CC’s greatest strength is the wide range of voices here; who wants to hear the same one constantly? The community of CC Contributors is diverse and eclectic, but all have a passion for things automotive. But perhaps the most unique and passionate voice here was that of Kevin Martin, who shared his many personal interests and life experiences here, which ranged from vintage Indy 500 racing, Cars of My Girlfriends, Checker Cabs, Bonneville, trains, his 1960 Fury and many other subjects, with an unmistakable style, humor, and dry wit. And often illustrated with his splendid vintage Kodachrome photos. I’m really going to miss him here.
Kevin passed away on November 6th, after a fairly brief struggle with liver cancer. His last post was in April of this year, and his last comment, on a subject very dear to him (VW Rabbit racing), was just on October the 12th. His obituary is here. Our condolences go to his wife of 38 years, Sue, and his two sons and one grandson. Kevin was a devoted family man and will be missed greatly by them.
All of Kevin’s CC posts can be accessed here, chronologically. And in memoriam, I’m going to pick various ones and re-run them for the next week or so. We may not be able to savor anymore fresh posts by Kevin, but we can relive his past ones, thanks to the posterity he left us here. Thanks, Kevin, for sharing your rich and full life with us all here on the pages of CC.
Sorry to hear of his passing.
Godspeed Mr. Martin.
Thank you for sharing this Paul.
This is very sad to hear. I really enjoyed Kevin’s writing and pictures. I’m happy that he lived a full life!
I am saddened by his passing. Condolences to his family.
His story of traveling around N. Africa and Europe in that Westphalia pictured was one of my absolute favorites. Father, grandfather, husband and world traveler. Sounds like he lead a very full life. RIP
His posts were some of my favourites as well. Thanks for telling us & condolences to his family.
This is very sad news.
Condolences to his family and friends.
Ditto all the above. Glad to have known Kevin a bit through his writing here.
Wow very sad. RIP Mr. Martin
God bless you Kevin,I enjoyed everything you wrote.My condolences to your family and friends
Sad to hear. Condolences to his family & friends
Sad day.
Thank you for sharing this, Paul. As with the rest, I am so sorry to hear of Kevin’s death.
Kevin’s pieces were the most colorful of any of us who have written for CC because, I suspect, Kevin was such a colorful guy. Some time last year he emailed me about the possibility of meeting up during a cross-country drive he was planning. His plans changed and we did not meet, and I am especially sad about that now. I would have loved the opportunity to experience Kevin in person and over a beer. But reading his stuff was the next best thing. I will miss him.
This reminds me of one big shortcoming of an electronic community like this. Many of us are friends with folks we will probably never meet. I often wonder if some commenters that we no longer see here have passed away – unlike guys who meet weekly for breakfast somewhere, we in the blogosphere have no way of knowing.
Mr. Cavanaugh,
If you’re ever in Southeastern Washington, I’ll buy your beer. My dad thought very highly of you.
Awfully kind of both you and your father to say. I thought quite a lot of him as well. Not sure if or when I might ever make it out, but that would sound like great fun.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. My door in Reinbeck, Iowa, is always open to all of you.
God bless you and your family, Mr. Martin.
I (and my wife, kids and friends) have shared hundreds of “beers” with “Kevin” (we had other names for him) over the last ten years except they were not beers. For some reason he inventoried a handle of George Dickel under my bar in Virginia at all times. I worked with and lived down the street from Kevin for almost nine years until his recent move back to Utah. We visited every day in the office never talking business and on any given Saturday one might find him sitting in my garage or on my ManRoom Smoking Deck watching the squirrels. He was always eager to offer me one of my own cigars (he didn’t smoke those damned things) or a glass of my own Jim Beam (he didn’t drink that expensive stuff). I learned of his illness a few days before his passing and am still reeling. If this loads, here is a picture of him on that very Smoking Deck.
very sad indeed. i loved his contributions to this site. not only kevin’s very funny stories but also his photography which beautifully captured many aspects of automotive history. as a new yorker, i have to say that it seems appropriate that like many delightful characters, kevin was born in brooklyn.
Sorry to hear of his death, my condolences to his family. Perhaps he’s up Curbside Classic heaven with Tom Magliozzi, sharing a hearty chuckle over all things automotive.
I too am sorry to hear of his death, my condolences to his family. He will be missed here, but thanks to his posts, not forgotten 🙂
This is a shocker. And I am kicking myself. Just a few months ago he had invited me to Salt Lake City but circumstances didn’t allow. Truly a lost opportunity.
His humor was outstanding – dry and able to kick the shins all at once.
Kevin will be missed.
You’ve all lost a valuable contributor, I just scanned some of Mr. Martins post here and it isn’t hard to see his knowledge and humor. I’ll be coming back to read more of them. Condolences to all.
Very sad news. A privilege to have known Kevin via his writing. Condolences and thanks to the family for sharing him with us.
Damn that’s sad. I loved Keith’s Bonneville posts. My condolences to the family.
I really enjoyed his writing-I wish all my best to his family.
Sad news, very sad.
When I was new here I scrolled down the “About”-page of CC. And then I came across a man with an earnest face, while showing a toy car. Like he’s saying “Now this 5,000 dollar collectible just fell into my lap”.
The man had an incredible sense of humor.
My condolences to his family, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace.
Goodbye Kevin’s articles. Goodbye Kevin’s moustache. Goodbye Kevin. Godspeed.
Never met him but somehow this seems more personal than perhaps it should. When one shares his history with a community of strangers (and some quasi friends) it’s hard to avoid feeling close.
RIP Kevin
Much sympathy and condolences to the Martin family.
This is sad news. He was a wonderful writer. My condolences to his family.
Kevin’s passing will leave a space on this site that will not be filled easily. His blogs were always informative, knowledgeable and above enjoyable.
Any one who presents himself as so clearly enjoying what he is doing and writing about is doing well, and it is always the sign of something worth reading over again.
My sincere condolences to his family, who have clearly lost a great character a genuine nice guy and a great family man.
Sorry to hear that. Judging from Kevin’s obituary, he had quite a few interesting adventures. You could see that in his CC articles, quite varied and always entertaining. Condolences to his family.
Thank you Paul, and the rest of the readers on this site. It was incredibly tough to say good bye to my father, but I take sincere comfort in the thought that he was able to touch so many lives. I read all of my father’s posts as he got them up, and it was just as pleasurable to me to read what “the commentariat” had to say. You’re all great for allowing my father a place to indulge his foremost delight: cars.
Thank you all so much.
– Quinn Martin
Even in passing, your father has made me smile. ‘Harpo Speaks’ is one of the funniest books I have ever read.
God rest, Kevin. Like many of you, I never met Mr. Martin but feel like I’ve lost a friend nonetheless. I’ve always felt about CC that we’re more than an online car community; we’re a family, and I treasure my virtual relationships here every bit as much as my in-person relationships.
A sad loss. I always enjoyed his articles. My condolences to his family and friends.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin’s family and loved ones. I enjoyed his posts these past few years and he will be missed here. It’s comforting to know that his posts will forever live on and reading them will be like he is still here with us, sharing his immense knowledge and insight.
My condolences to his family. I greatly enjoyed both his topics and style of writing. Another wealth of knowledge of which we have lost. RIP Mr. Martin.
My prayers are with him, and his family.
RIP Mr. Martin. My prayers go out to him, his family, and his friends.
A great loss to all who knew Kevin. He will be missed at CC. Rest in peace.
What can I say that others haven’t said already? I’m gonna miss that guy. He was witty, he was insightful… he was Kevin Martin. My condolences to his family.
This is sad news, my thoughts are with his family. Thank you for letting us know, Paul.
Well, that sucks. Kevin was always interesting to read and was never one of those people who said something just to say something, it was always thought out and often caused at least a chuckle, but more often an outburst of laughter. One of my fondest memories was a comment that my mother actually went out of her way to mention to me – I had posted an article and then in the comments made a point of comparing something to how as a child we all touched a hot stove once and learned not to do so again – he replied that he touched it twice.
Anyway, he will certainly be missed here and I look forward to re-reading everything he wrote. Paul, thanks for letting us know, I appreciate it.
I liked Kevin a lot. We actually kept in touch fairly regularly out of CC digitally, and he was a great sounding board when I had things come up. I last exchanged emails around the time my ACD tour went up; he offered some of his pictures for my “part 2” writeup from when he visited the museum in 2013.
Like Jason, he was going to stop on his cross country trip when driving back to SLC from a wedding on the east coast, but sadly his plans changed and I was not able to buy him a drink.
My life is all the richer for knowing him, and I’m sorry I never got to meet the man or shake his hand.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Godspeed Mr. Martin, wherever you are.
Mr. Klockau, Jason, et al.,
What I responded to Mr. Cavanaugh I could and should extend to all of you. My little corner of Southeastern Washington is open. I don’t have my dad’s knowledge of cars, but I know how to buy a beer and listen to stories. Thank you.
Quinn Martin
Thank you. Like JPC, I’m not sure when / if I will be to SE Washington, but my thoughts are with you and your family right now.
JES
Well, if we ever do a CC meetup in Washington State, Quinn will certainly have to be invited (as are all readers anyway). Kevin touched a lot of us with his writing about cars and travel and we appreciated his way with his subjects.
I get so tired of cancer stealing so many from us. Another one gone too soon. With my deepest sympathy.
Cancer takes, but never gives.
If not for early detection, I could have lost my mom to thyroid cancer 10 years ago. I was 4.
Thoughts and Prayers to his family.
Like JPC, I sometimes wonder what happens when posters “drop out”. This is a strange medium; you know people, but not really. Aside from the handful of you that I was fortunate to meet in Indiana, I only know you from writings and comments.
Kevin was a guy who you could really get a read on through his writing. A guy who loved life and knew not to take it too seriously. Godspeed.
I was saddened to hear of Kevin’s passing. While I did not have the opportunity to meet the man, I enjoyed his writings. Truly a loss. My condolences to the family.
Requiescant in pace…
Sad to hear, allow me to add to the string of condolences.
I just took a look back thru some of Kevin’s posts…he leaves a rich and diverse legacy at CC.
Thanks for sharing, Paul.
Kevin,
Wherever you are, may your wheels keep spinning.
This is a shock — CC started so recently and we’ve already lost a contributor. My deepest condolences to Kevin’s family. It won’t be the same around here.
I really enjoyed his wisdom about cars and life.
Thoughts and prayers.
Very sad to hear this news and I offer my prayers and condolences.
Along the lines of what Jim said earlier, I’ve seen people disappear from online communities I’ve been a part of and wondered what became of them; it’s possible some had passed away without anyone there knowing they had. As sad as this news was to hear, I appreciate it being passed on to the rest of us, so we can at least know what happened.
Thanks Paul for sharing the sad news, I’m sorry to hear we won’t have the enjoyment of reading any more of Kevin’s stories. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
My condolences, thoughts, prayers, and best wishes for the Martin family.
Kevin Martin on Bonneville, Indianapolis, and so much else has brought me hours of pleasure. Wish I’d said “thank you.”
I’m so shocked at this sad news. As a cancer survivor, I personally know what an awful thing it is, and how it changes life permanently for all concerned. Many don’t make it, and for those of us who do it remains an awful memory buried in the backs of our minds, to awaken once more when those we know (even if only via a website and a mutual love of automobilia) are taken. I didn’t even like drag racing or snow-mobiles until Kevin’s fascinating articles – his writing style made me want to read – and learn – more. To Kevin’s wife, sons, family, my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to you from New Zealand. And isn’t that the mark of a great man: that his writing was noticed, read, loved and eagerly awaited on the other side of the world. RIP.
Sad news, indeed. I enjoyed Kevin’s reminiscences of his years at Subiaco, a Catholic boarding school about two hours away from where I now live.
Never had the pleasure to met him in person, but you could tell from his writing that he was a neat guy. Rest in peace.
I was wondering why he stopped posting. Know I know, unfortunately.
He was a very entertaining writer, and he’ll be missed.
I’m very sorry about this. I would have loved to have met him. We will all miss his posts.
I will miss his writings. He was an interesting man.
Jeez, I’m sorry. I always enjoyed his stories, the man could really write an engaging story! My sympathies to his family.
Wow… that’s sad. I wasn’t as familiar with Kevin as some of the site’s other members, but I did enjoy his stories and his passing is a significant loss to the CC community. RIP.
I send my sympathy to the Martin family. Thank you for sharing Kevin with us.
As noted above, it suddenly feels very wrong that I’ve never met some of you, or even heard your voices.
R.I.P Mr. Martin.
I especially enjoyed the cars of my girlfriends piece. Your writing will live on here.
🙁
I’m really gonna miss him. Kevin was a bottomless pit of witty remarks, colorful language, fascinating stories and obscure knowledge. His comments could make me “LOL for real” like no one else… CC will never be quite the same without him.
So sorry to hear of this.
Let this be a reminder to all of us…life is short, we had best make the most of it. It sounds as if Kevin did.
All the best to the Martin family.
Richard, I second what you and Scott (above) have written. As a two-time cancer survivor, I really appreciate every day. I’m sorry that Kevin could not have more days but it appears he made the most of life and will live on in the memories of his family and many, many others.
Quinn, you sound like a wonderful son – the best to you and all of the family from yet another person who appreciated your father’s talents and zest for life.
One of my daily pleasures, sometimes there are no others, is Curbside Classics. I marvel at Paul’s dedication, energy and talent, but it is the selfless efforts of contributors, such as Kevin was, who make this site so special. Like everyone else I will miss him.
My condolences to Kevin’s family and loved ones on their loss.
My thanks to Paul for this post, through which Kevin’s spirit and wit lives on, in this very community on which he left an indelible mark.
I’d like to echo the comments and sentiments of the many others who have already posted. I’ll start off by saying that due to work and other responsibilities, I don’t always get to read CC every day. That said, this site seems to me almost like a rather close-knit yet far flung family of auto enthusiasts. While I never personally got to meet Kevin, it seems as though we’ve all lost a close friend. And, I certainly extend my condolences to his immediate family. His loss is sad, yet I feel blessed that he was able to share his thoughts, wisdom and passion at CC.
Sad to hear of Kevin’s passing. I really related to his stories, and he could tell one well. His contributions to CC were great, and I’ll miss his writings and comments. He will be missed, and I hope the best for his family.
I only just noticed that – damn… I enjoyed his style of writing and knowledge. Such a loss – condolences to his family.
That was an incredible obituary. What a life well lived. Godspeed Mr. Martin, and condolences to his family and ours.