Just interesting photos from the past..past..past.

June 2001 at the American Station Wagon Owners convention in Dearborn, Michigan. My 74 Chev Caprice Estate that I have owned since my dad left it to me upon his passing in 1993. I took first place in my class and thank you to the club for that.

My very first car period. A 56 Chev Bel Air sedan (1976-1977) that ran but was very rusty. I was just a punk teen age kid and this car was way over my head. I kept it a year and sold it to buy a nice 68 Chevelle coupe.

Not my first classic car but my first nice classic car. A 55 Chev Del Ray club coupe (1978-1980). Kept it two years and then sold it to buy an even nicer 56 Chev.

With this 56 210 sedan (1981-1984) I got real serious about restoration and the results turned out very well. I have never had a hang up on how many doors a car has and I am thankful for that. This car won a number of awards against two doors.

Picked up first place original 56 Chev at the Tri Five Chevy show near Buffalo, New York in July 1983.

My 57 Chev Bel Air sport sedan hardtop (1984-2007) that was my first body off complete restoration. Was very pleased with the show winning results.

November 1984. I stored my 57 temporarily at Public storage and I got unit number 57. This was a complete fluke because the storage folks did not know I was storing a 57 car. I kid you not.

June 1989. What my 57 looked like before I did a body off restoration.

My 261 six in my 57 Pontiac (1996-to present) during the restoration of 1997.

What a work of mechanical art the speedo is on my 57 Pontiac. March 1997.

I still really miss my 56 Chev 210. A four door that got looks and awards. June 1984.

I was lucky to get this wagon toy. It is a 73 and mine is a 74 but it is very close enough.

Taking my 57 Pontiac home to start putting it back together. May 1997.

A 1950's accessory that I have always loved, especially on 55 56 57 Chevy's.

My very first car 56 Chev Bel Air. Really rough but it was all there and it ran great. July 1977.

Another car I really miss. A 55 Chev that was my first real effort at a hobby car. 1980. There is my 1970 Nova coupe in the background. A really sweet car that sadly got written off in December of 1980 in a very bad wreck.

56 Chev 235 in line six engine. A real sweet running and looking car. July 1984.

My 55 Chev and look at the price of gas back in November 1979. 23.7 cents a liter in 1979 and as of now (November 2021) it is $1.45 a liter for regular crap grade. I remember then us Canadians hated the new metric system but we had to fit in with the rest of the world.

Just before I added the red paint to the combo. May 1982. There is my dads 74 Chev Caprice Estate wagon behind me when my dad was doing some under coating to his pride and joy. I have owned my dads 74 since his passing in 1993.

My most solid car up to that point. A rust free British Columbia car. I was stunned how solid this car was.

Wrote off my 1970 Nova because of a very unfortunate accident. Just over one year previous, the car had fresh paint and a new vinyl top. December 1980.

It is very painful to look at these images on so many levels. I was only able to save the new tires I put on the car and gave them to my dad. My dads 1967 Buick Special used the exact same tires and rims.

1967 Buick Special that my dad bought new and I learned to drive on. September 1983. Like a dummy I sold the car a year after my dad gave it to me. My dad had given me the car in 1982. The car had an amazing running V-6 motor that was the last year for that Buick engine. I should have kept this car to give to my younger brother Mike. Mike was just about to turn 16 to get his license.

Comments

57timemachine on Oct 29, 2020 said:

I have no order here what so ever. Just a mish mash of cars I have built over the years. Some I still own. Cheers.

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Mario on Oct 30, 2020 said:

Nice pix George! Tri-Chevys are the greatest and so are the chevy wagons. Mario

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azmusclecar on Oct 30, 2020 said:

Great pics, always brings back the memories of the good ol' days or daze depending on your mood.

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57timemachine on Oct 30, 2020 said:

Sometimes it feels like a daze after all these years. So many cars and so much work but there was a lot of great fun along the way. I learned a lot with every car that I bought and worked on.

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Mario on Oct 31, 2020 said:

Your 74 Chevy wagon reminds me of my Dad's 72 Chevy wagon. His first car with A/C and he loved it! I eventually bought it and loved hauling plywood 4x8 sheets with it! Mario

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57timemachine on Oct 31, 2020 said:

When my dad bought my 74 Chev Caprice Estate wagon new in May 1974, it was also his very first car with AC. It came in handy in our many vacation trips in the summers back then but man did this car love fuel, still does. Cheers.

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azmusclecar on Nov 5, 2020 said:

That 74 Caprice Estate is truly a classic. That rear 3rd seat facing backwards was the kicker. Kids either made faces at you if you are in a car behind them or the kids got to see first hand who was about to plow into the rear of the car. Look at the slope of that rear glass. That looks like NASCAR wind tunnel material. Vinyl wood-grain, will it ever make a comeback??????

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57timemachine on Nov 6, 2020 said:

Azmusclecar, thanks for the kind words. My 74 wagon does not have rear facing third seat. The third seat faces front. We were a family of nine and us seven kids growing up all had our positions in the wagon, just like an army. Of course dad was the General and mom close second in command. We always sat in the same seat during all those years and I now find that kind of funny. Cheers.

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57timemachine on Nov 7, 2020 said:

The last one is a 1967 Buick Special sedan that my dad bought new and I learned how to drive in. My dad gave it to me in the mid eighties, I kept it a year and then like a fool I sold it...dohhh.

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Mario on Feb 2, 2021 said:

Great looking cars you had over the years George. My favorite is the 57 Chevy 4 dr HT Bel Air in baby blue!. Very pretty. Cheers, Mario

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57timemachine on Feb 2, 2021 said:

Thanks Mario, my favorite is the 57 Chev as well. I had it twenty three years and my 57 Pontiac has just beat that record of ownership at twenty five years. I wonder if this one will be the one, that I actually keep till I die. Cheers.

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Mario on Jul 1, 2021 said:

That Blue 57 BelAir is still my favorite George! You did a great job restoring it.

Have you seen it since or do you know whatever happened to it?

Love that gorgeous car! Cheers!

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57timemachine on Jul 1, 2021 said:

Mario, the 57 Chev was shipped to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada when I sold it. This is the other side of Canada from where I live in Ontario. Because of the great distance I have not seen the car since I sold it. It is just as well I have not seen it because I regret selling it in a very big way. Thanks for the complement, I was very happy with the way the car turned. It took me just under two years to do the car. Cheers.

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Mario on Jul 2, 2021 said:

Thanks for the update George. I'm sure the owner is taking good care of the 57 Chevy, I know I would.

You have beautiful pictures and lots of fond memories to recall and you had the honor of restoring it in just 2 years! Great going! Cheers!

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57timemachine on Jul 23, 2021 said:

Mario, I do not know how well the guy is taking care of my 57 Chev because I have not spoken with him since he bought the car. Hopefully the old girl is being well taken care of. Cheers.

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Mario on Jul 24, 2021 said:

I'm sure your 57 Chevy is well taken care of George. It may even be in a museum now but in any case you did a great job restoring it and you have pictures to remember and share. It's one of the most beautiful 57 Chevys I have ever seen! Cheers!

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57timemachine on Jul 24, 2021 said:

Mario, the kind words are always appreciated, my old car brother. Cheers.

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Mario on Aug 7, 2021 said:

Hey I like that George we're "car brothers". Very nice of you to say that and I agree with you! Cheers to you car brother! Hope all is well.

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57timemachine on Nov 26, 2021 said:

I got on here and got kind of misty eyed over some of my old car past. Cheers.

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Mario on Nov 27, 2021 said:

Hey George Misty eyes is OK. Lots of memories in here which is why I love this website. I can share my memories with you and you can share your memories with me! Keep them coming! Cheers!

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Mario on Feb 11, 2022 said:

I still love your 57 Chevy in blue George. What a beautiful car! Cheers.

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57timemachine on Nov 14, 2022 said:

I love going over these old posts. Cheers.

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57timemachine on May 4, 2023 said:

Still love going over these old posts.

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Mario on May 5, 2023 said:

And we Love seeing them George! Old photos especially of cars inspire our memories and hopefully recall some good times. Cheers!

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Anonymous on Feb 8, 2024 said:

It's OK George, every morning I wake up I meet a new woman who tells me we are happily married. She says she's happy, but I'm just married. I wish I could remember her name after 29 years..

Don't worry about posting the same thing twice. It's always fresh and new..to me. Rin

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Just interesting photos from the past..past..past.

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