advertisement

Chevelle restoration rekindles fond memories

“Bobby, this car is a lot to handle,” cautioned Bob Cyr's dad, Tom.

A line like that, while prudent and wise, is just the thing to egg on a 21-year-old. Especially one who loves cars.

It was March of 1972 and the father/son team was kicking the tires on a 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS 454. They were in Rosemont, meeting the original owner, and seeing the vehicle for the first time.

“I'd always dreamed of having an SS,” says Bob, who now lives in Lombard. He had totaled his '65 Ford Fairlane the week before and needed wheels.

Bob Cyr of Lombard says a lot of great memories came racing back when he started working on his Chevelle, which hadn't been driven in 23 years.

A buddy owned a Sunoco station in Norridge and caught wind that a customer in the military was being deployed and selling his car - the Chevelle. Bob was thrilled; Tom - not so much.

His father raced to point out the Muncie “Rockcrusher” four-speed manual transmission. “I wasn't that good at shifting. He hoped it would deter me,” Bob explains.

More alarming to dad than the manual trans were the modifications. The owner had installed go-fast parts like headers, a high-rise intake manifold and electronic ignition. He also removed the power-robbing smog equipment.

“Dad wasn't happy but we got the deal done,” Bob says. “He did drive it home though.”

Bob drove the Chevelle daily for a number of years, commuting to school and two different jobs. “It had tons of power but I was hesitant to race it, fearful I would blow it up,” he says.

Cyr in his 1970 Chevelle SS, in a photo taken by his soon-to-be wife, Judy, at Schiller Woods Forest Preserve in early 1973. Courtesy of Cyr Family

That didn't stop him from the occasional romp on the streets cruising to his favorite hangout: Skip's Drive-In in Melrose Park. What did slow him down was the 1970s gas crisis. That massive V-8 slurped fuel, causing Bob to buy a VW and save the Chevelle for weekends.

He married his “dream girl” in 1976 and turned his focus to his young family. When they moved houses in 1992, the Chevelle wouldn't start. He attempted to force the engine over, frying the wiring. “We pushed it the three blocks to our new house and threw a cover over it,” Bob says. “I told myself I'd start on it 'next week.' ”

Next week turned out to be 23 years. In the spring of 2015, Bob, aided by his sons Mark and Phil, overhauled the classic. It turned into a full family affair. Bob's three grandkids jumped in, too.

Soon, a flood of emotions came rushing back. Many stemmed from a full ashtray in the back seat. “There was one rule in my car: no smoking,” Bob explains. The exception was for his best friend, Brian, who often rode with him on double dates. Another memento was from one of those romantic evening cruises. Under the seat, Bob found a stub for the Sky-Hi drive-in, another locale haunt in Addison.

“Just cleaning the car brought up so many great memories,” Bob says. Many more soon followed.

Mark reconnected Bob to Jim Hamlet, the original owner who now lives in Oregon. The two hadn't talked since that day in 1972. Hamlet explained why he had made modifications to the Chevelle. During his years in the Air Force, base officials would let servicemen race on the taxiway on Sundays when the asphalt strips were not in use.

“He told me he's missed it ever since selling it,” Bob says. “He called it the Beast because it was so fast.”

Share your car's story with Matt and auto@dailyherald.com.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.