Words: Clive Branson
For Bob Sabourin and his 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS, weekends start on the first day of the week, but it took decades before he got his hands on his dream car.
“Growing up, I loved cars that were fun to drive and fast,” recalled Bob, “but one car in particular stuck with me ever since my sister owned one – a white ’66, 4-speed Chevelle. I was determined that one day I would own one, too, but mine would be a convertible.” Little did Bob realize how much life got in the way. “I had many cars over the years, but they had to be sacrificed to provide more reliable and economical transportation for a growing family. My dream car was placed on what seemed like a permanent hold, as other priorities, such as a new roof, food on the table and raising two great boys, took precedence.”
Simultaneously, the cost to purchase a classic car was becoming exorbitant. “I often wondered how my dream would ever be fulfilled. These cars were becoming a rarity, especially in Eastern Ontario, notorious for our rust-inducing climate. We basically have three seasons: the majority in snow, a spring of rain, and two months of paint-peeling heat.”
Sabourin’s love for muscle cars was never deterred, and he kept fueling this passion by attending the marquee car shows at Carlisle and Hersey, Pennsylvania as well as at Barrie, Ontario. This incurable obsession was inherited from his dad, who taught Bob auto mechanics from a young age.
“Every time I saw a Chevelle, it simply reignited my determination to get one,” Bob said. “I had heard of owners miraculously finding ‘their car’ stored away in some nice old lady’s garage, but this was not to be.” Fortunately, with accessibility through the internet, Bob accidently stumbled on the ‘Parts’ section of Auto Trader magazine. To his amazement, there in black and white, a 1966 Chevelle Malibu SS was for sale. Dubious about a car being sold in the ‘Parts’ section, Bob suspected it was in boxes. Nevertheless, the owner was located a mere four hours away. “I called and chatted about the car and it turned out it was a complete car! Many phone calls and a couple of visits later and I was the proud owner, not only of a Chevelle, but a Chevelle convertible. But this didn’t happen without tense moments.”
The owner changed his mind several times during the sale process. “Initially, he volunteered to drive it on a trailer back to Ottawa from Southern Ontario, only to change his mind once he realized how far the drive would be,” Bob recounted. “Instead, I drove down with my brother-in-law to pick up the car with my trailer to meet the owner at a halfway point, but when we met, the owner again was apprehensive about selling the car. I told my brother-in-law to load the car onto our trailer while I sorted this issue out. I explained that I put down the down payment, signed the papers and drove down (twice) to retrieve the car. It was his wife who didn’t want him to sell the car, but eventually he realized that a deal was a deal and turned the keys over.”
“Cars of the ‘60s and ‘70s were, to my mind, pieces of art with beautiful lines and unbelievable street appeal,” Bob said. “Every year around September, I remember a great hoopla was orchestrated with the introduction of a new model. They were like promises that came to life.” When Bob drives his 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS, it represents an interesting part of his life, when cars were almost as unique as their owners. “From a very young age, thanks to my father, I’ve enjoyed working on and being around cars,” he explained. “To me, the ’66 Chevelle’s design and performance outshone all others.”
By the time the “SS” (for ‘Super Sports’) insignia was tossed around, it had started to lose its luster and had come to mean nothing more than a combination of trim options; however, the ’66 Chevelle Malibu SS was deceptively fast, well balanced and with good handling; the badge reflected what the enthusiasts expected from it.
“I was the fifth owner (all, except the last owner, were from the same family),” Bob explained. “The car had spent all of its life in southern Ontario and was complete and drivable although it needed some TLC (translation – work).” Bob assumed the car was just a normal Chevelle Malibu with some added emblems and chrome. It wasn’t until he submitted a request to GM Canada to obtain the production history that he realized what he actually had.
“Documentation recorded the fact that my Canadian ‘66 Chevrolet Malibu SS Convertible was produced in Oshawa, Ontario and was one of only 757 produced that year. In January 6, 1966 the car was delivered to Aitken Motors Ltd in Simcoe, Ontario. It was nicely equipped with the Sports Option package: a 327 CID 275 HP Turbo Fire V8 with a serial number of 816625954. And that motor is still in it today!” stated Bob proudly. “So a Canadian classic with completely matching numbers small block 327 was now mine!” And when the engine comes alive – even when idling, it sounds a bass drum being hammered.
“It took my brother-in-law and me two to three years to give the car some needed resuscitation – every nut and bolt re-conditioned, cleaned or replaced. The electrical replacement was the most difficult, but I grew up with these obstacles and I restored previous cars, such as a ’51 Chevrolet pick-up truck and a ’63 Nova, so it was eventually solved,” Bob said. The car comes in a candy-apple red, but as Bob pointed out, this is not the original color, but replaced with a hue called Nissan Red. “I think it’s the eye-thrashing color, the fact that it’s a convertible and of course, its unique age that draws so much attention. I get a lot of waves, thumbs up and cheers from the public, and even prizes from car show judges. Since my boys aren’t interested in it, I would like to keep it forever, so I intend that to be a long time.”
I asked Bob what he thinks will happen to classic cars. “Classic cars will always have a future, especially collectible models,” he replied. “I do see a slight decline in demand for hot rods and custom rides as our generation dies off. Future generations will fondly reminisce about their ‘classic cars,’ primarily rice rockets and their ilk, thirty, forty years from now. Those are cars of their dreams, so the cycle continues, but I’m happy with mine and will enjoy every second living in the past with it.”
