71 Monte Carlo SS………………..
“LOST-N-FOUND”
My Uncle Ron McCullough worked at
General Motors in Oshawa back in the 60’s and 70’s. Ron purchased this Oshawa
built 1971 Monte Carlo SS new when I was 7 years old. It is 1 of 1919 total
1971 Monte Carlo SS’s produced, 1 of 6 black on black ones produced in Canada
that year and 1 of 2 black on black with buckets and console produced in Canada
that year.
My Uncle Ron took my brother and
me often to play baseball in the summer and pond hockey in the winter. We also
enjoyed snowmobiling with him and my cousin in the winter. I spent a lot of
time in this car as a kid and remember it well but always from a backseat view.
My Uncle was very proud of this car and it was his daily driver until he had to
park it in 1978 and sell it in 1982 as he couldn’t afford to fix it. It was
then that, in my mind, the car was lost. My Uncle and I were very close and he
passed away in 1982 six months after selling his Monte at the age of 42.
My whole family for the next 29
years thought that the purchaser had parted out the car but in the summer of
2011, I became interested in classic cars again and something spurred me to
start looking for it. I was determined and finally found the VIN number (thanks
Mom) which was the only way I could find out if the car still existed. I had a
used vehicle abstract search done on the V.I.N. at the Ontario Department of Transportation
which supplied me with all the names of the previous owners from day one on
this specific vehicle. It was those search results that told me that I had the
right V.I.N., that the car still existed, and that it was still plated and therefore
was in driving condition. I had found the car.
Immediately, I Googled the
current owner’s name and he lived only 30 minutes from me. I showed up at his
door the very next day. He told me the car had been restored in the mid 80's,
he had purchased it in the late 80’s and had just used it as a cruise night car
ever since because he owned three classics. I didn’t tell him that I was the
original owner’s Nephew thinking that if he was willing to sell it he possibly would
have jacked the price up. Can you imagine my delight that the car still existed,
was in great shape and had been for sale for a month? My understanding wife
said to go ahead and buy it. She knew how fond I am of my Uncle and how much
having his car means to me. The car came with the original 1971 New Vehicle Warranty
Information Booklet and has Ron's handwriting on the cover. On the back of the
rearview mirror there’s a sticker from Cayuga Speedway from when Ron and my
cousin went there and camped for the weekend stock car racing events. All those
years and thankfully nobody removed the sticker.
I still can't believe it is
sitting in my garage and I feel so fortunate to have it. Shortly after
purchasing it, we surprised my Mom and Dad with it. They were ecstatic when I
pulled the Monte out of the garage right in front of them and took them for a
spin. My Mom was so happy to see her brother’s car again and to have it back in
the family. Unfortunately, Mom and Dad have passed away since but I know how
much of a positive thing having Uncle Ron’s Monte back in the family was for
them. They attended many car shows with me and always enjoyed speaking with
people all about it.
The Monte is still the original
Tuxedo Black #19 colour and has a very good 30 year old acrylic enamel paint
job. It still has the numbers matching 454 engine, TH400 transmission and 12
bolt differential with 3:31 gears. Being a Canadian built car, the SS option
code of Z20 is located on the cowl tag along with the paint code etc and I also
have the full documentation package from Vintage Vehicle Services in Oshawa as
proof of authenticity.
The following is what I wrote in memory of Ron
and is on the spare tire cover tribute I had done.
My late Uncle's 1971 Monte Carlo
SS
Lost in 1978 and Found in 2011.
The sorrow of what was once lost,
Is surpassed by the joy of it found.
What fuels us to persist in the search,
Are the memories that we hold dear.
I miss you Ron.
Thanks for reading the story of
my Uncle Ron’s Monte Carlo.
Larry Demings
