1969 Chevrolet Camaro
Personal story and photograph submitted by owner Paul Arnone
for participation in the the 2008 GM Century Cruise
My passion for GM is "genetically" infused into my DNA. My father retired from GM after 37 years of service at Design Staff. His enthusiasm for the product and the people of GM introduced me to a company I wanted to be part of. Growing up learning about the development of a vehicle intrigued me so much that I pursued a career in Design and working for GM was the goal. Now, I too, am an employee creating future product and developing life long relationships with wonderful people under the same roof my father did. A legacy? No, just the passion to work for the greatest automotive company in the world; General Motors.
My first love...Let me rephrase...My second love was purchased on October 30, 1998. A black 1999 FRC C5 Vette! I was so excited; I could barely push the clutch to drive her home. My childhood was filled with dreams of driving a Corvette, the styling, the power, the chicks! Now, it was all mine...minus the "chicks, already had a hot Corvette girl. I had seven glorious years with my Vette and was fortunate to find a buyer with the same Corvette passion to purchase her.
Enter my 1969 Camaro. My Corvette girl (wife) and I started a family thus requiring a slightly larger vehicle. I couldn’t think of a better vehicle to transport a family than a '69 Camaro coupe. To me, this version of Camaro is the pinnacle of GM Design. The proportion and styling features express the essences of a cohesive design statement. My "family" car is in phase 3 of restoration. Phase 1 involved freshening the motor. Phase 2, just completed last fall, involved chassis and brake upgrades. This fall Phase 3 is paint and the winter months will be spent reconditioning the interior as final Phase 4. Passion felt in the form of blood, sweat, and dollars...I love it!
A little more of my own GM history; my wife worked for GM as a college intern then was employed for many years. She managed to make me very jealous when she purchased her first Vette, a C4 coupe with glass top in '94...of course, she had to share. My father-in-law and mother-in-law both worked for GM 30 years plus. Also, my wife’s stepfather put in 15 years of service. The ironic thing is my wife and I did not meet through GM, that’s a story for another day.
By choice and heritage I will always be passionate about GM and the great products we produce. I am the Design Manager for the HUMMER H3T and can’t wait to bring one home to show the family what hard work and dedication can accomplish. A legacy? No, hopefully, just children with the same passion for a great product company; General Motors.
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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