1969 PONTIAC FIREBIRD CONVERTIBLE

A FEW months ago, MT met up with Dave Delaforce from Park Ridge Wreckers to photograph, and chat about, his slice of classic American muscle car history – a Chevy 1969 C10 Pick-Up truck.

As it turned out, the C10 was the tip of a proverbial automobile iceberg. For Dave and son Wayne have a thirst for American cars of a certain vintage that has seen them make a number of trips to the USA over the years to buy vehicles and build up an enviable collection of American automotive history.

Since 2005 they’ve completed several journeys, including one in April this year, and collected 20 vehicles from around that nation – including a Ford Thunderbird, a Chevy Nova, a Chevy Impala and a 57 Chevy pick-up.

This fabulous-looking 1969 Firebird was bought on one of those journeys – a mission to California after Wayne spotted it on the Craigslist website.

“I bought it in Corona, in Los Angeles” says Wayne. “Everything about the car was really good, although for some reason they don’t seem to think of everything over there. For instance, I’ve had to put seatbelts in and I drive it slowly out of the yard because the extractors hit the ground.They can make cars that look good but not everything works.

“I don’t think they do road-worthies like we do,” he adds. “So I put new headlights in, new wheels, seatbelts and put a stereo in it. The seats, however, were all new when I got it – I really didn’t need to do anything major on the interior.

“I’ve got some new extractors coming too – some that are going to sit up high and not scrape anywhere.”

If these irritating little problems are the norm with vintage American cars, then why buy them? Especially, as MT discovers, if your interest in cars was prompted by vehicles of a very different style – in Wayne’s case, late-model, turbo-charged Japanese cars.

Wayne smiles and points an accusing finger at his dad.

“He got an Impala,” he says. “I could get eight guys in it – and another four in the boot if I needed to! And we could all just go for a cruise.” It has to be admitted – cruising the streets, with all your mates, in a big muscle car is kinda cool.

But why not Australian vehicles? There are big, powerful, classic Fords and Holdens out there to be had.

Wayne points out that, thanks to the amazing popularity of the classic car market in the USA, it’s simply easier and cheaper to buy and run American cars.

“I just never really got into Australian cars,” he says.

“Plus, I like the fact that with American cars, if you need a part you can just buy it off the shelf over there.”

Not that there is too much that Wayne needs to do to the Firebird. Outside of those few minor issues, it’s just about ready to be taken to the shows and motoring events the father and son team enjoy attending.

“I haven’t had a chance to show it yet but I will,” says Wayne.

“I just have to get it up to my standard first.

“There are a few bits of paint to touch-up and there’s a rear spoiler that needs to go back on – when the tow truck picked it up for me its cable hit the spoiler.

“There are a few little things like that to do.”

Buying cars in the US is something that Wayne clearly enjoys doing. And it’s not just because of the cars themselves.

“A lot of people think Americans are rude but I find that they’re very inviting,” he says.

“Sometimes I’ll be in a shop and people pick up on my accent and they ask what I’m doing there. When they hear of my interest in cars they’ll tell me about their ‘buddy’ who has this car or that car. Then I’ll be invited into their homes to take a look.

“Often the cars aren’t what I’m looking for, but the fact is that these people have invited me into their homes and they’re really friendly.”

As for the Firebird, shipped over from California in 2013, it is an unusual model to see on Australian streets.

“It is quite rare,” says Wayne. “Those that are around, and there aren’t many, are mostly hard-tops, not convertibles like this one.

“And everybody seems to love it when I’m driving it around,” he adds with a grin. “If the police pull me over it’s because they want to have a look at it! Everybody likes it – young or old.”

Wayne certainly does and, just like his dad, he has now well and truly caught the American muscle car bug. And with the ’57 Chevy Pick-Up and the Chevy Nova now recently arrived from the US, his collection just got a little bit more special.

And it’s not likely to stop there.

“It’s beyond a hobby now,” says Wayne with a broad smile. “Now, it’s an addiction.”