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I purchased this 1957 Chevrolet Convertible from Chevy Classics’ member Rod Fisher in 1998 in Grand Island, NE. It was a frame-off restored car, painted black with red/silver interior and was nearly finished. The body was wavy, which is not good in any color, especially black. I assumed it hid plenty of Bondo. My plan was to strip it, repaint it with a show quality paint job, then send it to Barrett-Jackson as a quick flip.
When this 1970 Chevelle Malibu Convertible joined us, we had a license plate we weren’t using that was in our daughter Sandra Ellen’s name. Because of that, “Ellen” somehow became the car’s name, too.
The car came to us from Cleveland, Ohio. No doubt, that’s a good place to live. It’s in a great state (Go Buckeyes!), the people are nice, they have the Cleveland Clinic and LeBron, and of course, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But, it can be tough on cars. The liberal (and necessary) use of road salt definitely takes its toll on steel during winter. For example, restoration of this car’s body required one new door, some floor repair, a full trunk pan, both lower fender patch panels, and full quarters on both sides.
Back in the 1960s, Chevrolet was not in the business of racing. The SCCA had a ban on factory-sponsored racecars, but that didn’t stop GM’s Chief Engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov. Duntov did his best to conjure up a high performance package for Corvette that would enable the car to compete with Shelby’s Ford-powered Cobra at the racetracks. That package was designated RPO Z06.
A four-wheel disc brake 1969 Camaro RS Z28 makes for one rare ride.
Interestingly, Guy Amato didn’t start out a Camaro person. He actually owned a 1969 Dart in his high school days back in the ’70s. It was one of his friends who he used to cruise the streets with that sparked his fascination with the Camaro. Yes, that friend drove a ’69 Z/28. “There was something about the lines on the Camaro that spoke to me,” Guy remembers. “That Z/28 ran so strong given its small displacement – it was really something to see and hear. It was a cool car and I knew I would own one someday.” Little did he realize that he would end up owning two, with this very rare four-wheel disc brake optioned Z/28 featured here being one of them.
I've always wanted to head North to Alaska; to drive the highway again. I was in the Army and was stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage, arrived at my post by plane in 1963, and hitchhiked home aboard an Air Force C-130 Hercules airplane. In ’64, my wife Jan and I drove a red and white ’58 Ford convertible from Tyler, Texas to Anchorage, via the Alaska Highway. I never dreamed that it would be more than forty years before I would be on this highway again. What a difference forty years makes!
Top Twenty-Five Greatest Chevrolets
How great is the Chevrolet brand and how much influence has Chevrolet had on the United States and the rest of the world? If someone asked you to name the top twenty-five most significant vehicle models for any automobile manufacturer other than Chevrolet, you would be hard pressed to name them. If someone asked you to name the twenty-five most significant Chevrolet models, you can’t stop at twenty five. Here is my own personal list of what I believe they are. Feel free to chime in at the bottom of this blog with your thoughts!
While I have always loved vintage cars, I had not actively pursued acquiring them due to time constraints. In 2001, my wife took notice of a 1969 Mustang Fastback, thought it was attractive and jokingly asked the owner if he’d like to sell. She was surprised when he said, “Yes” and thought his selling price to be very agreeable. She informed me, I purchased it, made it better, and have been hooked on procuring and rebuilding classic automobiles ever since.
Sam Pack Museum Sam Pack, noteworthy Texas businessman and founder of 3 major Ford dealerships in the greater Dallas area, had this museum constructed to house his bevy of beautiful Ford and GM vehicles (by the way, the mix is about 70/30 favoring the FoMoCo products). Sam started moving vehicles in here back in March of ‘05, and up until then relied on a 50,000 square foot warehouse in nearby Carrollton as a home for his 150+cars.
Who doesn’t like trucks? No matter what kind of car person you are, chances are you’re also a truck fan. People don’t look at trucks and say, “um nope, I’ve never really liked them”. In fact, in certain parts of the country, you’d get a whuppin’ for saying something like that. Trucks are about as “pure American” as it gets. And really, what’s not to love? They’re big, bold, brawny and brash.
