Shifting gears: Local car enthusiasts fight to keep hot rods out of political races

Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2000 | 10:03 a.m.

Future historians may make an argument that the issue that ultimately decided the presidency of the United States in 2000 was not health care, civil rights, education or campaign reform -- but old cars.

James Sohns, president of the Nevada Car Owners Association and a fanatic about protecting his 14 classics, took it personally when Vice President Al Gore said the world needs to get rid of automobiles.

"In the December 1992 Auto Week magazine, he said that all cars need to be gone. He said the internal combustion engine was going to be the downfall of the world," Sohns said.

He has never forgotten the words. To him, and the millions of people who love their '57 Chevys, '64 Barracudas, '68 Camaros and other vehicles slipping into history, Gore's declaration was tantamount to telling members of the National Rifle Association he wanted to take away their guns.

Car collectors weren't too happy with the Clean Air Act of 1990, either. It included an accelerated retirement program to scrap millions of pre-1980 cars. At first the program was mandatory, but after catching a lot of heat it became voluntary.

Sohns was one of a handful of old-car enthusiasts attending a monthly gathering at the Race Rock restaurant on Fremont Street Friday night -- three days after the Nov. 7 election. The thoroughfare in front of the eatery, normally closed to automobile traffic, was lined with 50-or-so shining street rods built long before 1980.

The display of buffed car bodies, nurtured with loving care by owners who treat them like members of their families, was organized by the Las Vegas Cruisin' Association -- a group formed by Art Kam in the early 1980s to promote interest in street rods and classic and antique cars.

The association represents about 70 car clubs in Las Vegas and works in tandem with Sohn's group, which is a political-action organization, and the Nevada Car Club Council, headed by Don Nisley, which helps clubs organize car shows.

Did Nevada's finely-tuned organizations of auto hobbiests flex their muscle cars during the election and force Gore off the track in his race for the White House?

They say no, but one has to be suspicious.

"Statewide, we represent over 20,000 car fans," Sohns said of the Nevada Car Owners Association. "We don't have that many members in the club (6,000), but what the NCOA does (politically) represents them and they know it."

In Nevada, Texas Gov. George W. Bush defeated Gore by a count of about 20,000 and captured the state's four electoral votes. That's not a lot in most presidential races, but in one this close anything could be the deciding factor for victory -- even angry car collectors.

"There was no connection," Sohns said. "I've got a list of more than 20,000 people, but I'm not saying all of them will get out and vote. If I needed to I could sit down and call everybody, but I don't have the time for that."

While there was no anti-Gore campaign, the silence may have spoken volumes.

"I don't know of anyone in the association that wants Gore in office," Sohns said.

Only about 300 votes in Florida (with Bush leading) kept the two from locking bumpers in their drag race. The Democratic party shifted gears and called for a recount by hand; the Republican party double-clutched and filed a lawsuit to stop the recount. When the dust clears Florida's 25 electoral votes will be enough to place one of the candidates in the winner's circle -- where the trophy will be in the shape of the oval office.

The Daytona 500 has never had a race so close. A week after the election America still doesn't know who will park his car at the White House.

But whoever it is, he needs to point his radar at voters who like old cars or it may turn into short-term parking.

Political machines?

Owners of antique cars, usually defined as those built before 1975, have been fighting politicians and bureaucrats for years. Sohns' political organization, spawned by the Crusin' Association, was a result of threats posed by the 1990 Clean Air Act.

"Our biggest nemesis is the health district," Nisley, owner of four classic cars, said. "They blame us for pollution. They pick on car enthusiasts because we're not as organized as industry, like salvage companies. We're easy to pick on. We're vulnerable, everyday people."

But they aren't as vulnerable as they used to be. Their organizations now include lawyers, judges, doctors, police officers and politicians, as well as car lovers from many walks of life.

Kam owns about 50 cars of various sizes and makes. Though he has lots of street rods and hot rods, his preference are smaller cars with big engines. He keeps them in a 4,000 square-foot garage and a 2,500 square-foot storage building in his back yard. He has more cars stored in his native Hawaii.

He helped create the Cruisin' Association to keep the love of old cars alive, and as a way for people with a common interest to socialize and show off their vehicles. Their meetings are informal and if business is discussed, it's incidental.

"We just want to have fun," he said. "We don't like trouble."

But trouble is what gets Sohns' engine running. When he starts discussing the politicians and bureaucrats who are trying to impinge on his right to own old cars, his RPMs hit the red zone.

"I've been president of the NCOA since we formed it in 1991," Sohns said. "In 1992 the Clark County health district proposed a mandatory pre-'80s scrappage program. We fought it from February to August. When I got done they decided against doing it.

"In 1993 we stopped proposed legislation that would not let us work on our cars at home. The assemblyman from my district authored that bill and I asked him if he was going to introduce it again in 1995. He said he was going to and I told him I guess he wasn't going to be my assemblyman anymore, and he wasn't. The bill never came back.

"We killed a high-registration fee bill. For every $10,000 of value the old car buyers' guide book placed on a car, it would have cost the owner $300 a year for registration."

Sohns also takes credit for forcing Michael Naylor, former director of Clark County's air pollution program, to resign in August. In June he joined others, including three people who worked for Naylor, in testifying before Sen. Jon Porter's subcommittee on air quality programs.

Critics of Naylor claimed he was biased in the way he enforced clean air standards, focusing more on individual cars rather than industry and the airport.

An investigation cleared Naylor of wrongdoing, but Sohns doesn't accept that decision.

"(Naylor) resigned, an attorney for the health district resigned and there are going to be a few more resignations," Sohns said. "They've had to restructure the whole air-quality program in Clark County."

The county's code enforcers are another speed bump to car fans.

"One of our biggest problems is code enforcement," Sohns said. "One owner of some old cars is in the process of filing a federal lawsuit against the code enforcers who went to his house without a court order or warrant and took $156,000 worth of cars, all '57 to '59 Fords. No complaint was filed by anyone -- it was just that the code enforcers have the attitude here (that) they're going to get rid of the old cars."

He said the problem has gotten so bad, some car owners have resorted to having their vehicles certified as works of art.

"They are our art, our treasures, but why should it have to come to that?" Sohns said.

He and other enthusiasts believe the government is attacking them because individual car owners don't have the money to fight.

"Businesses get a free ride while cars are being taxed," Sohns said. "Big businesses, like the airport, Nevada Power -- you name it -- we can show you that the big people who contribute to campaigns are getting off. That's what we have to stand up against."

Sharing the ride

While the car associations don't have much money, thanks to networking among the members what little money they do have goes a long way.

"(Sohns) once asked for some copy paper and 10 cases showed up," Nisley said.

The officials aren't paid, and in fact take money out of their own pockets to pay for transportation, telephones and other expenses.

"(Sohns) does a lot of things by himself, but when it gets serious and he needs to make a point he can ring a bell and everyone is there," Nisley said. "If he needs money for something, he just puts the word out and he gets it. When we go to Carson City politicians seek us out and let us use their offices and computers."

Nisley said the car owners aren't interested in political power per se. The political machine they've created is for self-preservation so their hobby will be around for their children and grandchildren.

Sohns, a retired police officer from Hawaii, said the organizations he belongs to promote cars to young people as an alternative to drugs, alcohol and gangs.

"I take cars out to schools all the time to show kids they have alternatives," he said. "It's a lifestyle to be proud of. Your biggest trophy is driving down the street and having someone point at your car and smile. These kids love it."

Nisley said interest in old cars is growing among young people. "Go to any high school and the parking lot will be filled with classic Chevys and Mustangs."

And today's high school students are tomorrow's voters.

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