Call from SIRAACA vice-president

[Augie88GT]

Hi folks,

My father passed away 7 years ago at the age of 76. For his entire life, he was a "car guy". He owned several antique cars during his life. He was a member of the Staten Island Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America (SIRAACA) for many years. At the time of my father's death, he owned 2 antique cars: a 1958 Chevy Impala and a 1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham. My father was the original owner of both of them. He bought both of them brand new. They have tremendous sentimental value to me. I grew up with those cars. My mother still has them. They haven't been on the road in many years.

In 2010, at the SIRAACA annual car show, they created a permanent prize (trophy) in my father's name. That year, my family and I attended the car show. While there, I met some of the senior members of SIRAACA. Each year, a trophy in my father's name is awarded to someone.

Yesterday, out of the blue, the vice-president of SIRAACA called us. He wanted to know if one of my father's antique cars (the 1958 Chevy Impala) was for sale. I returned his call and told him that it wasn't for sale. We wound up speaking for almost 30 minutes.

He lamented that membership in the club is dwindling. Staten Island has a large population, but there are only 20-30 guys left in the club, and many of them are elderly. He is 70 years old, and he is one the youngest members. I think he was trying to recruit me.

He told me that he wants to take photos of my father's car so that they can put them in the club's newsletter. I said, "Okay".

When my father died (in 2010), 3 other SIRAACA members owned a 1958 Chevy Impala, but none of them were original owners. Since that time, all 3 of them have sold their Impalas. The reason? Old age. One of them is 83 years old.

Ironically, I went to high school with SIRAACA's president. He is the youngest member. We are both 50 years old.

[Augie88GT]

Hi folks,

SIRAACA's vice-president told me the price that 2 of those cars sold for.

One of them, a beautiful 1958 Chevy Impala hardtop, is a salmon/coral color. It is a national trophy winner. Several years ago, that car won the "Grand National" award at the AACA's national meet. It sold for $45,000.

The other one, a beautiful 1958 Chevy Impala convertible, is turquoise (I think). It is also in excellent condition. It sold for $120,000.

I don't know what the third one sold for.

My father's 1958 Chevy Impala is in nice condition, but it is not as nice as those 2 cars. It is a hardtop. It's not a convertible.