Before 1960, buying a new car in the U.S. was a simple proposition. There were three American manufacturers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler, dominating the market, offering about a dozen different makes. Today, there are over 40 manufacturers from all corners of the globe selling over 300 brands. What happened?
In 1949, a funny-looking little car from Germany made its first sale in the US. It was about half the size of the average American car, and it looked like a bug. The Volkswagen Beetle’s quirky shape, excellent build quality, and high gas mileage introduced a new option for the vast US market to consider. In 1959, only troubled American Motors built a “compact” car in the US.
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The “Big Three” could not ignore the foreign invasion that was expanding to include excellent cars from Japan. So … the Compact Car category hit the mainstream in 1960 with GM’s Chevrolet Corvair, Ford’s Falcon, and Chrysler’s Plymouth Valiant. Combined sales were an impressive 884,975 units. The Big 3 had assumed that Americans just wanted big cars. Wrong, the public obviously liked the broader selection and demanded even more variety. That demand spawned the “Mid-Sized” segment, and the Big 3 responded with the introduction of the Chevrolet Chevelle, Ford Fairlane, and Plymouth Satellite in 1964.
These new “mid-size” cars were embraced enthusiastically by the public. The proliferation of mid-size cars extended to nearly every brand, like the Buick Special, Pontiac Tempest, and Oldsmobile F-85. In just 5 years, the number of name plates had more than tripled, and our car of the month, Bob and Sue Blackwelder’s 1967 Chevelle, would prove to be the most popular and enduring of the new mid-size segment.
It was not a surprise when the new midsize cars were fitted with powerful V8 engines to create the “Super Car” class. GM dominated that niche with the Chevelle Super Sport and Pontiac GTO. Today, the Chevelle SS is revered and highly collectible. And the Blackwelder’s beautiful example has been restored to an incredible standard that puts it in rare territory. An example of this caliber can command as much as 50 times the original price!
Modern cars have settled into the old “station wagon” niche as SUVs of all descriptions, plus there are a few sedans and even fewer mainstream coupes and convertibles. Modern cars are all built to very high-quality standards and are about the size of Blackwelder’s 57-year-old “mid-size” Chevelle.
Not too big and not too small, as Goldilocks might say … JUST RIGHT!
Sue picked the incredible color, Slanted Brown. Infused with fine particles of orange and cream, the shade is amplified by the interior leather and the elegant pinstriping. Hard to see in pictures … the upholstery stitching is orange. There are other little things that all add up to enhance the overall uncluttered package … like the deletion of the windshield wipers that required the fabrication of a custom air intake at the base of the windshield. Even under the hood, the hinges are machined and polished aluminum, and the firewall is smooth and clean.
Together, Bob and Sue spent eight years focusing on every detail to make sure that the finished product maintained its identity as a Chevelle … a Chevelle built to the highest standard of good taste, fit, finish, and performance.
Bob is a general contractor. His experience in orchestrating the work of craftsmen paid big dividends. He sourced no less than a dozen artisans … all of them from our local area … in body work, paint, pinstriping, upholstery, and drivetrain mechanics. Together, they did their individual piece of the puzzle. The result is not only beautiful, it has performance credentials: GEAR HEAD INFO FOLLOWS: 454 Cubic Inch, 425 HP GM “crate motor,” (with 50 more horses than the most powerful engine available when new) Doug’s Headers with stainless 3” exhaust/cut-outs, Muncie M21 4-speed manual transmission, GM 12-Bolt 3.73 Positrack, Hotchkiss-Viking Coil-Overs on 4 corners, CCP 4-wheel disc brakes, Shott GTB wheels, state-of-the-art audio system and its air conditioned. A great team effort with all the elements coming together JUST RIGHT!
Between their time together playing golf, deep-sea fishing, and three grandkids, Bob and Sue are wedging in another car project … a rebuild of their first Chevelle. It was an incredible award-winning restoration until an unfortunate accident did major front-end damage. It will return, better than ever, and we will share that story with you as soon as it rolls to life.
Bob is the owner of HCC Contracting LLC in Forest Hill. A builder of 30 years serving a wide array of commercial and industrial clients like Lockheed Martin, DFW Airport, and dozens of projects throughout Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie.
Bob’s vast experience will come in handy… if he and Sue keep this up, they are going to need a new building just for the trophies.
