“We are stewards of our ‘historic’ sports cars,” began Eddie Salonga, acting chairman of the Manila Sports Car Club. “And being stewards means more than just ownership and care for our sports car — it reflects our love for country. Today, we go beyond passion and privilege, choosing to set aside the joy of driving for the greater good of our nation.”

Thus began our conversation one Saturday morning. It was a conversation that brought out not only the beauty of historic sports cars, but the love and passion an enthusiast develops for a “structure” — or a space, depot, shed, workshop, or repository that houses the historic sports cars that we can only admire, for now.

Youthful beginnings

Eddie’s interest in cars was influenced at a young age by his father, a trader who was into buying and selling vehicles among the many business endeavors he pursued.

“It did not matter what make or type of car it was, what was important at the time was the time spent with the car — whether it was working on the engine, maintaining a shiny paint job, or the many other things that a car needed, as part of a good habit in maintenance — and, the ability to drive it.”

For Eddie, his youth was a time when all that mattered was his car, the time he spent with it and the passion he shared with like-minded individuals who became friends and have remained so to this day.

What is love

A love for cars is a feeling that one catches at a young age. As Eddie was talking cars, my mind drifted for a moment to my younger days. I was lost in the thought of sitting in the garage watching my dad as he tinkered with the engine of our family station wagon, a Chevy, on a Saturday morning with a few of his close friends.

I spent many a Saturday mornings of my youth watching and listening to my Dad and his friends as they shared about the history of the car and how important each part of the engine was.

“Nothing becomes more valuable than the conversations and stories shared with friends,” Eddie said, as my thoughts and attention returned to the present. “You are able to take your friends to places and experiences where they might not have reached on their own, through stories that only true friends can fully understand.”

Funny, I think to myself, as we talked cars — something only a fellow enthusiast would understand, I thought.