By Tara Hurlin / Originally Published July 15, 2014 / Hagerty Dr. Joe Roglieri, vice president of the Capital District Region of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club,…{"id":5773,"date":"2014-09-17T13:07:39","date_gmt":"2014-09-17T20:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=5773"},"modified":"2014-09-17T13:07:39","modified_gmt":"2014-09-17T20:07:39","slug":"after-a-childhood-filled-with-cars-passion-runs-deep-for-cadillac-owner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/17\/after-a-childhood-filled-with-cars-passion-runs-deep-for-cadillac-owner\/","title":{"rendered":"After a childhood filled with cars, passion runs deep for Cadillac owner"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tara Hurlin\u00a0\/ Originally Published July 15, 2014 \/ Hagerty<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Joe Roglieri, vice president of the Capital District Region of the\u00a0Cadillac & LaSalle Club<\/a>, is a true car enthusiast. Growing up, he was so influenced by automobiles that he even remembers cars that his father owned when he was a toddler. Among his treasures: a photo collection of his father\u2019s cars \u2013 some before Joe was born \u2013 including a 1959 Cadillac flattop and 1954 Deville.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have memories dating all the way back to when I was 2, but I only remember the cars and not much else,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery car that I have today has sentimental value, often because it connects me to those memories. I even still have my first car, a 1973 Chevrolet Malibu with a 350 engine and four-speed transmission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe recalls helping the Malibu\u2019s previous owner wash and wax it before he was old enough to drive. He also remembers, after he was the proud owner, his dad saying, \u201cWhen are you gonna get that thing out of my garage?\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s vivid recollections exemplify his devotion to the hobby; after all, the average middle-aged adult doesn\u2019t recall much before the age of 5. Joe\u2019s dad exposed him to many different cars throughout his childhood, but there was always an emphasis on Cadillacs. \u201cHe loved his Cadillacs, he always had them.\u201d Joe remembers tagging along with his dad to buy a new 1977 Coupe Deville. He also remembers the family\u2019s 1975 Chrysler New Yorker; the same car that was involved in an accident on Thanksgiving Day when he was a kid.<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s passion for cars increased during the late \u201970s. His dad owned a used car dealership, so young Joe was exposed to a variety of years, makes and models. He vividly recalls climbing into a 1975 Corvette and starting it. \u201cThose were good years, just going to the dealership, hanging out and being the first to see what was coming in. I even helped park the cars at age 10.\u201d Joe often brought his elementary school friends along to share in the excitement, and they built models in an attempt to replicate their dream cars. Once Joe and his buddies were old enough to drive, they were in the garage working on the real thing.<\/p>\n

Many great cars came through the dealership, Joe said, including a 1970 Chevelle SS convertible that his dad decided to keep. The Chevelle eventually got buried in his father\u2019s garage and sat for 20 years until they fired it up together. Later his father gave Joe the car as a graduation present. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect a car for a gift, but it really meant a lot to me, knowing how much my dad loved that car. I still have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Classic Cadillacs are easy for anyone to love, but Joe has a special attachment to them \u2014 specifically those from the 1950s and \u201960s. He remembers an abandoned 1959 flattop and \u201968 Camaro sitting side-by-side in a weed-infested lot just a few blocks from the home he grew up in. For 10 years, whenever Joe passed the cars he would think, \u201cWouldn\u2019t it be great to someday save that Cadillac?\u201d Then one day, a teenaged Joe came upon a horrible sight: someone had cut the front and rear ends off the old Cadillac, presumably to make couches. The disappointment is still evident in Joe\u2019s voice: \u201cThat was a heartbreaking sight.\u201d<\/p>\n

From that moment on, Joe made it his goal to become the proud owner of a 1959 Cadillac. Recently, he lucked out and the dream came true. A friend was trying to decide if he should sell his \u201959 Cadillac overseas, and Joe talked him into letting him purchase the car instead. \u201cI was in the right place at the right time, and my friend liked the idea of being able to see the car again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The \u201859 remains Joe\u2019s favorite car, and who could blame him? The smooth ride, tall fins and double-bullet taillights leave little else to be desired. But \u2013 he has to admit \u2013 there is one non-Cadillac that he still thinks about: a used 1975 Buick LeSabre convertible that his brother gave him when he was in college. \u201cIt was the best no-worries car. Very reliable. A perfect daily driver for a college student.\u201d Before starting graduate school, Joe was unsure if he should keep the LeSabre or sell it, so he bought himself some time by storing it in a friend\u2019s garage for the winter. When spring arrived, he discovered that the car had been vandalized, and the convertible top was completely destroyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t want to spend $1,500 on a car that we paid $400 for,\u201d Joe said, so he sold it. He still regrets that decision. Even though the LeSabre was rust covered and bondo filled, he\u2019d made a connection with it. About a year ago, however, Joe was able to ease his pain by buying another \u201975 LeSabre convertible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost the same exact car as I had, except without the rust,\u201d Joe said. \u201cIt\u2019s an unbelievably fun car to drive. I love my \u201859 Cadillac, but nothing compares to the feeling I have when driving the Buick.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe\u2019s exposure to so many different cars at a young age not only made for an unforgettable childhood, but it expanded his interests. \u201cThat\u2019s my favorite thing about the Cadillac & LaSalle Club,\u201d he said. \u201cThey embrace every year, make and model of Cadillac nationwide, including modified cars and new models. The variety of people involved is astonishing.\u201d<\/p>\n

They even accept guys with a soft spot for Buicks.<\/p>\n

For more about the Cadillac & LeSalle Club, visit\u00a0 http:\/\/www.cadillaclasalleclub.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n