Photos by Trey Mullen. This story was originally featured in the 2024 Outdoors edition of Steamboat Magazine.

Often found on Saturday mornings at the Steamboat Cars & Coffee group, these are the classic cars of Steamboat Springs. 

Dave Winters (whose car is also pictured above) was one of the original founders of Steamboat Cars and Coffee in 2018.  “When the group started, there were about six or eight cars,” he says. “At the last meeting, there were 65.” Dave shows up to the meetings with his 1965 Morris Minor Traveller which he bought 15 years ago and restored. “It was a wreck when I bought it,” he says. “I’m a woodworker so I replaced all the wood on it including the dashboard and door panels.” It took him about three years but now Dave drives around town in it. And, his son, Olympian Cody Winters, used it for prom when he was in high school. “It’s just been a fun project,” Dave says.

Dennis and Sherry Brown have put an immense amount of work into their 1940 Ford Deluxe Coupe, which has won over 100 awards. "We built the whole car except for the upholstery and painting," Dennis explains. Their car is named “Fussy,” and it stands out not just for its classic build but also for its striking orange color. "We get a lot of compliments on that," Sherry says. While the model itself isn't unique, its history is rich. It was made the year before Ford stopped making cars in 1941 – through 1946 – to focus on military vehicles for World War II. “These cars were used to run hooch due to their spacious trunks, and NASCAR started with guys driving these cars," Dennis says. Sherry adds another layer to their story, mentioning her tradition of running 5k races at car shows, something she started to add a personal touch to their car show experiences. "I've done it for probably 10 to 12 years now," she says. Sherry's favorite part of their car? "Going fast," she says with a smile, highlighting the joy and pride they both share in their beautifully restored Ford Deluxe Coupe.

Bret Young was inspired by his high school days: While his best friends were building Corvettes,, he decided to carve his own niche by building up trucks. His 1951 Chevrolet 3100 boasts an all-original body that retains its classic charm while housing numerous modern upgrades. With a classic exterior painted viper red, an aggressive stance, big brakes and tires and a 383 stroker engine, this is a hotrod. And with nearly 500 horsepower,Bret says, “it’s a powerhouse, it will go –but not quite a widow maker.”

Lee Cox had her eye on her 1979 Super Beetle convertible for a while before it was hers: “I first saw it at a mechanic shop,” she says. “My very first car was a 1974 Beetle – that one was red. I took my business card and I wrote, ‘If you ever want to sell this, call me,’ and I put it on the car. About a year and a half later they called me.” Now Lee cruises around town in her triple white car (white exterior, interior and roof), with her dog, Ollie, who is also a fan of the car.

Nicknamed "Old Blue," Rod and Karen Kowach purchased their truck over 17 years ago. Rod, president of the Colorado Cruisers club based in Craig, Colorado, was inspired by memories from high school and decided to bring home a 1959 GMC pickup. "My brother and I bought a '59 Chevy at a farm auction when we were in high school, and it just stuck with us," Rod recalls. His father often spoke of the old Chevys and GMCs, instilling a deep appreciation for these classic trucks. "GMC was a little better quality pickup than Chevrolet," Rod's father would say, and that’s why they bought the GMC. Over the past two to three years, the truck underwent a comprehensive "resto-mod," a blend of restoration and modification. "We tore it down, rebuilt it, added power steering, AC and cruise control," Rod explains. Originally robin's egg blue, the truck now features aqua teal metallic and pearl white, creating a stunning visual impact.

Tamara Floyd loves to cruise in her bright green 1954 Chevy 3100 series pickup, aptly named “Kermit.” “I haven’t done anything to it yet,” Tamara says, “but the tailgate is off right now because I’m having it painted and having ‘Kermit’ written on the back of it.” Kermit is popular in car shows and parades - Tamara has taken it to Moab and Fruita recently - where kids love seeing it come by with stuffed Kermits hanging out the window. “I love going to shows and talking to people,” Tamara says. “The parades are so neat because of all the little kids; they just love it.”

“California made it happen!” was the slogan used by Ford to promote the limited edition California Special Mustang in 1968. “It’s a rare car, there were only about 4,000 made,” explains its owner, Chris Williams. The Mustang was Chris' first car, bought when he was in high school. “I had no idea what I had bought at the time and I kind of destroyed it for about a year, being a high school kid,” he says. Once he realized what he was driving, he parked it away, then slowly began to put it back together, piece by piece for the last 20 years.

Tim VanWyngarden has all the records of his 1969 Porsche 911 T going all the way back to when it was new in 1969. “The first owner was a dentist in Laramie, Wyoming, and he bought it new in Florida. He picked it up there and drove it back to Laramie and his first oil change was in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was $6.88. It was kind of funny seeing that bill,” Tim says. When Tim bought the car in 1993, he took it apart in his garage down to bare metal. He didn’t care for the original color, sandstone beige. “It’s a hip color now but it kind of looked like baby food to me,” he explains. So he painted it guards red, a classic Porsche color. It took nearly two decades to restore it, which included a four-year search for the proper lock for the door handle, which he finally tracked down in Maine. "It’s primitive,” says Tim, “there’s no AC. But it’s fun to go out and drive.”