Ivan Ruiz , the Car Nut, is Announced as Featured Speaker at the cortile featuring Maserati as Proietorre Macchina

by Bernard Martin

Bernard Martin previews this summers featured speaker, Ivan Ruiz, The Car Nut, discussion about Masertit as Proiettore Machine. photo courtesy Albert Heiles

PITTSBURGH, PA - Joining us this summer at the Cortile is Ivan Ruiz, The Car Nut, who will be speaking during our Saturday Luncheon about the history of Maserati.

I met Ivan several years ago but didn't truly get a full understanding of the depth and breadth of his knowledge until he was conducting a tour at the Hilton Head Concours d' Elegance of some iconic Italian cars.  Ivan will be flying in to join us from Sweden where he is doing a presentation at the 40th anniversary of the Maserati International Rally.

Ivan has been collecting, restoring, and selling vintage European cars for over 35 years.  His initial interest was the Jaguar e-types, of which he’s owned over 100 over the years and later Italian cars, mainly Maseratis. His first Maserati was a 1965 Sebring which was a barn find and he restored the car himself, including the paint.

Ivan graduated as an Electrical Engineer from Cornell University and then spent 30 years working at IBM. He used his IT skills to create www.thecarnut.com, a website which caters primarily to Maserati owners and restorers looking for photos and documents for these cars. Over the years he scanned many sales brochures, owner’s manuals and technical documents have been scanned and are now available on his website.

Ivan is a frequent attendee and judge at many Concours D’Elegance where his cars are driven and not trailered.  “A car stops being a car when it is trailered from one place to another”. 

He feels that if his car cannot be driven to an event, the car does not deserve to attend.

“My wife and I enjoy taking our cars on long drives, of course you are never quite sure if it will make it, but that is part of the excitement!”
 
"Classic cars are more than just about a nice automobile; it is also a lifestyle. Car people tend to be very friendly, and we enjoy the social aspects of the hobby just as much as the driving."

Ivan's collecting and restoring vintage cars has led to ownership over the years of an Iso Grifo, Alfa Montreal, Alfa Sprint Speciale, Lancia Aurelia, Lancia Flaminia Touring spider, Ghia 450SS, Fiat Dino, Maserati Vignale spyder prototype, Citroen SM, and many others.

Ivan's focus is on Italian and British cars from the 1950's through the 1970's. Ivan particularly specializes in Maseratis and Jaguar e-types but he enjoys trying different cars.  Check out his website to see the cars he currently owns and make sure to also click on "personal cars" page while you are there.

Be sure to register for this summers Cortile where we honor Maserati as our 2022 Proietorre Macchina