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Cool Rides: Timeless beauty

1966 Chevelle signifies youth, family and life

September 21, 2009|By HEATHER ROUS

If life is a highway, John Meredith of Harrodsburg looks good driving down it in his 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu. The fully restored classic car features clean lines, a sleek paint job, a flawless interior and a trunk full of memories.

For Meredith, the car is more than just a timeless beauty. He purchased it in 1967, the year after he graduated from Mercer County High School. He keeps his graduation tassel hanging on his rearview mirror, a reminder of the time he and his car have shared together.

Meredith and his wife, Glenda, remember cruising the roads, enjoying their first dates together at the Dairy Dip in Danville and even celebrating their honeymoon in the Chevelle. Now, as they look forward to their 40th wedding anniversary, the car is still by their side.

"Same wife, same car," Meredith says with a laugh.

The only time Meredith has been without his prized Chevy was in the 18 months it took to complete the restoration process. Meredith was sure to keep it original, maintaining the exterior and interior colors, the radio, the hubcaps and even the spare tire. He also held on to all of the original paperwork.

"Every bit of it has been redone," he said.

Since the car was restored in 1995, Meredith has been frequenting car shows across the state. While he used to attend 25 to 30 shows every year, he has recently slowed down to about 15 per year.

The two-door hardtop has won countless awards throughout its years in the car show circuit, boasting a 195 horsepower engine, a four-speed transmission and a rare bench seat, rather than the more common bucket seat interior. Nonetheless, the most unusual thing about the car is the amount of time it has spent in the Meredith family.

Throughout Meredith's life, the Chevelle has been his constant. It signifies youth, family and life. In his photo album are not only pictures of himself and his wife with the car, but his children and grandchildren as well.

"It represents my life," he said, "because I've had it that long."

For Meredith, the flawless Maderia Maroon paint on the classic Chevelle draws a picture of the 42 full and happy years they have spent together.

There's a lot more highway to go on this road called life, and Meredith is glad to know that his beloved Chevelle will be along for the ride.

Heather Rous, a journalism major at the University of Kentucky, is a contributing writer.

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