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To call Mike Anderson鈥檚 1929 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton a piece of rolling art is like calling the Mona Lisa a nice portrait.

It is enjoying its 96th year with the complete sang-froid one might expect from a survivor of all that this earth has seen in the past century. The car is an edifice, an institution, and, yes, an artistic masterpiece 鈥� with its dinner-plate-sized headlamps, huge chrome grille topped by a dramatic Flying Goddess ornament, and enormous canvas top engineered at a rakish angle.

The double windshields (the second protecting back-seat passengers) paint a picture of elegant blue-sky summer afternoons, as Mike says, one couple in the back, one in the front, champagne flowing, 鈥渞olling from speakeasy to speakeasy, showing off.鈥�

Such was the good life in 1929 before the day in October on Wall Street that changed all aspects of American life, including automaking.

It鈥檚 entirely appropriate that the huge black Cadillac will be on display at the 19th Annual on Saturday, Oct. 18, because the show itself is an edifice and an institution on Tucson鈥檚 event and charitable scene. The Rotary Club of Tucson鈥檚 marquee event at The Gregory School raises millions for some of Tucson鈥檚 very best causes and, as event chair Dave White says with a grin, 鈥渨e have a whole lot of fun doing it.鈥�

So, too, do the 20,000 or so Tucsonans who attend the event every year.

Each year, the $10 ticket that provides admission also serves as an entry in a raffle to win a Corvette. This year, that means a brand-new Torch Red 2025 Corvette Stingray 1LT.

鈥楾hese cars are part of my family鈥�

Mike Anderson and the Tucson Classics Car Show were made for each other.

Anderson, the founder of the hugely successful business, which has remodeled some 2,000 Tucson homes over the years, has always been a “car guy,” from his days making Soapbox Derby cars for himself and his friends and careening down hills on them. (“I pretty much always won,” he says parenthetically.)

He remembers the fascination that happened every year back then, when new car models came out, and visiting showrooms in the fall to see them was his favorite activity.

Collecting fine automobiles takes more than money (although that helps a lot) 鈥� it takes passion. And sensibilities. Anderson has more than 30 cars, although he鈥檚 had many, many more over the years. But he鈥檚 selective. His cars all hold special meaning for him, and each one of them is a truly significant example in the pantheon of fine motoring. They are icons of automotive history.

Photos of his cars line his garage. The first thing you notice in most of the photos, though, is the fact that Mike鈥檚 children and grandchildren are in the pictures, obviously loving the cars and Dad/Granddad鈥檚 attention.

鈥淭hat is the most rewarding thing about the hobby for me,鈥� Mike says quietly. 鈥淭hese cars are part of my family and whether they stay in the family later or not, I love to see the kids enjoy them.鈥�

Many of his cars are dutifully and perfectly restored to precise original specifications. But when necessary, he鈥檚 not afraid to change it up.

His 1957 Cadillac convertible came from the factory with a white top. But when it was time to replace it, Mike and his wife, Susan, decided a dark blue top, to complement the Cobalt Blue body color, would be better. The lovely blue Haartz canvas top changes the whole feel of the car, dressing it up elegantly 鈥� the automotive version of a Balenciaga floor-length ball gown.

Even bolder was his reconstruction of his sleek jet-black 1965 Buick Riviera. The 鈥淩iv鈥� is a true American classic, and Anderson owns a stock example as well. But for this car, he lowered the roofline two and a half inches, electrifying the design of this incredible hot-rod version. 鈥淚t was an infinite amount of work to do it right,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淭he roofline gets narrower at the top so the new, lower roof had to be wider than the old one.鈥�

Even for the legions of car aficionados who are normally vehement originalists, the result is stunning.

Two key skills Anderson has honed in his long business career: 鈥淚鈥檓 a fixer and a deal-maker,鈥� he says. Both talents come in mighty handy in the collector-car hobby.

For years, he used those skills to great effect for the car show, sourcing, acquiring and spiffing up the Corvettes to be raffled off. 鈥淚鈥檇 look all over the West Coast for the absolute best deal I could get,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen we started, the cash value of the raffle Corvette was $10,000. Then it was 15, then 20, then 50 thousand. Every year, my challenge was to find a better car than I had the year before, and buy it for the same price or less.鈥�

Last year, he decided at age 79 he needed to give that chore up 鈥� and so the event鈥檚 steering committee, realizing the enormity of the task, instead decided to approach O鈥橰eilly Chevrolet, which provided the club with a good discount on the brand-new Corvette this year.

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Meanwhile, for the past 15 years, has been the title sponsor for the event, continuing this year.

Making a difference

The show benefits from the strength of the Rotary Club itself. The club has 226 active members, making it Arizona鈥檚 largest Rotary Club, and, at 104 years, it鈥檚 the state鈥檚 second-oldest. The power of those members is illustrated by the success of the show. Over the years, Tucson Classics Car Show has granted more than $2.8 million to local charities. Money raised from past shows has helped children鈥檚 literacy, vocational training, women and teens in need, and many others throughout the community. This year, the three beneficiaries of the show are:

• Pima Community College Foundation 鈥� Pima Community College Center of Opportunity. PCC has built a state-of-the-art learning center on the grounds of the Center of Opportunity campus, where people are eligible to enter the Workforce Training Program, taught by PCC instructors. It focuses on training in high-demand employment areas including information technology, culinary arts, building and construction, and commercial truck driving. This is the final year of a three-year commitment by the show to this program, which will receive 50% of the show鈥檚 proceeds.
• The Amphi Foundation ECHO (Educational Community Home Outreach) Program at Nash and Keeling elementary schools. It helps to achieve community transformation by tackling academic and non-academic barriers through before- and after-school programs.
• JobPath. JobPath has a 26-year record of successfully supporting low-income students in pursuit of their associate degrees and certificates, leading to in-demand, high-wage careers in the healthcare, industrial trades and IT industries.

鈥淭he great thing about it,鈥� says Dave White, the event chair, 鈥渋s that as this show has gained fame and demand has increased, we鈥檙e in the position of raising enough money with it to where we can actually make a dent in things.鈥�

That鈥檚 a pretty big dent. Last year, the show raised $225,151.06, every penny split among the charities. Expenses are paid through sponsorships and donations.

The story of the 鈥�67 Vette

Mike Anderson is asked, 鈥淚f you could only save one of your cars, which one would it be?鈥�

A little horrified, he looks up and says, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 like asking, 鈥業f you could save only one of your kids ...鈥欌��

He thinks for a few moments, clearly discomfited at the idea. But when he answers, it is with conviction. 鈥淚t would be the 1967 Corvette.鈥�

Car collectors know: Every car has a story. One of the better ones you鈥檒l hear is the story of Mike鈥檚 鈥�67 Vette.

With a little help from his Dad, Mike bought the blue-and-cream beauty, with 427-cubic-inch, 390-horsepower engine and 4-speed transmission, when he graduated from military college. A freshly minted Army lieutenant, Mike took the car to Germany, where, he says, 鈥淚 put 80,000 miles on it and as far as I can remember no car ever passed me.鈥�

He allowed as how the 鈥榁ette had a salutary effect on his social life. But when he was transferred back stateside, he reluctantly sold the car.

More than four decades later, he decided that he鈥檇 like to have that car back.

In 2010, Hemmings Motor News, the bible of the collector-car industry, had just begun offering online advertising. So he posted an ad, with description and VIN, saying he鈥檇 like to repurchase his Corvette. A few days later, a fellow in Virginia called to say, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe it! I have your car and I鈥檝e been thinking about selling it.鈥�

Mike quickly reacquired it, and, even though the car had been through a pretty comprehensive frame-off restoration, decided to rebuild the engine. (See above, deal-making and fixing stuff.) Now, throaty 427 power fully restored, the Corvette sits in a place of honor in his expansive garage.

And it will similarly grace a prime spot among the 430 cars on display at the show.

Heart and soul

鈥淣othing鈥檚 changed American culture as much as the automobile,鈥� says Dave White, the event chair. 鈥淵ou can see it in our car owners, who have poured their heart and soul into these cars. And you can see it when the families come, pushing baby carriages, loving this show.

鈥淎s a matter of fact,鈥� Dave said, 鈥淚f I could, I鈥檇 name this the Love Tucson Car Show.

鈥淏ecause that鈥檚 what it is, loving Tucson and helping organizations make a transformational difference.鈥�