When David Winters started Steamboat Cars and Coffee with Stu Erskine, their group had just eight cars. Now, the car club has grown to hosting anywhere from 60 to 80 cars.
Winters is a local woodworker who helps run Steamboat Cars and Coffee. The car club is open to any makes and models and has a diverse group ranging from sought-after collector’s cars to souped-up trucks.
Winters owns a Morris Minor surf car shipped over from the U.K. and still equipped with a right side steering wheel. He grew up surfing in California, so his car, which he calls “Ernie,” is a reflection of childhood passion.
Similar to the late-1940s Ford cars that Winters “always wanted from the movies,” the Morris Minor is a more affordable collectors car that Winters has nearly doubled in value due to his elaborate customization.
Utilizing his artisanal skills, Winters redid all of the woodwork of the Morris Minor. Both the siding and the wooden features in the front and back seats of the car are the handiwork of Winters.
He even added a custom gear shifter knob and glove department handle with a dark, iridescent mother-of-pearl inlay. The car embodies its surfing aesthetic with a prop surfboard strapped on top, a dashboard hula dancer and no shortage of bumper stickers.
“It’s really kind of a showpiece for me,” Winters said.
For Winters, Steamboat Cars and Coffee isn’t about his personal vehicle, though. He said, “It’s my chance to give back to the community.”
From getting the “youth of the valley interested in car culture,” to special drive-bys for residents at the Casey’s Pond senior living community, the club offers a chance for all Yampa Valley community members to get involved. At their annual Casey’s Pond drive-by, the cars cruise through town from their two-hour meeting at the Community Center to Casey’s Pond.
Workers help residents to the front of the building where they have a view of each car driving by on the road. As each car passes, Winters announces its make, model and year. This year, the club will be going to Casey’s Pond on Saturday, June 14.
The club also joins Craig’s car shows, the Bear River Young Life Car Show and the VFW/Colorado Cruisers Car Club Show and Shine, as well as the Steamboat Springs Fourth of July Parade.
The club meets 9-11 a.m. every other Saturday at the Steamboat Springs Community Center. Owners park their cars and anyone is invited to walk around and view the vehicles during the free event.
Doughnuts are provided by Barron’s Auto and Tire in Milner and coffee by Big Iron Coffee. The owner of Big Iron Coffee even sometimes brings his own collector’s Toyota Land Cruiser and sets up an espresso machine right in the parking lot.
Now in its eighth year, the club has nearly outgrown its current venue. “We’re always trying to get more cars out there. Everyone loves it,” said Winters.
The next Steamboat Cars and Coffee event is this Saturday, May 31.
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