<VV> Fathers and Friends!

Sun Jun 17 11:57:10 EDT 2018

My dad has been gone since 1986, died WAY too young!  Miss him still.  That is where I picked up my love of golf and hunting, and of course, Corvairs.  He was a livestock buyer and went out to farms and fields to look at livestock.  He always drove Corvairs as he said with studded snow tires, he could go anywhere that the farmers/ranchers could go in their pickups.  He first had a 1960, then a 1962 Lakewood wagon.  His next Corvair, that he used for work the most, was a 1964 Monza Coupe.  In the spring of 1969, he heard that Chevrolet was discontinuing/building the last Corvair and he went to his friend, the Chevy dealer, and said that he wanted a 1969 Convertible.  They found one, a Le Mans Blue convertible with a 140 hp and a three speed.  (only two 140 3-speeds listed in the 1969 roster) about 200 miles away.  I rode with him to trade in the old car and pick up the new one.  He loved that car and I took my drivers test in it.  It got sold after he died and changed hands a couple times.

I never owned a Corvair when he was alive, although he did like the 1977 Corvette L82 I bought for myself as a college graduation present.  That car got sold later and after my son was born (named after my dad) I wanted a fun car but needed a back seat.  I couldn't afford a 1968 Z28 Camaro that was like my first car, so I started looking for Corvairs.  I looked for my dad's old convertible but couldn't find it initially.  I ended up buying a 1965 Corsa Turbo Convertible (that I am still working on, almost done, that I am going to sell) but still felt a draw to 1969.  

With some help from the folks who put togther the 1969 roster, by chance, I was able to locate my dad's original 1969 Monza Convertible in southern Iowa.  I went to look at it, and it was his car, but the years has taken a toll and it was very rusty.  Rockers, floors, fenders and even the rear shock towers were rusted.  I offered to buy it, but the guy was going to rebuild it for his granddaughter.  I offered $1500 and he said he would sell it for $6000.  My dad would have rolled over in his grave if I had paid that.  I told him if he ever wanted to sell it to give me a call, and I started picking up NOS sheet metal in case he did, but he never called.  I suspect that he never restored the car and if it still exists, it is sitting quietly in his shed rusting into the ground.

Still with a draw for 1969's, I looked at every 1969 convertible for sale in the US in 1998 and 1999.  From Florida, to New York, to California, I looked at or had someone look at them all.  They all had issues and were not what I wanted.  Finally, through fate, I found a convertible only a few hundred miles away in Galesburg, IL.  It was Le Mans Blue with a 110 hp, 4-speed.  It was totally rust free Colorado car and had 42,000 miles.  It just needed a rebuild of some gummy carbs.  I bought it for $7800 and took it home.  I drove it over to where my mother was working at a museum and when she saw it, she said "you found dad's car!"  I took the car and my son to the CORSA  National Convention in St. Charles, IL in 2001 and without really doing anything to it, or knowing what I was doing, it was judged a Silver in the Concours, one point away from Gold!

I still have the 1969 Convertible, and I will never sell it.  I think of my dad every time I drive it, wash it, or look at it sitting in the garage.  When I die, it will go to my son, (who I enjoy golfing and hunting with) and the circle will be complete, with a Vernon Miller(well, Brent Vernon) owning a Le Mans Blue 1969 Corvair Monza convertible again.  (attached is a picture of the Corvair, I do regret that I don't have any pictures of my dad with his 1969)

Todd Miller, Corvair MN
Hopefully retiring to Texas where my son and my wife's family lives, in the next year after 42 plus years as a Chief of Police

In a message dated 6/17/2018 10:01:38 AM Central Standard Time, virtualvairs at corvair.org writes:

 My Dad has been gone sine ’88…but he was a ”Buddy” We walked to the top of Mt. Lassen when he was 83.. partiedin Tijuana! He liked my Vair powered boat in the lakes..Flew over the Grand Canyon on his FIRST ever airplane ride. Post some pics to celebrate your dad! Matt Nall Charleston, Oregon http://tinyurl.com/The-Corvair-Patiohttp://tinyurl.com/Matts-Tech-Pages -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: DadMtLassen88.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 22669 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://www.vv.corvair.org/pipermail/virtualvairs/attachments/20180617/76781ac6/attachment.jpg> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Tijuana1976.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 63375 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://www.vv.corvair.org/pipermail/virtualvairs/attachments/20180617/76781ac6/attachment-0001.jpg> _______________________________________________ This message was sent by the VirtualVairs mailing list, all copyrights are the property of the writer, please attribute properly. For help, mailto:vv-help at corvair.org This list sponsored by the Corvair Society of America, http://www.corvair.org/ Post messages to: VirtualVairs at corvair.org Change your options: http://www.vv.corvair.org/mailman/options/virtualvairs Archives: http://www.vv.corvair.org/archive.htm _______________________________________________
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