04/20/2026
The Road That Raised Me: Generations of Kari Cars - Ali Kari
Left: Grandfather - Steven Kari – 1941 Buick Convertible Coupe
Middle: Father - John Kari – 1964 Buick Riviera
Right: Ali Kari – 1960 Ford F100 Truck
The painting above captures decades of car collecting in the Kari family—though it hardly scratches the surface of all the vehicles that are not pictured and have come and gone over the years. Though my grandfather Steven is no longer with us, his spirit is still in the garage helping us bring this truck—my project back to life
Growing up, I was brought to countless car shows. Including local Frankensteiners car show, to the amazing Back to the 50’s. My routine was simple: grab my stuffed animal, climb into the backseat, listen to the engine purr as we drove in, wave enthusiastically at strangers through the window, set up my orange and pink child-sized lawn chair, wander around admiring all the beautiful cars while trying very hard not to touch any of them, and—without fail—fall asleep under an umbrella or curled up in the backseat.
What was once just a fun childhood outing has grown into a nostalgic, meaningful passion. I’ll be the first to admit I still have a lot to learn about classic cars, but I love being immersed in that world and am determined to absorb everything I can.
As for my Ford truck? Right now, it consists of a bare frame, a very disassembled body, and an engine suspended from a cherry picker. It’s in storage for now, as last year was anything but calm, but the project is still very close to my heart. When my parent’s garage is fully built, my father and I will continue this build. To me this simple truck is the start of something special—another chapter in the long line of Kari family car stories.
