I grew up with my Mopar addicted dad, that ironically enough worked for General Motors for 30 years. Growing up, I heard story after story about his GTX from high school, and all the badass Mopars in his neighborhood at that time. My father's GTX was stolen out of his front yard when he was a senior in high school. It was his baby, and he's still devastated about it 40 years later. My dad thinks to this day that his father had the car stolen, because he was afraid my dad was going to kill himself or someone else with his reckless driving in that GTX. That was never admitted by my grandfather, but my dad thinks that's what happened. Maybe that's why my father was so obsessed with making sure that me and my two brothers all get a classic Mopar muscle car from him.
My dad bought my 69 convertible from an old man in 1981. He saw it backed in a driveway in Romulus, MI while he was delivering top soil for our family side business. It had a little "For Sale" sign in the window, barely evident. He wanted $1200. My father talked the original owner down, but didn't make an offer. The next day, he took 8 $100 bills, and drove away in a smokey, beat-up 69 RR convertible with 114,000 miles her. Dad was the second owner. The original owner drove it to work everyday for 11 years.
My dad's high school principal had a green 69 RR convertible, and my dad always wanted one because he loved that car so much. My mom drove the convertible sparingly in the summer of 81. After that, it was parked for many years. My dad would tinker with it, but it was just too much of a project to take on for him.
Luckily for me, "my car" was in my garage my whole life. My 69 RR convertible was a total basket case, but I always knew where it was. My dad always told me it was my car as long as I can remember. Deep down, I never really believed he would give it to me, although I had no reason to doubt it, as he's never let me down. I guess I figured that it was just one of those things that dads tell their sons, and that he was just messing with me. Sure enough though, when I moved out of his house, he told me to take the car with me so he didn't have to store it. So I did, and it sat in my garage as a basket case for several years.
My dad bought me and my two brothers each a muscle car. He bought my vert when I was only a year old in 1981. He also picked up at 1971 GTX clone, which he gifted to my brother Tom (1969X9) in the early 90's. Tom was only 10 years old...lol. He bought my other brother Tim a Camaro, but it was pile. So at 16 he settled up with Tim again by buying him a 78 Trans Am.
I have sat in that basket case convertible thousands of times while growing up, dreaming of the day I could actually drive it down the road. The dream of driving it still torments me to this day, as I've gone to great lengths to get this car properly restored. I'm very close now! It won't be long...
Last year, my brother Tom found that 69 black AC Roadrunner that's been posted on this site. Tom still had the 71 GTX clone, and was going to sell it to help fund the purchase of the 69. My dad found out about his intentions to sell the GTX, and wouldn't let him sell it. Instead my dad helped Tom buy his 69 RR and Tom gave his twin brother Tim the 71 GTX...for free. The GTX is a decent driver by the way.
That's how us Chapman boys roll I guess. My dad taught us the value of gifting these cars to each other, and keeping them in the family. Now all three of us brothers have a classic Mopar. Tom and I have 69 Roadrunners, and Tim has the 71 GTX. All three of us are only in our early 30's too. I'm sure we'll hand our Mopars down to our sons, as we each have one son, and two daughters.
:acme:
I had my Dodge truck
Great stories guys!
I may have told the story earlier but being older I can tell stories over and over now 