Entrepreneurs might shake their heads when they see Randy Holt’s business model. But car enthusiasts are likely to nod understandingly.
For the past several months, Holt and his wife, Gayle, have operated Grumpy’s Classic Cars — an online listing of classic and collector vehicles. It’s attracted dozens of sellers from across Canada, with its offerings including the likes of a 1929 Ford Model A hot rod, a 1936 Chevrolet Foreman Coupe, a 1967 Austin-Healy Roadster and a 1970 Dodge Challenger.
There’s no charge to register a vehicle with Grumpy’s Classic Cars, and no fees or commissions. You won’t even find an ad on the website.
All of this raises an obvious question: What’s in it for Holt?
“I get that all the time,” acknowledged the Red Deer resident. “People say, ‘Where do you make your money?’”
But Holt’s compensation is not financial.
“Right now, basically it’s just love of the hobby.”
A longtime classic car enthusiast, with a 1971 Chevrolet C10 pickup parked in his own garage, Holt loves to be around collector vehicles and their owners. If Grumpy’s Classic Cars ever does generate revenue — perhaps through online ads or by promoting automotive products — it would just be icing on the cake.
“Maybe there’s going to be opportunities there. But if there isn’t, there isn’t.”
Holt launched his site in response to what he felt was a market void. Vendors of classic vehicles were advertising on sites like Kijiji, which don’t differentiate between vehicle types.
“What would happen is, your 1936 Ford Coupe would be listed right beside a 2002 minivan.”
By contrast, Grumpy’s Classic Cars is restricted to vehicles manufactured in 1979 or earlier — with parts, accessories and project vehicles also included.
“We really try to target specialty, classic, muscle cars, hot rods,” said Holt.
Holt recently rejected an ad for a 2007 Mustang Cobra, a beautiful car, but one that didn’t meet Grumpy’s criteria.
The site is also limited to Canadian vehicles, which allows buyers to avoid the inconvenience and complexities of cross-border transactions.
Holt has been promoting Grumpy’s Classic Cars though such avenues as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, with his followers receiving updates of new listings. He’s also registered with a number of online directories.
“The biggest thing is word of mouth,” said Holt, who’s been sharing information about his site at cruise nights, swap meets and similar gatherings.
So far, Grumpy’s Classic Cars has attracted dealers from as far away as Montreal. One local resident was able to source an obscure part from the United States, and a car enthusiast from Australia recently communicated his praise for the site.
There may not be any money coming in, but Holt is connecting with others who are driven by the same passion as him.
“Car guys are a different kind of group,” he said.
Grumpy’s Classic Cars can be accessed online at www.grumpysclassiccars.com.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com