Just a little
background to help you get to know us.
My father
Don Gunion started out selling cars in Minnesota in the mid 50's. At the
time he was one of the top salesman though out his region and managed many
GM Dealerships with in Minnesota. My mother Charlotte(Charlie) was a secretary
at one of the dealerships, and soon would become his wife. They moved
to Alaska in 1961 planning to sell cars for a GM Dealership in Anchorage
but settled in Valdez, which has been his
home ever since. Don Started long shoring upon arriving in Valdez and has
been his profession for 39 years until his retirement January 2000. My father
hasn't lost the thrill he gets from being around the classics of the Ol'
Days and it shows in our collection. We started our collection of classics
in 1986 with a 1959 Chevrolet Apache short bed step side and has snowballed
ever since. I have
grown up around the classic cars and have always been interested in the
art of classic automobile restoration. Most of my pre- teen years were
spent studying auto restoration books and practicing bodywork on my 1972
Volkswagen Super Beetle. Just a few years later I would be disassembling
Dads classics, as he stood watching with a fearful look in his eyes.
A big thank you goes out to a good friend, Barrie Shepherd. Without
Barrie I wouldn't know half of what I know today.
I have spent countless hours locating parts and restoring our classics.
It has always been my love and sometimes I cant find the time I would like
to work on them. When ever
possible we use Goodmark body parts in our restorations Valdez
Alaska is a community in the South Eastern part of Alaska. Population
of Valdez is approximately 4,500, with population increasing in the summer
season to over 10,000- 15,000 with our tourism. Valdez is known word
wide for the Great Alaskan Earth Quake of 1964, Alyeska pipeline (we are
the end of the pipeline) and the 1989 Exxon Oil Spill. Valdez
is one of Alaska's more beautiful sights with an ice free salt
water port and surrounded by breath taking mountains. Exiting Valdez you travel
up Thomson Pass, which is known for the location of the World Extreme Skiing Championships (commonly know
as WESC).