1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS
Personal story and photograph submitted by owner Mike and Michelle Carpenter
for participation in the the 2008 GM Century Cruise
My Car
My car is a 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle SS Coupe. It has a 350 4-bbl engine with automatic transmission. It currently has ~133,000 miles on it. I am the original owner and have owned it from shortly after starting work at GM in 1971 through retirement in 2006. My parents bought it for me in October 1971, during my freshman year at General Motors Institute (GMI). I drove it back and forth between Dayton, Ohio and Flint, Michigan for 4 ½ years and it was my daily driver until 1984, when I moved to Michigan (and started driving a company car). After that it was driven occasionally until 1996, when I had it repainted to the original Mulsanne Blue to a very similar Bright Blue Metallic basecoat/clearcoat. My teenage son then drove it until he started college in 1998. Since then it has been relegated to cruising and car shows. The complete history of this car would fill a book.
My Passion
This car was purchased new (3) weeks before I met the lady who would become my wife of (now going on) 34 years. We had our first date and many dates thereafter in it. We went on our honeymoon in it. In 2002, it served as transportation to take our son and his wife to their wedding reception and in 2005 our daughter and her husband left their wedding reception in it.... For over 36 years I’ve driven, garaged, maintained, repaired, finessed and caressed this car. It is a part of the family and has never let me down. Within our immediate and extended family it is affectionately called "Ol’ Blue".
This car IS NOT a 502, supercharged, ground pounding, tire-smoking monster. NOR is it a 100-point concourse restoration. This car IS part of our family, interwoven with my life for the past 36+ years. Whenever I drive it, the memories come flooding back. It makes me happy! I don’t know what kind of passion you’re looking for, but mine is the kind that is experienced when you spend time with an old friend, remembering good times.
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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