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| cool cat, cool car! |
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| Summer 69, Ioco, British Columbia |
I purchased my very first car in 1969 while living in Surrey, British Columbia - a red 1962 Chevrolet Impala convertible! I paid the princely sum of $800 for it and, although it was already seven years old and showing signs of wear, I thought I had got a good deal at the time. Damn but don't I wish I had it now! I can't imagine what it would be worth today if it was still running, 50 model years years later. I saw one like it - although in immaculate showroom condition, go for $125,000 recently on Barrett-Jackson's auction! From what I have read 1962 was a very good one for Chevrolet, selling over 2 million vehicles and my model was one of the most sought after Chevys of the time. The styling changes from the 61's were plain, yet classic. If you look at the rear you can see my Impala had the three tail lamps, as opposed to two for lesser models, full wheel trims, and other subtle styling cues that set it apart. I didn't have fender skirts that you can see in the photos of the cars below. Unfortunately I could only find two photos of me and my car that have survived so I had to scrounge from the internet for some pictures that come pretty close to what it looked like. Firstly though the photo above was taken in late summer 1969, on a back road near Ioco, BC, just outside Vancouver. My girlfriend at the time, Delcie, had either come up from Victoria to see me or else I had taken the ferry over to pick her up. Anyway we were enjoying top down weather on what is usually a rainy time of year in that part of the country. Check out the Pierre Trudeau campaign button on the rear license plate! The photo below was taken in Langley, BC with another girl I was going out with after breaking up with Delcie. Her and I graduated together from Moody Senior Secondary school that summer and were caught in her driveway celebrating with some wine beforehand! The car ran well for me except for an occasional slipping transmission and I regularly drove it up along the Sea to Sky highway (highway 99 to me at the time) to Squamish, north of Vancouver, where I had a job working in construction. I smashed the old girl up the following year in circumstances I would rather not mention here and sold her for a song before heading out east to Nova Scotia. Nice memories for me that I still think back on fondly whenever I spot a red 62 Impala in someone's driveway or at a car rally you always seem to come across in the summer in a Canadian Tire parking lot...gws
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| Me and Carol, Graduation night, 1969 |
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| highway 99, near Squamish |
