Chevy Classics Uncovered: Legendary Rides & Rare Finds

[rock music] Hopefully we’ll be able to get this door open.
[garage door opening] Ooh!
Holy cow.
Wow, look at the floor in here, Dani.
Yeah, this was an old bowling alley.
Well, the Impala’s definitely made an impression on it.
This is a ’64 Impala rag-top.
Gorgeous.
(VOICEOVER): It was incredible.
I think all of us were drooling.
RAY: My uncle bought this car new.
It’s got 61,000 miles on it.
He got this right after he got married, and he parked this thing in here in the early ’90s, I think.
That was the last time it was out.
It’s a cool car.
You just can’t look at that car and go, that’s not cool.
It is beautiful.
Before his knees got bad, he would come in here and he would crank it over.
You can see, I think he’s got the plugs out.
The plugs are out there, Dani.
So his old trick was to put a mixture of transmission fluid and kerosene in there.
Always.
To keep it loose.
Yeah.
ROBBIE (VOICEOVER): The only thing better than a ’64 Impala is a ’64 rag-top, and that’s what this is.
Everybody wants a convertible.
Well, here’s the question.
Before I get too invested in this thing, Ray, is it for sale?
Absolutely.
For the right price, definitely.
You have a number in mind on it?
There’s no key for it, that’s the only key that I couldn’t find when I went through everything.
He squirreled it away somewhere, and maybe he took it with him.
I don’t know.
Because this was his pride and joy, but considering the condition, the rarity of the vehicle, and the popularity of it, I know the average price for this runs like almost 27, 26,800, something like that.
OK.
Low price is around 12.
I would be willing to let it go for 20.
OK.
Hey Robbie, how do you feel about calling David Tennessee, the Impala guy?
I’d say, you know, if you don’t mind.
No absolutely, go right ahead.
You know, that’s all that guy does is Impalas.
I mean, anything that we can do to help you or– and help us is a good thing.
Yeah.
ROBBIE (VOICEOVER): Unless you’re my brother, you realize that you can’t know everything about everything.
Dani has built relationships with people over the years that are experts in their field, and Dave is our Impala guy.
ROBBIE: At the end of the rainbow, what kind of money is this thing worth running and driving down the road?
DAVE (ON SPEAKERPHONE): I think you’re looking anywhere between 25, and maybe tops 30, depending on what you end up doing to it.
OK.
It stinks we can’t get into the– into the trunk.
ROBBIE (VOICEOVER): Without the keys, we can’t get this trunk open.
DAVE (ON SPEAKERPHONE): Inside the trunk is important.
What we’re looking for is the original gray and white spackle paint from the factory, and if the trunk is solid, and it’s clean, and it’s got the original spackle paint, and it’s got the original spare sitting in there and the jack– Yeah.
It’s a home run.
I’d say you’re looking at 14.
OK.
DANI: You know, not only is it important for Robbie and myself to hear all these details, but it’s really important for Ray, who is trying to sell this car, to understand exactly why we’re going to value it the way we are.
DAVE (ON SPEAKERPHONE): You’ve got to get into that trunk, Robbie.
You got to get inside.
All right, Dave, we got a lot to think about here.
Thanks, Dave.
All right honey, bye.
I’m interested in the car, probably for around 12,500.
That’s where I want to be on it.
But only if I can look in the trunk.
So you’re saying if the trunk is good– Yeah.
You’ll go 12,500.
That’s where I want to be.
And the keys might even be in here.
This car doesn’t have a key.
It’s been repainted.
It’s a low end model.
It’s still a really cool low end model.
It’s got low mileage and it’s in great shape.
But you know, at the end of the day, I need to make space.
Would you do 13?
If the trunk is pristine.
If the trunk is good and we can pop the lock.
ROBBIE (VOICEOVER): You just don’t find these.
People are screaming to find these things.
When you have the opportunity to buy something like this, you seize that moment.
Because this is my uncle’s– I’ll do 13.
You got a screwdriver– – All right.
–and a hammer?
I’ve got a screwdriver and a hammer.
All right, let’s do this.
We’re doing it.
[pounding] Ah!
I just can’t get it, it’s not doing.
You want me to try it?
[pounding] You want to try drilling it?
Oh.
There it is.
Yeah.
[laughing] Wow.
All right, let’s check this out.
You don’t see any keys, do you?
Well hold on, here.
Fricking mice everywhere.
They raise some big mice around here.
Whoo!
[laugh] The jack’s in here.
Look at that, studded tires.
Everything’s in here, but I’m not seeing– Looks good?
–any, I’m not seeing any patches.
No signs of trauma?
No.
Original speckle, look at that, Dani.
And the acorn nuts that hold the trim on still has the speckle paint on it.
This car has never been jacked with.
I couldn’t be happier right now.
13, it’s all yours.
It’s been a good day.
[high five] These things aren’t meant to sit in barns, they’re not meant to sit in garages.
They’re meant to be on the road, and that’s what he would have wanted.
It has been the ultimate pleasure.
The pleasure’s been all mine.
I appreciate everything.
Thank you for sharing your family’s history with us, seriously.
It’s a pleasure.
Robbie and my uncle would have gotten along really well.
I think my uncle would have argued with him a lot more than I did, no question about that.
But they definitely were cut from the same cloth.
I will make sure to get back in touch with you about the Impala. – OK.
And we’ll have somebody come out and pick it up.
– All right. – I really loved being here.
I felt like we didn’t just meet a friend, you know, we met a little Ray of sunshine.
[car horn honking] See you later!
This is my El Camino garage.
El Camino garage?
Nice.
Look at this.
El Camino.
That’s us, yeah.
Is this an ’83?
This is an ’83 Choo Choo Customs.
Yeah, the Choo Choo.
Choo Choo Customs is a company out of Chattanooga, Tennessee that did luxury van conversions.
This is their idea of an El Camino.
I got another one right here.
It’s another SS.
That’s killer.
1983, I was one year out of high school.
I can imagine myself with a mullet, cranking Def Leppard “Photograph,” kicking it in my Choo Choo Customs El ‘Mino.
You selling this car?
No.
I don’t blame you.
There’s a lot of things I want to get done yet.
There’s plenty of projects around here that he wants to get done or done yet, and I’m sure we’re not going to get to all of them.
Here’s a ’59.
Not for sale.
OK.
We’re asking about a lot of cars in here and getting a lot of no’s.
I have sold very few vehicles.
I probably can count four that I know that he’s sold.
– In his lifetime? – Oh, yes.
OK.
These are the things that he doesn’t want to let go because these are the things that he worked hard for, and I get that because, at the end of the day, we all want to surround ourselves with family and things that bring us comfort.
Are there any other trucks that you would consider selling?
It sounds like you’re really into the cars.
Yes.
I would sell the ’48.
You have a ’48 truck that you would sell, a ’48 Chevy?
It’s got five windows.
It’s got the little corner windows on the side.
– Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. – And it’s low mileage.
Can we look at that?
– Well, absolutely. – All right, let’s look at that.
Let’s go look at it.
In the late 1940s, when Chevy redesigned the truck, every company across the United States was redesigning vehicles.
Chevy took it to another level on their trucks.
They redesigned the cab itself so it had no blind spots in it.
They put five windows on it.
The corner cabs became glass.
Rather than stick your head out the window and look out, you actually had a window that you could actually see through– absolutely amazing.
We probably had most of these all 20 years at least, if not more. – Wow.
Yeah.
All right, there’s the five-window back there.
Yes.
Wow, so cool.
I love trucks, but my brother, he is a truck nut.
His nickname in high school was Dump Truck because he was just plowing through everything with his head.
Is that original paint on it?
I– I think mostly– I mean, obviously that firewall is right there.
I think most of it’s original.
Look at the paint here.
Yeah, wow.
This five-window Chevy truck, I love it.
Basically, this design was a deluxe cab.
It was a little bit bigger inside, had extra chrome features, so it wasn’t just a working man’s truck anymore.
It was the guy that actually drove to the office.
He could drive this and feel good about it.
Here’s the deal.
It’s a great truck, but this roof– I mean, this can all be banged out, but this is some serious damage here, man.
And there’s really no paint at all on the roof.
With the way this is, I think you got to start at eight.
Yeah, I mean– Absolutely, because after we ship it– – Right. – Why don’t we do that?
Why don’t we go hit him up and talk to him about it for eight?
You’s guys look it over. Call back in a little bit.
– All right. – All right.
This truck has a few issues, but overall, it’s got great bones in it.
Big deal, it’s got a dent in the roof.
We can clean the body up.
We can get this thing running and driving down the road.
That’s simple stuff.
So we’ve been talking about the truck.
We love it.
We think it’s the greatest thing since pockets.
The ’48 truck is in great shape for being a Wisconsin truck, for being around here all its life.
This is an accessory, which is rare.
Yep, this is an accessory.
This is an accessory.
Flood lights are rare, yeah.
All these accessories, from the visor, to the bumper brackets, to the fog lights– man, they made the Chevy truck look like a million dollars driving down the road.
It’s got a problem with the clutch.
OK, so it probably needs a clutch.
Yeah.
That’s not the end of the world.
Now we’re starting to understand the big picture of the truck, which is it needs a clutch.
That was not factored into anything with our price before.
We talked about the truck as far as, like, what we need to do to it.
Um, we’re thinking eight grand.
I wanted 10.
To me, this needs to be handled.
I’m not talking about, like, making this look perfect.
I’m talking about just banging this out some.
The truck, if it’s going to present better, this has to be taken care of.
You got a title to this?
Yeah, I should have the title because it’s got the collector plate on it, yeah.
OK, why don’t we do 85?
If there was only one of you, I would tell you to get going.
But there’s two of you.
OK.
[laughing] 85. – Oh, we’re doing it?
85, OK.
Lewis, thank you.
All right, we very much appreciate it.
Really do.
We love the truck, love the way it looks.
It is a good truck.
We bought something for your dad.
Those guys, they’ll fix it up and get it running, and they’ll find the right home for where somebody will appreciate it.
It sounds like they might even drive it around for a while.
[music playing] Hello.
ROSALYN: Hey.
Hey, you Rosalyn?
Yes, I am.
Hey, I’m Mike.
This my friend, Mike Mefford.
Hi, I’m the other Mike.
How are you?
In this town, we hug.
OK, I like that.
How are you doing?
The first person that we meet when we walk in is Rosalyn.
She’s beautiful.
She’s charming.
So did you guys build this building?
My husband did.
What year was that?
It was in the ’60s.
No kidding.
So he’s been collecting cars that long.
Oh, he started in the ’50s.
My late husband collected cars.
Cars was all he talked about, all he thought about.
It was such a passion, I kind of caught on to it.
And it was a wonderful experience.
He loved the cars, I think, as much as he loved me.
No way.
He’s our kind of guy. – Maybe more.
Maybe more.
[laughter] So can we look around a little bit?
Yes, my daughter’s in there on the phone with a family friend that’s helping us price the cars.
Oh, good.
What’s her name?
– April. – OK.
April.
Miss April?
[laughter] Whoa.
This is literally a warehouse full of cars.
No way.
I’m thinking this is going to be a great pick.
They had so many cool cars.
You name it, anything.
April, I’m Mike.
Hi, nice to meet you, Mike. I’m April.
Nice to meet you.
This is Mike Mefford.
April walks up to us.
She’s very businesslike.
She’s on point.
You know, I could tell she just got off the phone with like an appraiser or something.
She was talking about the car.
She was talking about value.
Can we look at the black truck?
Oh yeah, yeah, of course.
Yeah, come on over.
What is it, a ’64?
That is a ’64.
The black Chevy pickup, 1964 283 V8 original paint, automatic, Wolverine pup, camper on the back.
Looks like it’s been on it since day one.
The more I look, the more I like.
Unbelievable.
Look at it.
Factory automatic car.
I looked down at the radiator, which you never ever see, because they don’t last, is the original fiberglass shrouding around the fan, and I know this car’s original.
Just incredible.
The camper and the truck are in immaculate condition.
I can see her father baby this truck.
It’s got a heater.
Yes, and a windshield wiper.
Mm-hmm.
[laughter] This is incredible.
Got the original seat in it, Mike.
Hey, we can pull up, see if we can get the seat cover up.
So look, so now, that’s original.
Climb inside of it, original interior, the is perfect.
It’s like kind of a champagne color.
The condition of this vehicle really speaks for itself.
It’s almost impossible to find a truck in this condition, because when people drove them when they ordered them new, I mean these were workhorses, man.
They were meant to be used.
This truck was not used in any way other than just being pampered.
[music playing] I’m just amazed at the condition.
Look at the driver’s seat right here.
I mean, this thing is clean.
I used it to store things.
She loves to decorate, loves throw pillows.
I do.
I do.
Oh yeah.
Yeah, you did.
[laughs] This is like the bedding department.
It’s so full of pillows and junk that you really can’t see exactly what it is, you know.
But what I can see, the ceiling and the cabinetry, you know, it’s all wood.
And the wood is in beautiful condition.
Look at this.
I mean, this is just me.
Watch.
That’s a dog bed.
It is, that’s what it– yeah.
That’s a beautiful dog bed.
Well, that goes on a camel.
So this was a camel’s blanket?
Yeah.
It was on– it was like a saddle for a camel or like a– [interposing voices] Really?
Yeah, look at the tassels coming off of it.
And all the beads and all the work– I believe it’s from Turkey.
Yeah, from Turkey.
We’re interested in this one.
OK.
I mean, I’d be a player on it for like– like 15 grand.
Oh, darling, I’d love to, but I think it’s a little low, even the little Wolverine pup.
I love that little pup.
Mike, how about 19?
Hmm, yeah, it’s just– Because, Mike, you’re really looking at probably $3,000 bucks.
By the time we get done with tires, brake lines, wheel cylinder, master, and we got shipping also.
And the shipping– 16,000 Rosalyn.
16,500, and I’ll throw in the pillows.
[laughter] Mefford is going to have to fully go through this vehicle mechanically.
It’s been sitting for a number of years.
We’re not going to hear it run before we buy it.
So we’re going to buy this thing and hope that we don’t have any issues after we get it back to the shop.
$16,300 and you throw in the fancy dog bed.
[laughs] I would say sold.
[laughter] OK.
OK.
OK?
Are you you OK?
Are you going to smile when you say it?
Thank you.
I can’t wait to work on it.
Mike, I love his overall excitement about everything.
All right.
Thank you, guys.
And he is genuinely very fair and very kind.
Your husband, your dad did a great job.
I think he’s a really good person.
Yes, he is.
We love Mike.
Well, we love the other Mike too.
[laughs] Thanks, guys.
Bye, guys.
See you in Nashville.
Come and visit us.
This is the Saltsburg Academy.
Academy.
Yeah, built in 1851.
This is before you had high school.
The privileged could send their kids to this school for 10th through 12th grade.
OK.
I have to confess that my first impulse in buying the building was mainly to save it.
It was being threatened to be torn down.
Oh, wow.
So was this furniture in here, or do you collect furniture?
No, this is– it was in my family.
Once I owned it, I ended up starting to put all of my acquisitions in the building to the point where there were many items that I collected.
So this is one of your 40-year-old catch-alls.
Yes, it is.
Oh, wow, you got a car in here!
– Yeah. – What the heck?
What do you think of that?
The freaking car right in the middle of the room!
I mean, come on!
How long has this car been sitting in here?
1971.
The 1957 Chevy Bel Air two-door hardtop was a vehicle I bought in 1967.
So it was 10 years old when I bought it– drove it to work until 1971.
At that point, we didn’t really need the ’57 Chevy.
But I wasn’t ready to part with it.
So I put it in mothballs.
And it was in mothballs from 1971 until today.
This is a ’57 no post.
Right.
There’s no window post in there.
You roll the windows down.
It’s wide open in there.
Everybody’s looking for these.
There you go.
You spend some time wrenching on this, Jack?
A little bit of time– pretty simple motor.
Oh, yeah, simplest motor ever made by Chevy, a 350.
So this is original paint?
That’s right.
Wow.
It looks like somebody did some body work on this corner here.
Did you do that?
Yeah, I did all of the bodywork necessary when it was 10 years old.
I love the fact that Jack only painted little parts of the car that he worked on.
So you just got black paint wherever you– Right.
–you did bodywork on it.
Right.
Everybody wants a survivor, and that comes in a lot of different forms.
You know, for example, this one.
It’s got the black spots on the fender with the red paint, so that’s very cool.
Definitely the original interior.
God, this thing’s– this thing’s cool, Jack.
This is awesome, man.
Let me see the floor on it.
[grunts] Yeah, it’s pretty rough.
Yeah, right here, Mike.
Look at that.
There’s a hole in the frame.
Yup.
It’s got some rust issues.
And, yeah, it’s going to take some doing to get this thing back up on the road.
But usually they’re rusted to hell, and somebody has actually over sprayed or painted them.
– Here, roll that down. – Let me get in here.
Let me get in here.
Oh, yeah!
You got the key on the seat.
Woo!
So it’s got 99,959 miles.
Worth less if it was over 100,000.
Oh, if it would have rolled over– [laughs] That’s it right there. It’s cool, man.
– Yeah. – Putting on Jack’s sweater.
I’m getting the feel of it.
I look in the back seat.
It’s like his sweater from high school or something.
He’s actually starting to look like you.
All right.
Put it on and get out.
You know, I thought that would shock him a little bit.
But he was just like– – Oh, that’s a cool– – Hey, man. – –sweater.
You’ve– – All right.
–got good taste.
Look at that.
It fits perfectly.
I’d throw this in with the car.
You’re for sure selling the car?
Yeah.
And the car feels good.
The car looks good.
Have you thought about what you want for it?
No.
I mean, I have to think about it.
I’m not sure. – All right.
Let me look around a little bit. – OK.
Think about it, though.
OK, I will.
All right.
Jack has used this building as a catch-all.
And the guy is a preservationist.
So that’s why there’s so many doors and windows and lights.
You know, when you find something that’s really cool– you find a really cool door, a screen door, or a sconce, or a chandelier, or something– you hold onto it until you discover the right project for it.
What are you thinking on all three pieces?
$50.
OK.
You know, that is true passion.
Jack, what are these corbels off of?
Off the railroad station downtown Saltsburg.
That’s how I got these.
When the building was torn down, these were salvaged.
I had tried to buy it from the railroad.
They wouldn’t talk to me or anyone else about saving it.
But those two heavy supports, I felt that we should save those from the wrecking ball.
So you saved them.
God, that’s awesome, man.
I love that.
They’re heavy, too.
There is no way that I would attempt to move these on my own.
So I kind of forgot about them, and I walked on.
What about just opening that door down there, Mike, and pulling that stuff out that way?
What, pulling all of this stuff out?
Oh, my god. – You don’t think we could?
I don’t know, bro.
Dude, we could do it.
OK.
I’m picking what Sergeant Rock Head.
We can do this.
OK.
Take that beam out of there.
I think we’re going to try to get those corbels out.
– Oh, I see. – They’re coming out.
I got it to move.
Dang, those are huge.
Can you move that end this way?
[grunts] No, it ain’t moving.
There we go right there.
So, Jack, these were put back in here when you were a young man, huh?
Put those in there myself.
All right.
You put these in here by yourself?
That’s right. [laughter] We had to climb over– Hold on. Whoa.
–quite a bit of stuff to get those out of there, you know?
And they are not light.
So hold on.
Don’t hurt yourself, Jack.
– I won’t. – All right.
Here’s one.
Here it comes.
[grunting] I’m surprised Jack’s still walking upright.
Set your end down.
OK.
Oh.
Damn, brother.
I told you, dude.
I told you we’d get them out of there.
I give them a lot of credit.
They had the gumption to say, we can do it.
And they did it.
Wasn’t easy.
It was very heavy, but they just persevered.
How much do you want for these things?
I was going to kid you, and say, you know, I don’t even know– I don’t even know if I want to sell them.
[laughter] You got them out for me now.
Thanks.
I don’t know.
You see what they’re like, and you make me an offer.
Yeah, they’re cool, man.
$500.
That’s each?
No, no.
I’m just kidding.
I mean, it’s going to take a unique individual– Oh, yeah, for sure.
–to want to buy them.
I’ll accept the offer.
OK.