by "CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
Published 04/12/2017 at 11:56
by "CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
Published 04/12/2017 at 11:56
No Tags
STARS: 5
Okay for clarification purposes before I start this, I am not looking for his exact car as nothing that my mother was able to find had the VIN number of his car.
Back in 1977 my father had just turned 18, he had been working at the grocery store across the street from my grandparents house since he was 13 years old to help support the family, and saving every extra cent he could. He had finally saved up enough to buy a car, and was in need of one as he had been accepted to WVU in the fall of that year. He went out and bought himself a rough 1972 Chevy Chevelle. His first car.
He spent the summer working on it and getting it all fixed up. My grandfather still tells stories about coming home from work and my dad having “half the car torn apart” in their driveway. But my dad got her cleaned up and running good.
His Chevelle took him through 4 (and a half) years of college, trips back home to see his parents, and the frequent 72 mile journey from WVU to the college my mother (to whom he was dating at the time) was attending.
After college, and after my parents got married, my father was offered a position in Dallas, TX working for Texas Instruments, where the Chevelle transported him and my mother from their home in Northern West Virginia to Dallas, and several trips back and forth from Dallas to WV to visit both of their parents.
The Chevelle was still with him when he and my mother built their first house in Lewisville, TX (pictured above) several years later. My father eventually sold the Chevelle in the mid 80's, just before he accepted a job which would move him and my mother from Texas to Rhode Island.
Over the years my father has often reminisced of the Chevelle, and often spoken of picking up another, however he has never done so, as he has always been the one to put his family, friends, and often complete strangers before himself.
I grew up an automotive enthusiast by chance, and while my father often viewed cars as a method of transportation, he always stood behind me, even when I made horrible decisions, like buying a set of cheap eBay coilovers for my 1st car, which ended up requiring some major elbow grease and fabrication to instal. When I could not complete the job and had to get to my actual job, my father dropped everything he was doing, let me take his car to work, and he stayed in the garage working for hours on end, for three days straight, to get my car working again.
Or there was the time that I impulse bought a 1992 3000GT VR-4, which quickly did what VR-4s do, and blew up. Being the broke college student I was, I couldn’t afford to fix the car, so my father “lended” me the money to rebuild the engine. To this day he refuses to accept any money from me, even though the car is long gone.
He has been much the same with my sister and mother, always putting their needs first. My father is the kind of man who walks down the street and sees a homeless person without shoes, changes his plans so he can go to a shoe store, buys a pair of shoes, and goes back to find that homeless person.
This, I know, is the real reason he won’t buy himself a Chevelle. Because someone else might need it more than him.
I want to buy him his Chevelle; as my thank you for always being there, for everybody, always. I know, even if I had the VIN, the chances of finding his exact car in any condition would be slim to none. Thats why I ask the collective of Jalopnik and its sub-blogs to help me find something very special.
What I want to find is a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle (non SS) with a 350, in Ascott Blue, black vinyl roof, black interior, and auto trans with the floor shifter. (this is how his car was optioned).
What I am not looking for is a restoration project ( I already have 2 of those I am working on), I want something that can be purchased and driven. While I would greatly prefer to find one that is originally optioned the same as his was, I am willing to have the car painted or a vinyl top added if the car is otherwise correct (and of course, priced right to make that happen).
I have kept my eye on Hemmings and Ebay recently, but nothing to what I am looking for has shown, so I am reaching out in hopes someone will have a resource or spot one somewhere for me.
I would love to have this for him as a fathers day gift, but I am willing to wait for the right one as well.
Please feel free to send a tip to me by responding to this post, or email me directly at Car.is.mi.b@gmail.com
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/12/2017 at 12:08, STARS: 2
What a lovely story - I really hope you can find a chevelle. I’m looking right now. If I can find anything, I’ll post it here
"19JRC99" (19jrc99)
04/12/2017 at 12:13, STARS: 0
Call the insurance company he used for it. That’s how I got the VIN to Dad’s Bronco. Then a Private investigator can run it for $50. Good luck!
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/12/2017 at 12:37, STARS: 0
so far, my craigslist searches have mostly thrown up cars that are either projects in need of loads of work, or aren’t even close to what you’re looking for. the closest I’ve found so far is this - The Right year, Right body style, right Engine and Trans, and (mostly) the right colour. however, it’d need a respray, vinyl roof, and likely other things too. the lack of pictures is no help either...
https://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/6026644268.html
...I’ll keep searching
"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
04/12/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 2
Eh:
https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1972/chevrolet/chevelle/100792436
Better:
https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1972/chevrolet/chevelle/100861224
Even Better:
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/chevrolet/chevelle/1861613.html#&gid=1&pid=26
Almost there:
http://findclassicars.com/chevrolet/211418-1972-chevy-chevelle-2-door-coupe-1971-1970-1969-1968.html
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/12/2017 at 13:13, STARS: 1
this one’s been given some SS bits at some point, but otherwise is exactly how you want, and in good shape, too. These cars aren’t my speciality though, so I don’t know if $24,995 is a good price or not.
http://www.streetsideclassics.com/vehicles/1464-dfw/1972-Chevrolet-Chevelle
"CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
04/12/2017 at 13:29, STARS: 2
It’s nice and for one that’s that clean the price is fair. The paint on that is either the factory Mulsanne Blue or a custom blue that is similar. My bigger objection to that one is it’s the 3 speed auto on the column shift.
"CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
04/12/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 0
Wow. Some options there. I had seen the white one on Hemmings. The interior is green though and I don’t want to do a full interior swap.
"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat)
04/12/2017 at 13:34, STARS: 1
Yeah, I imagined that, the “Almost there” category are all Blue over black 350 autos, which should make everything easier.
"Laurence" (mrlaurence)
04/12/2017 at 13:53, STARS: 0
ah, should’ve noticed that - looking at it again, the colours are far from close as well- it’s way too dark to match
"Pixel" (Improbcat)
04/12/2017 at 14:00, STARS: 0
How badly does it have to be a ‘72? The only visual differences in the two years is the bolt-on front grille. I ask because this ‘71 seems to tick all the other boxes except the transmission.
https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/6056899698.html
"CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
04/12/2017 at 14:28, STARS: 0
I would strongly prefer it to be a 72 just because thats what his was.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
04/12/2017 at 17:55, STARS: 1
Closest I could find looking around the northwest for a couple of minutes and its silvery(At first I thought it had a hint of blue) and no price listed:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/6072422397.html
I had the hardest time finding the color you are looking for. It seemed like everything had been repainted and rarely in stock colors.
"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo)
04/12/2017 at 18:17, STARS: 0
Closest I could find. Big block swapped, some modern interior, and no vinyl top. https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/cto/6079781806.html
"MM54" (mm54mk2)
04/12/2017 at 18:25, STARS: 0
turn signal lenses/bezels are also different 71/72. Source: Own a 71.; drive me nuts when people mix ‘n match 71 turn signals with 72 grille
"CAR_IS_MI" (car-is-mi)
04/12/2017 at 18:57, STARS: 0
Yeah I had the same problem finding the oem paint.