| JEFF GHILANI |
11-01-2021 09:02 AM |
20 Years Ago
6 Attachment(s)
This car was owned by well-known low-mile collector Anthony Pate. I installed the smog system for him in 2001. It is not original to the car. I gathered together the best stuff I could find from several sources, including my own collection of parts. Original inked hoses, NOS 5361992 check valves, new (but undated) Wittek clamps, repro belt, new GM stub tubes, pump, original paint bracket, pulley, pipes, correct hardware and other details. Normally I wouldn’t have given away any of my parts, but this car deserved better than any other 1970 Chevelle so I gave it the best stuff I could gather together at the time. I was honored to do the job. I didn’t even care if I got paid for my work or advice.
And yes, it was in Northern Rhode Island at Anthony’s warehouse. He also had it displayed briefly in Milford, Massachusetts, not far from where I grew up, near the intersection of Route 16 and Beaver Street. He had a doctor friend who was trying to broker the car at the time.
I met Anthony at the Riley’s Roast Beef weekly cruise in Nobscot, Massachusetts. The show had largely dispersed one night, but I stuck around because there was an amazing original paint green SS 396 Impala ragtop complete with original resonators in the parking lot. The owner was eating dinner inside so I waited for him so we could talk about the Impala. Once we got talking and he learned I was an LS6 survivor nut, Anthony told me about his then 24-mile LS6. I had read a very brief rumor about such an LS6 car from the south in one of the magazines when I was a kid in the 1980s. I couldn’t believe I had accidentally stumbled upon it.
Over the next several months, I visited Anthony’s collection several times. His specialty is late-fifties to mid-sixties survivors, so he didn’t feel like the LS6 was a long-term part of his collection. He wanted me to help get it ready for sale. In addition to the smog system, I installed an NOS T3 low beam from my own collection and a few other minor details that I can’t remember. As far as fluffing is concerned, this car is today pretty much as it has always been. It’s always been my favorite LS6 survivor. I swore I’d own it someday, but it seems to be in a very good home, so I’m happy.
I remember one crazy incident where a young kid who had just got into some big money had put a thousand-dollar deposit on the car. Anthony wanted me there the night he was to arrive to pick up the car. The kid drove a trailer to Rhode Island from almost across the country. Maybe Minnesota? I can’t remember. This kid knew nothing about old muscle cars, never mind the irreplaceable and special nature of survivor cars. He had just bought a mid-80s Monte Carlo SS and the LS6 was to be his next purchase. He showed up and told Anthony he was going to go turn his truck around. I don’t even remember seeing the kid. He went out to move his rig, got in his truck and drove home. We were stunned. I don’t know what gave him cold feet, but thank God that green hammerhead didn’t end up with the car. We probably wouldn’t be talking about it 20 years later.
Anthony had a helper that noodled around with his cars for him. I think his nickname was Buzzy. There was a battery acid incident with the modern Delco unit they had in the car. I think the inner fender suffered a bit from it. There was also a passenger door latch issue. The grease had solidified in the latch and I found Buzzy with the door panel off one night spraying solvent and using something to loosen things up in there. He made me nervous. His sense of practicality outmatched any urge he may have had to take it easy, go slow and be careful. Incidentally, we got to see the passenger panel build sheet that Atlanta had placed there. That’s the one roll of film that I never developed.
Unfortunately, years later Anthony told me that Buzzy had passed away driving a 62 Impala down to Florida. A rear control arm came loose on the highway and it was over. Awful. I don’t remember him much except that he was a really likeable guy and a good friend to Anthony.
Whatever auction or sale Anthony bought the car through, he mentioned that the original owner had a low-mile L72 Biscayne too. Anthony didn’t buy the LS6 from the original owner, but the two cars were still together and he declined the chance to buy the Biscayne. I didn’t pay much attention to that story at the time. It wasn’t until many years later after my buddy Dave Bongerzone bought a low-mile L72 Biscayne that I realized that that had to be the same car. I didn’t think of that story at all until Dave had owned the car for a while. It dawned on me one day while I was waiting for my truck to pass inspection. I called Dave and verified that the dealership was the same as the LS6. Both cars even have the same inspection sticker on the windshield. It’s a small survivor car world.
Anyway, I took as many pictures of the car as I could back in those pre-digital camera days. Attached are a few pictures of the engine right before I installed the smog system.
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