athlete. Porsche created it to be that in every sense of the word, dating back to the original 911 from 1963. Porsche has stubbornly maintained the rear-engine configuration in the 911, and it has remained hugely successful — the sports cars are some of the best performing vehicles on the planet.
Nick’s 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 is the offspring of the original 911. Porsche’s engineers have morphed this 911 into something that looks like it can break the speed of sound. A huge rear wing creates downforce at high speed. The rest of the exterior is both beautiful and functional, based on Porsche’s years of engineering, testing and racing.
Nick and I met in Ritter Park to talk all things Porsche. Nick has owned five Porsches; the latest is his fourth 911, which he purchased in May 2019.
“I wanted a car that I could drive daily, yet still be fun to run in a spirited way,” he said. “I’ve always been a fan of the brand and even had Porsche posters in my room as a kid. I’m just a Porsche guy. I found this one in Chicago and drove my previous 911 out there and traded it in.”
Listening to Nick describe his latest purchase, I got the distinct impression that this is the 911 he had been waiting for.
“I love that it’s more subdued-looking than most exotics. It’s a purist’s car. It fires up quietly and at low RPMs it’s as quiet as some luxury cars, but push it past 3500 RPMs and everything changes.”
We left the park and turned right on Hal Greer. Nick punched the throttle and the rear wheels briefly lost traction. With a flick of the steering wheel and gas pedal modulation, he skillfully corrected the Porsche directly where he wanted and we headed toward I-64. The 3.8-liter, flat-six engine sounded glorious.
I asked him to take us up the freeway’s westbound on-ramp which is a long, uphill straightaway, allowing the car to stretch its legs. I will never forget the face-warping speed with which the car accelerated. Nick had a huge grin on his face as he pushed the Porsche to its 9000 RPM redline. We were like two kids at a fireworks show experiencing the sights, sounds and excitement. The 911 GT3 howled with delight. I won’t say how fast we were going, but I think handcuffs would’ve been involved if we had been spotted by one of West Virginia’s finest.
That afternoon, I rode in a Porsche that is street-legal yet ready for the track. Unforgettable? You bet! Another box checked.
The Gentleman
Sterling Hall
1996 Jaguar XJS Convertible
Built in Coventry, England
Sterling Hall is the epitome of the word gentleman. He is polite, thoughtful, courteous and honorable. One of Huntington’s most respected citizens, the retired businessman and philanthropist is also soft-spoken and very easy to talk to. We had a nice chat in the living room of his beautiful home on a sunny Sunday afternoon. He told me how he had graduated from Marshall and went to work at Huntington Steel after graduation. He then got into banking with his grandfather, ultimately serving as chairman of the board of Guaranty Bank. Today he describes himself as “retired but still functional.” He even maintains an office that he drives to daily in his 1996 Jaguar XJS Convertible, which he bought new from a dealership in Charlotte.
Like Sterling, the car is well cared for, smooth, quiet and pleasant. In its own way, it is a true gentleman. As fate would have it, 1996 was the last year that Jaguar built the XJS. Many car magazines have called it one of the most beautiful cars ever built. It’s quite low to the ground; and though it has back seats, it’s really designed to carry two people in luxury and style. Jaguar is known for great touches like real wood dashboards and fragrant leather. This Jag is no exception.
“What I like most is the sound of the engine,” Sterling said. “I also appreciate the size and scale of the car. And while it may be 23 years old, it’s still beautiful.”
When it came time for us to take a spin, Sterling insisted that I drive. What a gentleman. The sunny, warm weather demanded that we drive with the top down. We fired it up, and off we went to cruise the streets of Huntington and continue our chat. I noticed how quiet and smooth the old Jag was, not even a squeak in the suspension or body. The car was as tight as a drum, and it felt fantastic. I could faintly hear the big straight-six engine purring quietly. It was as if the car didn’t want to disturb anyone’s peaceful Sunday afternoon.
We drove by Sterling’s childhood home in the Huntington hills, where he showed me the bedroom window he would climb out of at night to meet up with his friends.
“I used to get into trouble with my buddies in the neighborhood,” he confessed. “Eventually my dad sent me off to military school.”
We had a good laugh over that and I got the impression he wouldn’t have changed a thing about his past.
At one point he asked me to stop abruptly when he noticed a turtle in the middle of the road. He hopped out to rescue it, but it turned out to be a stone. That small gesture told me a lot about the man. It was a warm, relaxing, delightful drive. I will always remember my experience that afternoon with two fine gentlemen.
