I am rolling around the Cruisin’ Brea Classic Car Show on Father’s Day this year. Taking a break from working the booth for Cambra Speed Shop and I see this slammed wagon in a flat paint job. How dare he, in a see of bright color and glossy paint!
Well, I like it.
It just exudes a story so I introduce myself and Craig Cornett begins to tell me about the car. He has had it for 30 years and, oh by the way, “…my great-grandfather bought it new”.
Craig’s great grandfather owned a cattle ranch 45 minutes north of Sacramento. As an homage, Craig ordered a plate to read DMNDHBR for the name of the ranch Diamond H Bar. He purchased glacier blue/shoreline beige, 6 cylinder 3 speed overdrive car as his “fancy” car. It was kept in a small barn and drove it on the weekends he took his cattle to market.
He would haul his cattle to the feed lot, then go back home to clean up and drive the Handyman back for the sale. Craig reminisces on times with his great grandfather, his parents and two brothers piling into the car for a trip to Reno.
When his great grandfather passed in ’86 the car had maybe 45K miles on it. Craigs dad drove it to work for a couple of years, and would allow Craig to drive it to school on occasion. His parents gived the car to him in 1992 and he used it as his daily driver. Somewhere around 1997 Craig decided to clean up the engine compartment and the project snowballed from there with a bare body and frame off project. Life happened and the car sat for 6 years in storage, then with the help of a friends shop, he built the car as we see it now. Plans are to bring back the original color and interior but right now he just enjoys driving it as it is now.
