THIRTEEN YEARS AGO, SOME WEIRDO LOUNGING AGAINST HIS ONE OWNER, '65 AP6 VALIANT 'REGAL' . . . . MIKEEYRAT DUG THIS ONE OUT OF HIS ARCHIVES IN THE VAULT AT THE HOUSE ON THE HILL LAST NIGHT . . . . I'D ONLY OWNED THE VAL FOR ABOUT A WEEK AT THIS STAGE BUT I'M OBVIOUSLY PRETTY WELL 'EFFECTED' BY ITS CHARISMA . . . . BOUGHT FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER, MR ITALO ZARELLA, IT STILL RESIDES IN MY GARAGE . . . . ONE DAY TO BE REBORN.

I'D BEEN DRIVING PAST THIS GORGEOUS OLD TART IN MY STREET EVERY DAY FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND NOT HAVING A CLUE THE THING WAS FOR SALE, MIKEEYRAT DECIDES TO TELL ME ONE NIGHT IN THE 'GROTTO' THAT IT'S HIS WIFE'S CLOSE FRIEND'S GRANDAD'S AND IS ON THE MARKET BECAUSE HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO DRIVE ANYMORE . . . . TWENTY FOUR HOURS LATER, SHE'S MINE. I WAS TOTALLY STOKED, ALWAYS LOVED THE AP5's AND 6's AND NOW I WAS THE PROUD OWNER OF A REALLY TIDY, CLEAN, UNBASTARDIZED EXAMPLE, AND EVEN BETTER, I HAD GOT IT FROM THE BLOKE WHO HAD OWNED IT FROM NEW.

A BIT TIRED BUT ABSOLUTELY COMPLETE, EXCEPT THE RADIO, OLD ITALO HAD TICKED 'RADIO DELETE' ON THE FORM BACK IN '65, HE WAS AN ITALIAN FRUIT GROWER AND LIKED TO SING HIS FAVE OPERAS WHEN HE AND HIS SENORINA WERE GOING TO CHURCH SO THE RADIO GOT THE FLICK . . . . SLANT SIX, THREE SPEED AUTO, ALL ROUND DRUMS, ALL ORIGINAL UPHOLSTERY, NO RUST, NO DINGS, STRAIGHT AS A HOMOPHOBIC BAPTIST, IT WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME FIND AND MY FIRST, AND CURRENTLY LAST, MOPAR PURCHASE . . . . ALL I DID TO THIS WAS REMOVE THE MESH SUN VISOR, DROPPED THE SUCKER ON ITS GUTS, BEING A TORSION BAR FRONT END, EASILY ACHIEVED, AND THREW ON A NICE SET OF HEADERS INTO A TWO INCH SYSTEM AND A OPEN MUFFLER THAT DUMPED JUST BEFORE THE DIFF.

THREE MONTHS LATER, SOME ARSECLOWN IN A RENTAL CAR T-BONES ME WHILE TRYING TO CROSS A DUAL CARRIAGEWAY GOING AGAINST THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC, RIGHT BETWEEN BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS, THANKFULLY, IT DIDN'T MESS WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF LINE, THE INSURANCE MOB WROTE IT OFF AND IT WAS MINE . . . . DETERMINED TO RESURRECT THE BEAST, I SOURCED TWO DOORS, THE SEALS, GLASS AND THE TRIM THAT COULDN'T BE MASSAGED BACK INTO SHAPE AND HAD A LOCAL PANEL SHOP GET IT ALL BACK TOGETHER . . . . WHILE THAT WAS BEING DONE I SORTED A REBUILT MOTOR WITH A MILD CAM, SLIGHTLY LARGER VALVES AND UPRATED SPRINGS, BALANCED CRANK AND SHE WAS GOOD TO GO. THE OLD GIRL HAS FALLEN INTO A 'SLIGHT' STATE OF DISREPAIR OVER THE INTERVENING YEARS BUT IT'S STILL LURKING WITH INTENT TO BE REBORN DOWNSTAIRS IN THE GARAGE UNDERNEATH A MOUNTAIN OF EMPTY WINE BOXES . . . . IT AIN'T GOING ANYWHERE, I JUST GOTTA STOP DROPPING ALL MY COIN ON FUCKING MOTORCYCLES AND IT'LL BE GOOD TO GO.