Wilma and Jim's Yanks
We have been members of Ill-Eagle ac Scotland since 1994, approx. 1 year after buying our first Yank, the 57 Chevy BelAir. We attend most of the club outings and meetings and currently edit the clubs quarterly magazine "BORN TO BE WILD". If you have any articles or info that you would like to be included in our next edition, you can snail mail it to the club address or e-mail us
Our Cars
I have always had classic cars, mostly old Fords or BMC cars and vans as well as classic hgv's, but have always had an interest in old fins and chrome yanks, though I never knew how big the scene was in the UK. Therefore I thought it was probably not practical to own such a car.
When on holiday in Florida one year, we visited a car museum, where Wilma immediately fell in love with a 57 Chevy convertible and a 56 T-Bird. I had always liked both (as well as many other cars), so I said that both were too expensive, but that a 57 Chevy non convertible was possible. As we had found common taste so easily, it was decided on our return that a Chevy had to be found. We wanted a 2 door sport coupe, but it eventually became apparent that we would have to settle on a 4 door sedan. We visited Marjon Motors in Easter 93, spotted a blue one just in that day and decided it was the one. We took delivery on May 31 1993, and still have it to this day, with no intentions of selling it.
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UVS 899 is Larkspur blue
with India ivory roof, and had been resprayed these original colours in the US just before
being imported. It is a one owner car from Colorado Springs, and came with a file of
history, proving it's originality. As the engine had never been touched since new, we have
had to rebuild it, taking the chance to paint the engine bay while it was out. We have
also had to have a gearbox rebuild when the Powerglide decided that one gear was enough.
Various other wearing parts like brakes, exhausts, bearings, etc have also been replaced
during the 40000 miles we have covered in it. We go to many shows including the 700 mile
round trip to Americana International every year, use it daily transport for most of the
year, do a few weddings and promotions and have even thrashed it round Donington race
circuit on a couple of occasions. When a change of circumstances came about we had the
choice of keeping the Chevy or our 3 year old Mercedes which we had had since new. We
couldn't really decide so we gave the choice to our wee lass Danielle (who was 4 1/2 at
the time), who obviously had her head screwed on as the Merc went ta-ta. Here's to more
years of fun with the Chevy. Spec: 1957 Belair 4dr sedan, 283cu in V8 powerpack (220hp), 2sp Powerglide trans, 0-60 in 9secs, average fuel consumption17mpg around town, 20mpg on a run averaging 70mph and maybe a wee bit more! |
| To replace the Merc, Wilma got a 1986
Chrysler New Yorker 5th Avenue, which she used as daily transport. We bought this car in
Dunoon, Argyll, where it had originated from a US serviceman stationed in Dunoon at the
time. He had gone home and left his brother-in-law to sell the car. The paint was
bleached, laquer peeling and the vinyl roof was knackered, but the price was negotiated
and we took it home. Before putting it on the road, I made up and fitted a new vinyl roof
and repainted it in it's original silver with red coach lines. The beautiful silver/grey
leather interior only required a clean up and to date, this is by far the most comfortable
car we have owned. Mechanically all I had to do during our ownership was servicing, brakes
and a water pump. Spec: limited edition 4dr sedan, 318cu in V8, 3sp auto trans, av fuel consumption 19mpg, and for a land yacht, boy could this thing lift on the motorway easily accelerating way past the end of the speedo, though handling was decidedly suspect. We had fun with this reliable motor, Reg no C446 BOS then A6 WMH, then C something else after selling it. |
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At the same time, I knew that in a few months time the Chevy would be garaged for the winter, so I would have to have a car for my daily driver. I bought a wee Ford Ranger pick-up with big wheels, a poxy 2 litre 4pot engine and a manual box. I bought it the same month as the Chrysler and used it right away as I love pick-ups and vans, so the Chevy sort of took a back seat that summer. I spent bog all on the truck in the year or so that I had it, the only drama being that on a trip to Stirling, I stalled it at a roundabout. When I restarted it, the engine backfired and refused to restart. I realised rightaway what had happened - a fire had started in the air filter and was burning the fuel before it could go into the engine. So Wilma and I pushed it onto the grass in the middle of the busy roundabout, lifted the bonnet, chucked the burning air filter out onto the wet grass in the pissing rain and drove off, assuming the rain would put the fire out. Imagine our surprise on our way back home when we saw a cop car attending a small grass fire on a certain roundabout..... shit!!!!!! Spec: 1986 Ford Ranger, 2 litre pinto, 5sp manual, av fuel consumption 28mpg reg no C26 UEW |
After the winter was through, we were feeling flush again and decided that another classic Yank should be sitting at our door. Wilma had always wanted a first generation T-Bird, but they were still too dear, so when I spotted a 61 third generation for sale near Blackpool, a road trip was in order. It turned out to be a fresh import, which although solid and presentable, was not mot'd or registered and the paint was OK but not brilliant. A knocked down price was agreed, and the vendor delivered it on a trailer a week later. I replaced the front ball joints and bushes, fitted UK spec headlights, screen washer set up, fixed the electric windows, tidied up the interior, fitted a new battery and took it for an mot. Passed first time, so my next task was to register it. The VRO in Edinburgh told me to take the car into them so they could check numbers, verify its age and give me an age related plate. This meant driving in and out of the capital without number plates, and despite seeing several traffic cops en route, I never got any bother. The only other thing I had to do during our ownership was to fit a power steering seal and what a bastard of a job that was ... never again. Wilma used this regularly and we attended a few shows in it, but the horrific appetite for 4 star rendered it not too practical. Having the four Yanks at once meant that we would both use whatever had petrol in it, to save any decision making ... driving was plenty fun at our place at this time, although washing four big motors became a pain in the arse. A local man wanted to buy it for his sons 21st birthday (lucky lad), so a price was agreed and we parted company after only 5 months. Spec: 1961 T-Bird, 390cu in V8, 300hp, 3sp auto box, av fuel consumption 9mpg around town,14mpg on a run!!! EEEK. Reg no VSY 186 |
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Just after selling the T-Bird, a good friend of ours bought the Chrysler and gave us a braw wee Morris Minor convertible as part ex, which then became Wilma's car, though she wasn't best pleased that we had sold both her cars and I still had both of mine. She claimed the Belair and as I was pissed off with the lack of power in the Ranger, another road trip was in order. This time the destination was Hertfordshire to see a 59 Buick convertible, then onto Classic Trading Post in East Sussex to see a Chevy El-Camino. I liked them both, but could not decide which to have. Poor fitting windows made me suspicious of the Buick, so I traced a previous owner who had bought it for 15 grand, took it home, jacked it up, watched the body flex badly ( hence the window gaps), dropped it on the deck and promptly got rid of it for 5 grand, and here it was for sale at 10 grand. Thanks for the info mate, I bought the El-Camino
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I traded the Ranger in for
the Camino a week later, meeting the vendors at Birmingham for the change over. it used a
gallon of oil on the way home (shit!), then the wipers packed in, and due to an electrical
fault it refused to start after dropping my pal off at his house en rout home. I
eventually got it going and drove home. The next day I took it to my work and the rear
wheel bearing both collapsed on the 6 mile journey, all on a vehicle that was supposedly
just mot'd. Boy was I pissed off with my new daily driver and just imagine what would have
happened if the bearings had collapsed at motorway speeds on the way home the previous
day!!! However, we were going to Florida on holiday later that week, so I took the plastic
with me and returned with 2 suitcases full of car spares and set to work. This was
supposed to be my winter car, but due to the amount of work needed, it was off the road
most of the winter and the Chevy Belair was used instead. This was , of course, when our
ultra reliable classic decided that first and reverse gears were good enough, so we used
it that way till January, when to cap it all, Wilma pressed the brake on the wee Morris
Minor and her foot went all the way to the floor....aaaaarrrgghh!!!! A modern car was the
only answer so a Rover 216 convertible was taken on the hp to help while I fixed the
El-Camino. Over the winter, the truck had the following work done: new front springs, shockers,ball joints, wheel bearings, brakes, brake pipes, suspension bushes, rear wheel bearings, air shocks, brakes, brake hoses, handbrake cable, rear window rubber, all light lenses, and a complete new cab floor due to fibreglass and filler being used to disguise the rusted out panels. The engine was also sorted out, a new battery and water pump fitted and taken for a proper mot this time, which it passed. Remember, I had only done 500 miles since the dealer had it mot'd! I have had this extremely rare pick-up for nearly three years, and have had loads of fun with it, though Wilma doesn't really like driving it as much as the Belair. The only other thing I have had to do since is fit a propshaft centre bearing recently. It is now up for sale - time for a change again, If you want to have a pretty unique motor e-mail me Spec: 1960 Chevrolet El-Camino, 283cu in V8, 2sp Powerglide auto, av fuel consumption 17-20mpg. Reg no UVS 714 |
We have sold the Morris Minor convertible and our 57 Ford Prefect 100E. As we have had our Rover Cabriolet for over 2 years now, it is for sale, contact me if interested
I hope this story of our escapades has not bored you too much, but will in fact encourage people who get trouble with their motors to persevere, sort out the problems and remember that the fun of using these Yanks is worth the hassle and heartaches. To get the best out of owing a Yank, to have the most fun, and to get the best advice, help and encouragement ...........join Ill-Eagle ac Scotland.
