YEAR:  1967                                                                MAKE AND MODEL: CHEVROLET

COLOR: YELLOW                                                       UPHOLSTERY: BLACK VINYL  

ENGINE: 283 CHEVROLET                                       TRANS: POWERGLIDE AUTOMATIC

REAR END: STOCK                                                    FRONT END: STOCK                                                   

WHEELS:  CRAGAR

This month’s featured car is the 1967 Chevrolet Nova of T J and Susan Santarelli.  TJ bought the Nova from Crest Chevrolet in San Bernardino for $1,800.00 while he was attending Cal Poly Pomona in 1970.  The car had 32,000 miles on it.  46 years later he is still driving it on a daily basis, and it has 498,000 miles on it.  That’s just short of ½ million miles or the distance to the moon and back.

The engine and tranny are original, and he had them overhauled at 310,000 miles in1990. The car is all original except for the front seat upholstery which had to be replaced. The car’s paint was redone 25 years ago, and he has re-chromed the valve covers and I’m sure he has replaced the normal items that wear out i.e., brakes, tires, wipers…..  TJ says the Nova has been the most trouble-free car he has ever owned.

This car and its owners have been many places; Solvang, Big Bear, San Diego, Colorado River, Central Valley, Mentone, Santa Anita, and many more including four weddings acting as the official limo. By the way, one of those weddings was his own and one was his daughter’s wedding. This car is truly an amazing good one and I’m glad it’s in CAL-RODS with TJ and Susan.