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By Brent Hoffmann, Class of 2005

“I’ve loved antique cars since I was five,” said Bob Joynt, auto historian and co-director of the Motor Row tour. “That’s when I saw my first 1941 Lincoln Continental. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. When I was 14, I bought a 1932 Packard Phaeton, using money from my paper route. I’ve owned it for 61 years and can’t seem to wear it out.”

Bob brings that same passion to his avocation as a docent. He’s the organizer and co-director of the Motor Row tour. Bob leads the Historic Skyscrapers, Historic Treasures, Monroe Bldg., Pritzker Library and Museum tours — as well as serves as a certifier for the river tour and is a member of the standards committee. Next to Motor Row, his favorite is the river tour. “It’s almost addictive,” he said. “I practically go through withdrawal when they shut down the cruise program in mid-November.”

An attorney, Bob earned his law degree at Northwestern Univ. after graduating with a Bachelor of Social Science degree at Michigan State Univ. in East Lansing.

Hawaii

Before training as a docent in 2011, Bob was a banker and attorney for 34 years with the First National Bank of Chicago. He specialized in large family trust relationships. “Off and on, I spent about a total of two years in Hawaii,” he continued. “I supervised the maintenance and preservation of the Allerton Garden in Kauai. The biggest challenge was overseeing the clean-ups after hurricanes and dealing with various native-Hawaiian rights groups.” The 80-acre garden was created by Robert and John Allerton, members of a prominent Prairie Avenue family that was involved with the founding of the First National Bank as well as the Union Stockyards. The garden, which dates from the 1850s, was part of the summer estate of Queen Emma, the sovereign of Hawaii from 1856 to 1863. After it was discovered by Hollywood, the garden was used in the filming of parts of South Pacific, Donovan’s Reef, and Jurassic Park.

After Bob retired from the bank, “it was time for a new adventure,” he said. “I loved Chicago history, architecture, and always wanted to be a teacher. As a docent, you have to be entertaining as well as be informative.” He recalled that, on one Historic Skyscrapers tour during the winter, the temperature was five-below. Among his tourees was a young couple from Minnesota, who said that they were visiting Chicago for pleasure and to spend time in a warmer climate. Observed Bob, “Did you consider going further south? They answered, ‘Oh no, this feels just fine to us’.”

Classic Cars

Bob and his bride Sheila lived in Lincoln Park for a few years, then moved to a 110-year-old farmhouse in Batavia to make room for his collection of classic cars. They prefer the luxury cars produced before World War II. “Although virtual dinosaurs that died out before the war, they were noteworthy for their fine engineering, build quality, and beauty,” said Bob. He has six luxury cars: a 1920 Locomobile, 1926 Lincoln, 1926 Rolls Royce, 1931 Lincoln, 1932 Packard and a (post-WWII) 1959 Jaguar XK150. “My everyday ride is a 1997 Mustang Cobra.”

He’s a familiar face – as master of ceremonies or judge – at classic car shows. Since 1980, he often has served as MC or judge at the Concours d’Elegance auto shows in Pebble Beach, California; Amelia Island, Florida; and at St. John’s Inn at Plymouth, Michigan. There are thousands of collectors clubs and shows across the U.S. and Canada. The major car events include days of tours, auctions, art shows, seminars, and displays of classic cars, often on a golf course. “The shows culminate in a judging competition where authenticity and overall design elegance are stressed,” explained Bob. “The more significant shows such as Pebble Beach and Amelia Island attract entrants from around the world. They’re analogous to the Super Bowl/World Series of the collector car world. As a collector/historian, you need to be at these shows because many of the cars will only be exhibited once in the United States.” The proceeds from the show ticket sales are donated to charitable organizations that support healthcare, medical research, education, and community service.

At a recent Concours of America show at St. Johns, Keith Martin, car collector journalist and publisher of “Sports Car Market” magazine, said, “Joynt reeled off numbers built, engine capacities, wheelbases, original list prices, and more with authority.” He characterized Bob as “a walking Wikipedia of car knowledge – especially with American cars.”

Bob considers his docent experiences to be highlights of his life. “While I knew that I’d enjoy conducting tours, I had no idea how many wonderful friendships would result from this – plus the added bonus of the fascinating people I’ve met along the way.”