I was very serious about the young lady that I was dating at that time and marrige plans were in our future. To eliminate debt, I used my insurance money to pay off my car payment and to purchase a less expensive car, a 1957 Chevy Sport coupe which was later traded for a 1959 Red and White El Camino.
This started a love affair with Chevrolet"s El Camino. During the next 25 years I have owned 25 different El Caminos.
In 1993 I saw a 1960 Tasco Turquoise Impala cruising down the road. Boy, did my heart skip a beat!This was the first 60 Impala I had seen in years ( and it had to be Turquoise). In April.1993 I found an extremely solid & straight 1960 Biscayne 2 door post, purchased it and started to spend money restoring it.Stripped all trim off ( Biscaynes don't have much) removed all interior and glass and painted car. In the meantime, I had acquired a 454 chevy complete engine with a two/4 barrel ram-induction intake, all the trim from several Impalas sport coupes to make this post car an Impala in appearance. Now, I purchased a 60 Impala sport coupe (turquoise) with a 283 power-glide along with 5 parts cars. Before I started any of these projects our youngest son was killed in a tragic automobile accident. During the 6 or 8 months following, because of my mental state, I did not do anything to any of my cars. I had 11 El Caminos and the 6 1960 cars plus 2 1951 chevys. Late in the fall of 1995, a guy had heard that I had the 1960 cars. He called and came to my shop on several occasions. He was making contact with my other son who lived near my shop, but had not talked with me. I left word that I did not want to sell any parts or cars. Well, he insisted and we finally made an appointment to meet. To make a long story short, when he met my price, he purchased all my 1960 cars and all of the new and used parts I had salveged up.Two weeks later I went to a car show in Charlotte,N.C. and purchased a 1960 Black Impala Sport Coupe with a Blue Flame Six Cylinder engine/ power-glide. This car was a #3 driver. I detailed it and kept it until April 2000 when I sold and shipped it to California. In December 1995, I found another 1960 Turquoise Impala Sport Coupe 283/3 speed on the column in my Late Great Chevy magazine. I trailered a 1965 El Camino to Monroe,Lousiana and the trade was made. We had mailed video tapes of our two cars to each other prior to the trip. In the trade I acquired a 348 that had just been completely rebuilt. It came with a 3 duce intake. Shortly after this trip, I purchased 3 more Impala Sport Coupe parts cars and a 1960 Nomad Station Wagon ( which I decided not to restore) sold to a guy I met in Florida at a car show and he hauled it to Vermont. I then located 2 more seperate 348 engines ( one I had rebuilt). I now have 4 seperate 3 duce intakes. Only 3 have original carburetors. Of the three parts cars mentioned, a Black 60 sport coupe with red interior has been 60% restored. I still have the Turquoise coupe and have now installed a 348 with three duces and had the firewall and under the hood detailed while the engine was out. In April I sold the 1960 Black/with Black Interior Impala (Blue Flame Six-Power/Glide), I found something I had never owned ( a 1960 Red & White El Camino). |
