| Weston man driven to ride |
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| Written by CHAYSE HELD Sentinel Sports Writer | ||
| Saturday, 14 January 2012 07:31 | ||
The self-proclaimed gear-head has been interested in cars and motorbikes for as long as he can remember, and has turned his passion into a way of life. Ackerman, 66, has owned and operated Crozier Body Shop in Weston since 1985, developing a reputation as one of the best in the area at bringing classic cars back to life, as well as restoring newer models that have been in a collision. He is also an avid rider of off-road and street motorcycles, and has shared his love of loud engines and speed with his family. "I don't really know," Ackerman said when asked what created his passion. "When I was little I just liked cars ... There's just something inside of you. It's hard to explain. I work in the shop all day and then go home and I look at car magazines. "Anything that makes loud noises," he continued. "Even my grand kids think I'm strange. When you get this old you're just not supposed to act like this. You're supposed to grow up sometime." The 1963 Otsego High School graduate remembers getting his first off-road motorcycle when he was just a youth, and from there his interest in motorbikes and automobiles grew. He and his wife of nearly 50 years, Judy, rode motorcycles together, and Ackerman passed that tradition on to his three daughters - Sandy, Michelle and Annette. The family would ride their dirt bikes in the country and make trips with other families to Michigan to go camping and ride in the wilderness. "I just always had dirt bikes around," Ackerman said. "We'd go ride dirt bikes in the afternoon. We'd all get on our bikes and get dirty and dusty. It was our family activity ... It's fun." Ackerman passed along his passion to his oldest daughter, Sandy Heilman, especially, as she has worked alongside her dad for nearly 25 years. "Sandy was always my right-hand man when I was home," Ackerman said. "She started fixing bikes when she was little. She would tear them apart and work on them." Sandy is the main painter in the shop, among her other duties, and has shared her dad's love for restoring vehicles. Among the many classic vehicles the shop has restored range from a 1942 half-ton Chevy pick-up truck to a 1965 Mustang convertible. Many times cars are brought to the shop with entire portions missing, and the father-daughter team rebuild the car using what original parts they can salvage. Currently the shop has a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle that is in the process of being restored as a gift from a husband to his wife. "We get along. Every once in a while you have to just walk away, but that happens," Heilman joked. "We do a lot together. We always have, whatever we've done, whether its motorcycles or sports. "It's just something that I enjoyed as much as he did," she continued. "I like the cars when they get done and they look nice and people take them to shows and do well with them. It says a lot for the work we do ... It's satisfaction I guess." Ackerman has several vehicles for his own use, including a 2001 Mustang convertible, a 1989 Chevrolet custom pick-up truck, and a 1979 custom Chevy Camaro. Along with his dirt bikes, he also owns several road motorcycles, including a Harley-Davidson and a BMW. "It's just a thrill," Ackerman said of riding motorcycles. "I try to ride conservatively. I don't want to get hurt. "It's just a relaxation, especially when you own your own business. I go from having all the bills and problems in my head ... When I'm on my dirt bike I don't have time to think about my shop or business, so it helps relax." |
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