Episode 48, Monterey Peninsula couple rents vintage cars

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Classic Car Week, the all-encompassing presentation on the Monterey Peninsula of all things automotive, including vintage cars, revitalizes itself yearly. Many auction and collection names remain the same. But newcomers, including Heather and Rob Gardner, help the collective refresh.

The Gardners, who live in Carmel Valley, don’t host a rally, auction or concours. But they could.

Instead, the couple will experience their first year of the nearly two-week gathering as owners of Monterey Touring Vehicles (montereytouringvehicles.com). Rob, a physician, and Heather, a research scientist, recently decided their fleet of 36 vintage cars is best served when driven.

Heather Gardner is our guest on Episode 48 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I discuss how Monterey Touring Vehicles began as well as the vintage cars the couple rents.

The Gardner’s collection is varied — muscle cars to kit cars and classic convertibles to an 81-year-old Mercedes limousine. The business has a new 10,000-square-foot location in Monterey so potential customers can view the fleet.

Interest is expected to be strong during Classic Car Week, Aug. 17-26. And while Monterey Touring Rentals isn’t officially hosting an event, it’s a sponsor of the Prancing Ponies Car Show (Aug. 22) and Legends of Auto Gala Dinner (Aug. 23).

A 1965 Ford Mustang GT and 1965 Ford Shelby Cobra replica have been the most requested rentals.

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