Counting Cars Instead of Money

With a full-time job that paid $360 per month, Donnie Martin could afford to buy a car he liked more than his 1963 Buick Riviera. What caught his eye, and his heart forever, was a 1968 Chevelle at Blacksburg Motors in 1969. “It was a Super Sport with a red bottom, white vinyl top, 6,600 miles, a 4-speed transmission and a 396 cubic-inch engine,” he recalls. “Sticker price was $2,500.” 

The salesman offered $1,300 for the Buick, leaving $1,200 to finance into payments of $42 per month for three years. “I was proud of my new ride,” which launched a lifetime love of Chevelles. Within a month, he met Debbie. “We dated in my red and white Chevelle” he reveals. She would become his wife, thereby launching yet another lifetime love [of 54 years and counting].

“She had just graduated from National Business College and needed a car. We found a red bottom, white vinyl top 1968 Camaro Super Sport with a 4-speed and 350 motor in Giles County.” They still own and can drive both of these “matador red” stock ’68 color vehicles. 

“The Chevelle is still original and stock as can be,” he says. “I did put in a 5-speed transmission and had it repainted once at Lee’s Body Shop in Pearisburg. 

 

Mellow Yellow

 

Martin stepped into a new color with his second ’68 Super Sport Chevelle, a butternut yellow body with a black vinyl top. “I owned this car three times before I decided to keep it and restore it.”

Once he got started, Martin decided to put everything new on it. It has a 4-speed transmission and a .373 posi-traction differential like his red one. “I don’t think there is one screw or bolt on this yellow one which has not been replaced.” 

 

Matador Red, again

 

The third Chevelle is a Malibu model with a 327 cubic-inch engine, an automatic transmission and a .323 ratio differential in it. Another “matador red” but with a black vinyl top.

This one has bucket seats and a horse shoe floor shifter. Martin reports that the ’68 Chevelles came with a “roller tachometer” for the RPMs. “All three cars have this tachometer, which is pretty valuable and hard now to find original ones.”

 

The Attraction

 

The Chevelle was produced from 1964 to 1977 and remains cherished as one of the iconic muscle cars. It was introduced as a mid-size car, and the 1968 Super Sport was the second generation model, featuring larger engines and enhanced performance. The car’s suspension and handling were designed to provide a balance between comfort and performance, making it well-suited for both daily driving and spunky weekend adventures.

The dashboard featured easy-to-read gauges, and the seating provided comfort. Depending on the trim level, buyers could specify a center console, bucket seats, air conditioning and upgraded audio systems. “I like the body style of the ’68 Chevelle,” states Martin. “The tail lights look very neatly tucked in between the rear bumper and quarter panel. The grill is a fine mesh and has a very nice look.”

“It was a unique year,” he continues, “for still having vent windows, ignition on the dash panel and a ‘body by Fisher’”. The Fisher Body Corporation was founded in 1908 by two brothers who followed an uncle to Detroit. In less than 10 years, the company was one of the world’s largest manufacturing firms, producing more than 350,000 vehicles for more than a dozen different makers. Millions of General Motors cars displayed a “Body by Fisher” emblem on the door sill plate. 

 

The Car Collection

 

Martin’s dad was a mechanic at Ingram Pontiac for a while. “I went to work with him on Saturdays, and I fell in love with all the cars,” Martin relates. In addition to the three Chevelles, Donnie and Debbie have:

 

   1960 Buick, 2-door, hard top

   1959 Cadillac, 2-door, hard top

   1968 El Camino, Super Sport, 

     396 motor

   1971 El Caminos (two of ‘em)

   1972 Chevelle Super Sport

 

“Lots of our friends put their money in the bank, but we have put money in our cars,” Debbie declares. “We drive and enjoy them. We count cars instead of money, and we love it that way.”

Catch this: The entire family loves the Chevelle model so much that one grand-daughter is named – you guessed it – Chevelle! 

Martin is aware of the power of these cars. “Some of them are very fast, and I don’t know if my kids or grandkids can handle them. I might just start selling them – the cars, not the grandkids!” [Which reminds this writer of the sign at a farmer’s place which first read “Kids For Sale” before the farmer crossed out “Kids” and wrote “Baby Goats”.]

 

Text by Joanne M. Anderson
Photos by Jon Fleming