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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door Hardtop

Personal story and photograph submitted by owner Russ Sams
for participation in the the 2008 GM Century Cruise

One evening in June 1955, when I was 13 years old, I went with my parents to Don Homer Chevrolet, located at the corner of Grand River and Livernois in Detroit. My parents intended to purchase a glacier blue and shoreline beige colored Chevrolet. After parking at the dealership, we walked through the service area to reach the showroom. It was in the service area that I saw the coral and shadow gray 1955 Bel Air and immediately knew this was the "gotta have" car. While walking from the service area to the show room. I began "working" incessantly on my parents to buy the coral and shadow gray (charcoal, to me) car. To my amazement and delight, they took my advice and bought the sharpest car of 1955.

In the next few years, that car became my car. My wife and I had all our dates in that car and continued to drive it after we married in 1964. In 1969, we sold the car to a lady who worked with me for $75.00. The 5-digit odometer showed only 46,000 miles, but really it was 146,000 miles, as the odometer went back to 00,000, after passing 99,999.

In the mid 1980's, I began searching for a 1955 coral and shadow gray Bel Air in "stock" condition. I saw this specific car at the 1997 Detroit Autorama Show. The owner told me the car was not for sale, but he did take my name and phone number. In late September 1998, the owner called to offer the car to me. My wife and I jumped at the chance to purchase it. Since 1998, this 1955 Bel Air has been in car shows, the Dream Cruise and has received much attention from onlookers as well as many awards.

Watch GM Century Cruise participants explain what makes their cars special.

GM’s Century Cruise pays tribute to GM’s past and the passion owners have for their vehicles. On Saturday, August 16, 2008 this vehicle and more than 100 other classic GM vehicles will cruise from the GM Global Headquarters at the Renaissance Center up Woodward Avenue to the heart of the Woodward Dream Cruise in Royal Oak and the surrounding suburbs. One of these vehicles will be crowned “top cruiser” based on a text voting campaign.

Next GM Century Cruise Participant

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