[MDFarms]

Like this thread, Although I'm not the main character in my story is my father.

In 1970 he ordered a new 1970 Chevelle SS 454, gold with black stripes and stripped down for power only and grabbing gears on the street. Being a farmers son he worked long hours to save up for his dream car. Shortly after getting his dream car about 1.5 year later I came along and so did the thing called life, wife and a little boy to take care of. Low and behold he sold his dream car to take care of his family.

Circle back about 28 years ago he was ready to find his dream car again. He ventured to the local "Muscle Car" dealership and laid his eyes on a red/white stripe Chevelle, placed deposit and came home to tell us. On the day of pick up we grabbed a local friend (body shop owner) and went to pick up his car with the enclosed trailer. Upon arriving my friend noticed that this car had been poorly restored, patched body panels and shotty work that only a good body man can see. We spoke to dad and dealership and thye agreed to refund his deposit. Bummed out we went home without his car..........

Several hours later and still bummed he got back on internet and stumbled luckily upon what would become a once in a life time purchase. Just listed and 100% Original paint 1970 Chevelle SS396 4spd, factory bench seat like his original car and beautiful. He called the man and spoke for a couple hours explained that he was a dairy farmer and ask if he would hold it for a couple days until he could get away and they set up a time to take a look at it.

Sunday morning we made the trip to Hart Mi to look at this car, with our friend the body man in back seat we headed that way with expectations that it too may not be the car of his dreams. Once we arrived and he opened the door we were in awe! Not only was it beautiful but after crawling around and looking it over it was a all original paint numbers matching car and to top the cake he had winning trophies from the Detroit Auto Show for "Most Original Muscle Car" at the show two years in a row and coincidently that was the only two years it went to the show. While there a man from Chicago was blowing up the guys phone (landline back then) in his garage offering more money and sending truck to pick up. Thankfully the seller kept his word!

The seller was switching gears and because his wife had did car shows for years it was her turn to take on a boating hobby. The seller said you take the car you take the trophies, posters on my walls, magazines on my table and car show gear, trailer and the HUGE Sun Diagnostic Center in front of car. After a hand shake and a deposit we were set to leave he said wait, I have more stuff to give you, he handed over a file with all original paperwork, bill of sale, protecto plate, build sheet, and the letter from the GM worker writing his son who was serving our Country asking him if you had a dream car in mind what would it be? Son replied a silver with black stripe SS454 Chevelle the father sent a letter back and said no to a 454 but a 396 would be possible. When his son came back from serving the car was there for him. Years later the son moved to Hawaii and left car behind at dads, it sat along a major road into town in a garage with door half up with tailights showing as the man dad bought it from drove by it daily, one day he stopped and ask if it was for sale, the dad called the son and they sold the car and its rebirth came about. Stored in a garage with a dirt floor, roof sagging and door half open the car survived an amazing life, underside is beautiful and so is body, original interior and components. In picture we has some aftermarket tires and rims on it but is now back to stock with ralleys.

Super nice car with great history. Dad is 72 years old and it sits in his garage on carpet most of the time but he will never sell. Just this summer the man dad bought the car called me out of the blue, I had set up a Caterpillar D6 dozer delivery with the company I work for and he reconized my last name and the address it was going to was in the town that he knew the car went too, he was the escort for this oversize load and ironically the dozer was coming up to a new windarm job of which we (dad and I) provided a laydown yard to use. He was around the corner from his old Chevelle! He ask if we still had car and if so could he come take a look and I said absolutely. Neither dad or myself was home when he stopped but a friend doing a remodeling job was there at dads and he called me and said " theres a guy here at your dads and he uncovered your dads car and he is sitting here in the garage staring at it". Phil said " I ask him if I he wanted me to get a hold of your dad and he said No I have spoke to him in a crackling voice" He says Chad I think he was choked up about your dads car, not knowing the story I told him. He said the guy was there for about 45 minutes staring at car while sitting in the chair not saying a word.

Dad has ask me many times If I would like to take it out for a drive with my son. I have told him repeatetly I'm afraid to drive it as I would not want to get a scratch, nick, door ding or have anything to happen to it while joy riding. To date in the years we have owned it I have NEVER driven that car! As I said its not that I dont want too its that I'm afraid too! I believe he has a plan to pass it along to my son someday and for that I'm grateful and until then he will be the only driver.