When he was a teenager, Bob Hill would tell his friends at Hanford High School that he would one day own a classic car dealership. Decades later, after a number of years running successful automobile dealerships in the area, the semi-retired Hill continues living that youthful dream.

Robert's Auto Classics, 602 E. Sixth St., opened its doors to the public in 2001 with its unique business focus.

"This is my hobby," said Hill. "I've been playing around with classic cars for 30 some years."

A few of the classic cars that Hill owns will be at the fifth annual Remington Classic Car Show on Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon at the Remington Independent Retirement Living, 2727 N. 11th Ave. in Hanford.

In addition to his own 12 cars, Hill has 12 cars on consignment at his shop.

Ray Greer of Hanford owns a 1970 Shelby that Robert's Auto Classics is selling for him.

Greer bought the car in 2000 from a friend but now the car is too valuable for him to drive, so he decided to put the car up for sale.

"I can't drive it and have fun with it," said Greer. "It's become too valuable to ride in it.

In fact, the glove box in his 1970 Shelby was signed by Carroll Shelby via the Carroll Shelby Foundation in Gardena.

"Carroll Shelby was Mr. Muscle in the auto industry," Hill said. "He was 'the' automotive designer."

Some of the classic cars that Robert's Auto Classics has or has had: 1970 Dodge Super Bee, 1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, 1987 Ford Mustang GT, 1978 Pontiac Trans Am, 1965 Ford Mustang convertible, 1972 Ford Mustang convertible, 1982 DeLorean coupe, 1965 Falcon Ranchero and a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.

"It's really a slowdown business for me," said Hill.

Hill's affinity for old cars reaches back some 40 or so years.

"I've known Bob about 40 years," said Bob Welch, who shares Hill's love for classic cars as he drives a 1954 Chevy pickup truck as his everyday car.

"We are trying to keep the old car hobby alive," said Welch. "We keep getting older and older, so we have to train the younger generation of kids to do this."

Hill was born in Long Beach, but moved with family to Hanford shortly afterward.

He attended Jefferson Elementary, Woodrow Wilson Junior High and Hanford High, before going on to College of the Sequoias, University of Maryland extension in Washington, and Fresno State College.

Hill worked for Hanford's public works engineering department from 1955 to 1957, before going on active duty in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959. Upon his release from his post with Army Intelligence at the Pentagon, he returned to Hanford to work and attend college.

In 1973, Hill purchased the Chevrolet franchise in Hanford and became the owner and dealer of Robert's Chevrolet until 2001.

A community pillar, Hill has served twice as mayor of Hanford. Local residents also associate him with the completion of Hanford's Youth Athletic Park, for which he was construction chairman.

In addition to mayor, Hill has served on Hanford's Planning Commission and City Council. He was named Hanford's Citizen of the Year in 1995 and was awarded Kings County's Individual Commitment to Excellence in 1997. He has been married for 49 years to his high school sweetheart, Kay.

Hill was a member of a local car club when he was in high school that met every Wednesday night to talk about classic cars. And that shared love for cars continues to this day.

"A lot of the guys are still around and they come here to visit the shop," said Hill.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2423.

(June 24, 2008)