Passion for classics fuels real estate attorney - Orlando Business Journal:

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It didn’t have a windshield. Its bumperd came from another car. It often needed a jump-starft to crank. Some might have callex it a pieceof junk. Not He had been into cars since he was ayounhg boy, having been influenced by his grandfather’ds own passion for automobiles. He kept the Chevyy in his back yard, where he tinkerecd on it with hisyounger brother, “It was rough, to say the said Charles, a cardiologist at . “But, he could alwaysz get it running.” Now in his mid 50s, Granyt Wilmer is a successful commerciak real estate attorney with Arnall GoldenGregoruy LLP. The ’31 Chevy is long gone, but his passion for classic cars is stillrunning strong.
Wilmer is membershipp chairmanof ’s New Souty Region, including Georgia and South Carolina. Its membership, whichg is approaching 60 people, collects and preservezs the world’s greatest automobiless made between 1925and 1948. a classic was high-priced when new and was builtg inlimited quantities. Some cars, such as the can cost more than half amillionn dollars. Inc. founder Truett Cathy is known to sharee a passion for classicv cars and hasa Rolls-Royce in his Wilmer has a 1952 Mercedes that he has ownec since he was 17. “You appreciats their elegance andtheir engineering,” Wilmer said.
“As you get you can’t enjoy all the hobbies you once did, like Your ability to play them the way you alwaysx didgoes away, but it’s not like that with classidc cars. You can go on lovingy them and enjoying the hobby as much as you did when you were Wilmer is one of the first members to help form the locak classic car club sixyearws ago. “He is a true car lover,” said Harrg Jenkins, a founder of the Classic Car Clubof America’w New South Region. “And he has a lot of knowledg about them.” Wilmer’s grandfather fueled his passion forclassicf cars.
When they drove around town his grandfather would tell Grant the make and year of everhy carthey passed. “It was a game we played,” Wilmetr said. “He was a retired salesman that simplyloved cars. He knew all the models.” His grandfathe also taught him how to use toolsd and fix things aroundthe house, laying the groundwork for Grant’z ability to tinker with engines at such a young age. Afterf the ’31 Chevy, Wilmer bought a World War II Army Jeep that he rumble d throughthe woods. “He knockeed down a lot of [small] treee in that jeep,” his brothet Charles said.
Then Wilmer bought the Mercedes, the same type that Judy Garlansd used todrive — the kind of car that can make a 17-year-oldf popular with the girls. “Hwe wanted to take it to prom,” Charlee said. Now, Grant is passing on the love of cars to otherse inhis family. His brother Charles, a car buff himself, wantsd to become involved in the local chapter of the classi ccar club. Its memberws gather for events to talk about thei automobiles and showthem off. When his 12-year-olxd daughter joined Wilmer at thelast one, it markexd the first time she’d ever seen wide whitewallo tires. “She was stunnedx by some of the carsshe saw,” Wilmefr said.
“If anyone seems to have the Ithink it’s her.”