Phil's Classic Chevys

WELCOME TO THE ’50S!

1957 Corvette

As a baby boomer, the 1950s and 1960s are a time of fond memories of childhood and adolescence.   The cars of that era are part of those memories.  As the years passed, I found myself at semi-retirement with time to pursue a lifetime love of the cars I grew up with.

My dad had always owned GM cars and most were Chevys.  I pretty much followed in his footsteps having owned at one time or another each of the GM brands.

Although most of GM’s cars appealed to me, the Chevys were always special. Chevy represented cool.  They were stylish, they performed and they were affordable.   Many discussions with my high school buddies centered around the merits of Ford versus Chevy.  I always felt like I was arguing with an advantage.

It was a heady time for GM and they were riding high.  There was even talk of breaking up the company and possibly making Chevrolet a separate car company. Each model year introduction brought excitement.  The sleek ’57s and the bat wing ’59s.  The Corvair in 1960, the ’62 Chevy II and the Chevelle in 1964.  And the Corvettes including the later C-1s and the ’63 Sting Rays.  The Impala Super Sports and the Camaro in 1967.  Finally we had a car to go toe to toe with the Mustang.

Fall introduction of new models was a time of great anticipation.  Sneaking around the back lot of the local Chevy dealer in early September each year to get an early glimpse was a rite of autumn.  One specially memorable moment was a clandestine look at a ’65 Impala Super Sport.  It was unbelievably sleek compared to the model it replaced.  Although big modifications were not unusual from year to year, I was surprised how many changes they had made to the car.

I learned to drive on my dad’s brand new ’64 Chevelle Malibu.  It was a palomar red, four door with an optional “big six” and three speed on the column.   The optional six was clearly identified by its gleaming chrome valve cover.  As I look back, I have to admire my dad for letting me drive the car as much as he did.

I bought my first new car while I was in college.  It was matador red 1968 Camaro RS coupe with a black vinyl roof. The car was powered by the standard 327-210 HP v8 and had the standard three speed transmission with a floor shifter .  It was a great looking car.  So much so that it helped me attract the young lady who would later become my wife of forty years and counting.

Camaro was a part of youth

There would be more Camaros to follow including convertibles, Z28s and an IROC. Our loyalty to the F body transcended Camaros as we even owned a new Firebird in the early ’80s.  With two children, sportiness was eventually tempered with a dose of reality that included a Monte Carlo, a Cutlass Supreme, an Impala, a couple of Buick Rivieras, an Olds 98 Touring Sedan, a Cadillac STS, and a couple of CTSs. My wife’s GM loyalty was not as strong as mine as she strayed off the reservation for a number of  luxury Japanese brands.  I must admit, however, that staying with GM in the late ’80s and early ’90s was a bit of a challenge, although things are looking up lately.

A Family Affair

http://youtu.be/W9RBl4UoBgo