“What could I do, I saw this car and knew it would belong to me."
That was the thought that went through Vince Porter's mind when he saw the 1967 Chevelle Malibu SS.
What brought this particular vehicle to where and what it is today started with Porter talking with a buddy who had mentioned a particular vehicle.
“I had mentioned to him that I really wanted a '66 or '67 Chevelle and he mentioned this one. It took me two months chasing this car and I phoned a whole bunch of people. I finally managed to track down the owner and I went out to St. Albert, Alberta and bought it, in 1998, and brought it back.”
The car was put away “and I never did a thing on it until 2014,” he said.
“He even insulated the garage, the doors and installed heat into the garage and it’s even stored up on blocks," said Porter's wife, Rita.
He explained how he managed to keep the car actually original.
“All the chrome has been done by Victoria plating,” he said. “The beauty rings on the wheels, even the door handle. The after market ones are thicker, but these are thinner and they are original for this year, for this car, even down to the chrome door locks and side mirrors are for this particular car.”
Porter pointed out that so-called new door locks have wider heads than the originals so what is in the car are made for this particular vehicle.
Opening the hood the original 396 cubic inch V8 gleamed and the original chrome air filter showed the TurboJet 350HP decal that came on the car when it left the factory.
“This car is a one of one, that GM of Canada made this way," Porter said. "The Malibu SS was only available for two to three months, and only made in Canada.”
When looking at the body of the vehicle Porter explained that the paint was the original grey, but when he bought the car it was all red.
“We had Little Valley do all the paint and body work and we took it back to its original colour and with the original black vinyl roof. You won’t see a single speck of red on this car anymore, even in the crevices in the trunk.”
Everything under the hood is made for this particular car and model.
“Most people say they have the original engine, but they are referring to the block," he said. "All the pieces of the engine all have codes and the codes match the parts installed when the car was new and I made sure that all these parts are original. The horns, the heads, the water pump, all the parts, these are all the right parts. Even the rivets for the windshield wiper motor are the original type.”
Doing it this way with all original parts is important to him.
"You can buy a wiper motor, from the states for $79 but it has different rivet hole locations, so it’s not a complete car. It has to be the way it came out of the factory. The car had date codes on the parts and the off-the-shelf stuff don’t have those or the Delco Remy brand. That’s important, that makes it original and one of a kind.”
Rita said her husband's obsession started about five years ago.
“He took everything apart and the car even has factory correct wiring, the kind that came off the line with the car,” said Rita.
The original seat belts were sent to a lady in Texas to fix them, they had to have the original labels, and according to Vince it took almost a year for them to come back.
“I was really worried about these, and I couldn’t lose them," he said. "I called a few times and couldn’t get an answer, so I called the sheriff's office there and they understood. They sent an officer to check it out. The lady explained that her husband had been sick and then passed, and she just wasn’t into it, but after talking with her, we chatted and the seat belts were delivered and they were impeccably brand new!”
Porter said he's put hundreds of hours into the car, and a significant amount of money.
“It has to be over a hundred with quite a few zeros," he said.
"The car even has original T3 headlights, like the ones from the factory," he explained. “The grid lines have to match what was on the car, you can get ones that look like the original, but they’re not. These are the same as what was there.”
The car has a blinker tach, which was made because when the cars were built the original techs covered the left turn blinker so GM made the tachs with the blinker built in. Even the interior clock, built into the shifter console, has the concave glass, which Vince said none of the retro stuff has.
“I had the power window motors rebuilt, by a place in California. The motors have a date stamp and I told them I don’t want that stuff covered up, I want it to be seen, it’s all real," he said.
Now that Porter has finished the Chevelle, what’s next?
"Well the car’s for sale now, I guess. Not just to anybody though, they have to know what they want and what thy are getting. I’m not going to dicker,” he said. “If this is your car, then you have to really want it and to take care of it.”
The present owner said he will look at only serious inquiries and those who are serious can contact him at vinnyys@shaw.ca
The '67 Chevelle SS is going to be the show car in this year’s annual Show ’n’ Shine in Ladysmith on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The show takes place on First Avenue from Roberts all the way to Warren Street and also occupies the east side of High Street from First Avenue. Those streets will be closed to traffic and parking from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 17. Registration for the show starts at 7 a.m. with the official opening happening at 10 a.m.
The Lions Club will be having their hot dog/hamburger concession on site and there will also be other concessions such as Mizu Original Ice Cream, the Mac & Cheese food truck, a funnel cake food truck and the Kinsmen will also be cooking hot dogs in conjunction with their beer garden which is being held in the parking lot of the Ladysmith Library.
The spectators are also given the opportunity to pick the vehicle of their choice and the winners of that and other awards will be announced just before closing the show at 3 p.m.
