I saw a NBC news broadcast featuring an older man that had devoted his life to Chevy. He had worked at a Chevy plant. He restored Chevy antique cars. He owned classic Chevys. He was passionate about the most popular American car.
Growing up as a kid, our family did not have a lot of money. It was the period after World War II and the U.S. car companies were beginning to crank out new models. Our family was biased to GM products. My Grandpa Chalk loved Buicks and my Dad bought used Cadillacs.
I remember sitting on the steps of the City Club and watching all the cars cruise the main drag. My dream was to own a Chevy. It was affordable and had a reputation for dependable engines. Chrysler products (Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler) all burned oil and belched blue smoke out the tailpipe at 45,000 miles. Ford was famous for carburator "vapor lock" which meant the butterfly choke would freeze in position and you couldn't get your Ford started.
In the late 50's and early 60's, Chevy had a cheap Biscayne model with stick shift and cloth seats. It was the entry level Chevy but with a good engine. The next step up was the Bel-Air aimed at the average family. Good value and more options. And then, the top Chevy was the Impala. It had power assists and a bigger engine. Dual exhausts with modified Hollywood mufflers made the Impala sporty and cool. I wanted to own a Chevy.
My first new car while working at Allis-Chalmers in Milwaukee was a 1965 dark blue Bel-Air. It was a stick shift, V-8 with and AM radio. No air-conditioning. Very classy but a "yawner".
Our family had Chevys for many years. We owned a 1969 Impala wagon, a 1970 green Chevy Camaro (it was our second car) followed by a brown '74 Chevy Wagon (named the Rusty Zipper for our CB radio) and 1976 white Camaro. There were more Chevys with a with a Buick and several Oldsmobiles mixed in.
So you see, Chevy is deeply ingrained into my life fabric. It is sad to see the Chevy icon slowly slip away. Dinah Shore (a singer in the 50's and 60's) had a variety TV show sponsored by Chevrolet. "See the U.S.A in your Chevrolet, America is asking you to call". Who can not remember that jingle? I know, I know. Who is Dinah Shore?
How many of you have not heard the phrase "motherhood, apple pie and Chevrolet"?
So when GM filed for bankruptcy yesterday a little bit of my childhood dream was shattered. How could an automotive icon like Chevrolet be financially un-viable?
I guess I'll just have to settle for my finely crafted machine from Bavaria and dream about days gone bye. The lesson Grasshoppers is that nothing is forever and Chevy is a victim of poor management, worker greed, complacency and foreign competition.
My consolation is that our Government owns 60% of the new General Motors. That makes all of us owners of the new Chevy products. I think I'll go to the next Stockholders meeting and share my ideas with management. I plan to be an active owner.
Love,
Dad
Isn't the saying "Baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet."