Car – 1928 Chevrolet
National A B Series Tourer.
Engine - 4 Cylinders overhead valves
Bore 3 11/16”
Stroke 4”
Horsepower 21.7
Weight 2110 Lbs
Body – Holden Tourer
Gears - 3 forward one reverse
Cruising speed - 40 to 45 miles an hour
Brakes - 4 Wheel MechanicalCar was purchased in 1972 by
my father from Stan Smith from Mirboo North. The car was completely dismantled by
some local lads and the parts placed in 44 gallon drums and other containers. Stan loaded
the bits and pieces onto a tandem trailer and transported it to my fathers’ home in
Castlemaine. It was placed into storage in an old chicken shed. It was my fathers
intention to restore the car but he did not get around to it.
In 1978, I purchased
the car from my father for the original amount that he had paid for it - $50.00. By this
time it had collected a large family of red back spiders. Once again the bits and
pieces were loaded onto a tandem trailer but this time transported to my Garage in Melbourne.
The sorting out
began and it took 9 months of nighttime work to rearrange the bits out on the garage floor
to where I thought they belonged.
I worked on the
car from time to time over the next 15 years and in that time, I copped a lot of flack
from friends and neighbors who thought that it was a load of rusted out junk and an
impossible task to restore. I moved house, so the tandem trailer was loaded again and the
car in a partly assembled condition, transported, but this time only a few kilometers.
I attended numerous Car Swap Meetings seeking the parts that were not there or a
part in a better condition to that which I had. And I learnt
a lot of new skills such as cutting out rusted panels and welding in patches, panel
beating, wood carving and joinery, auto wiring and how to be very very patient
Hard at Work – Shaping the body frame
I
put in a tender with The Motor Registration Branch for number plate “CHEV 28”
“28 CHEV” “CHEVY” “CH 1928” at a cost of $250.00 each. I
think that I was successful for all but went with “CHEV 28”. In those days the
plates had to be put on a car but as I did not have it finished, I paid the storage/hold
fee for the next 10 years.
Nearing completion – As they say “Oh what a feeling”
During 1993 I made a concerted
effort and completed the car and obtained a road worthy certificate on the 29 July 1993. The car was registered on the same day and the
registration plates “CHEV 28” came out of storage.
The following day our first
trip to Bendigo via Castlemaine was undertaken. Apart from a fuel problem
and a faulty head light switch that my wife Deanna had to hold and put pressure on it for
the lights to work, the 10 hour trip (2.5 hours normally) was most enjoyable. My father
and Mother, Alf and Gladys Hall, father and Mother in law, Arthur and Mavis Grigg, both
had 1928 Chevs, a ute and tourer respectfully, as the family car so it brought back a lot
of memories for them. Arthur always said that the best cruising speed for the Chev was 42
and a half miles an hour and I think that he is right as it hums along at that speed.
In November 1994, the car won
the best-presented vintage car at the Castlemeine swap meeting.
I sent a photo of the restored
Chev to Stan Smith in Mirboo North, the original owner, and it was only after many years
when a friend visited Stan to inspect another car that he had, saw the photo of the Chev
on the table and told Stan of the Chevs restoration. A visit with Stan at Mirboo North was
subsequently arranged. It was during that visit that I found out that the back spring
shackles were not original as Stan said that they were still in his garage. He was
thrilled to see the old car restored after so many years.
Deanna and I have been on many
trips in the Chev including a tour of Tasmania, and have attended RACV rallies such as the fly the flag
tours VDC and DVHCC rallies. We
enjoy touring in the Chev and hope to complete many a rally in the future. The grandkids
love to sit and ride in “Nan
and Pops” vintage car.
 
As it is today – “As Time Rolls On”
Getting ready for a rally!
Once
you have taken the time to piece together each nut, bolt, screw, gasket, panel preparation
and listen to all the engine and running gear noises to ensure that everything is running
in top performance, it must get into your blood as there is another Chevy 28 waiting in
the garage ready for another restoration. This one is better than the last one and I hope
to have it on the road within the next 18 months.
A trailer load of
“junk” passing the Chev 28 on the way to restoration.
Rex and Deanna Hall.
May 2006
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Rex & Deanna Hall