If you're looking for a classic model car, Steve Ring can steer you in the right direction.

The owner of Ringo's Vintage Cars recently took the driver's seat to a new career, which has been his life-long hobby. His office is located at 6568 Cornell Avenue on the Monon Trail.

"When I was little, my older brother always loved cars and he bought a 1960 Corvette. He kept trading Corvettes and I got really interested in them. When it came my turn to buy a car, I saved money from cutting lawns. My first car was a 1969 Mach I Mustang. My dad took me to a rough part of town to look at it. He let me have the buying decision. It needed some bodywork, but with trial and error, I made it something to be proud of. I bought it for $725 and doubled my money four years later when I sold it. That was a drivable restoration. I kind of got hooked on it. That's what started the fire. Basically, there are two types of restoration. A drivable car that needs paint and some motor work. And the other type of restoration which is kind of nuts and bolts-what you call a museum restoration. I find cars that need some restoration and go from there. I mainly deal with building on the restoration process. I've restored Camaros, Corvettes, Pontiac GTOs, Chevelles, Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Shelby Cobras," he explained.

Ring is organizing the Inaugural Broad Ripple Classic Car Show that will be held on Sunday, September 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Broad Ripple Park and at American Legion Post 34 (6440 Westfield Boulevard). There is a $15 car entry fee where some event proceeds will go to a worthy local cause.

"Some of the money from the car show will be donated to American Legion Post 34 and to the Marion Country Animal Control downtown, since there are a lot of dog owners in Broad Ripple. [The Legion is] providing 10 parking spaces along the Monon Trail for the event. It's the right thing to give back," he noted.

His decision to shift gears from his daytime job was an easy one. "I was in the corporate world, living in Chicago and working at an Internet company and hit an age and kind of followed my passion. I always did this (restoration) after work on the side. I'm working 12-hour days now and enjoying what I do. I've been doing this for a year. I go out and try to find people's cars that are sitting out collecting dust. Chasing the dream is the thing," Ring emphasized.

One of his recent automotive discoveries is an existing project. "I'm currently restoring a 1967 Indianapolis 500 pace car that I found in a barn in Indianapolis where it was sitting for 31 years. It's currently under restoration and I hope to get it back in the (500 Festival) parade by next May. It's a Camaro RS/SS. I found an actual 1967 race program with a race ticket underneath the seat of the car. It deserves to be back out on the road. You hear stories where people have these cars and it's a shame that there's no family to pass them on to, but there's people like me that love this stuff."

Ring is not only restoring cars, but also reviving a part of automotive history that symbolizes the American free spirit to explore the country's landscape. This gave new life and meaning to highways like the "Mother Road," also known as Route 66. It's not just a national thoroughfare, but also a state of mind.

Steve has long standing ties to Broad Ripple. "I grew up in this area and played baseball and tennis at Chatard High School. A lot of the hard work and dedication (to restoration) comes from sports. It teaches you a lot about being dedicated to something. It really does help in life. My dad, Gene Ring, played basketball at Indiana University and coached at IU where he was Branch McCracken's assistant. He later coached basketball and was athletic director at Broad Ripple High School." Gene Ring was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.

He remains in search of a special model: "I still haven't found my favorite car - a 1967 Corvette with a 427 motor and a 435 horsepower engine. I search every corner for a car that is sitting there, waiting to come back to life. This is a word-of-mouth type of business. If I do get a car up, I'll sell it on eBay or take it to a classic car auction. I have a list of people who are looking for specific models and I try to match them up with the right buyer and seller. I thought Broad Ripple would be a great location because I'm right on the Monon Trail. I'll park a GTO out here and people will come over and look at it. I thought 'this place needs a car show, to have an auto rally where people can drive around and get something to eat. The slow traffic on 62nd Street helps,'" he said.

His work includes more than automotive restorations. "I also do appraisals and have cars restored across town. I have different guys who do different types of restorations. I give a finder's fee if there is a car that I buy that the seller tells me about and I buy it. I've paid up to $500 before. Mid-1960s Corvettes are what I like the most," he mentioned.

Steve's website, www.ringosvintagecars.com contains pictures of cars he has restored. Call 682-4070 if there is a certain vintage vehicle you have in mind.

As Steve Ring continues chasing his automotive dream, there is plenty of Central Indiana daylight down the open road ahead for his driving entrepreneurial spirit.