From family sedan to custom dream car

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/07/2019 (2281 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you happen to spot Will Slota and his custom 1959 Chevrolet Impala on Sunday at the 20th annual Lions Club of East St. Paul Show & Shine, don’t be afraid to ask him a few questions about his prized ride.

Even though he completed the car in 2011, Slota — who lives in Narol, not far from where the show will take place at the East St. Paul Recreation Complex on Hoddinott Road — still enjoys telling the story of how the car, which was owned for many years by his late father, got to where it is today.

“My dad bought this car in 1960 and drove it until 1982,” says Slota, whose father, Nick, passed away in 1986. “When he passed, we put it in the barn for a few years, then when I decided to restore it I came to realize how much money I was going to invest and in the end all I’d wind up with was a four-door sedan.”

Wait a minute, you mean to tell me this beauty once had another pair of doors?

Turns out Slota, 64 — who retired as president and general manager of Concord Projects, a construction management, general contracting and design-build company — has an eye for custom creations.

Although he had never restored a car before undertaking this mammoth project, which he started in 2000, Slota bought himself some metalworking tools and a MIG welder and started cutting and chopping and welding the family Impala until he had it just the way he wanted it. In the end, about two feet was cut from the body, and those nasty rear doors were gonzo. Once the body was the way he wanted it, he dropped it on a refreshed chassis from a 1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Trust me, we are making this sound way easier than the entire process actually was, and he had some big help along the way — but after hammering and sawing and welding and sanding for more than a decade, Slota recreated his father’s old sedan into his very own dream car.

He spent so much time working on the car that his wife Maxine actually started calling it his mistress; she chose the wicked name Zelda for the car, and it stuck. Nowadays Maxine enjoys riding shotgun in Zelda with Will at the wheel. It helps that the car features creature comforts such as air conditioning, power windows and a booming audio system. To add some go to the show, under the hood is a ZZ4 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine, fitted with a special tri-power aluminium intake manifold and Holley carburetors.

The finished product is a rolling masterpiece, a business coupe that Chevrolet never built — but clearly should have.

Grant Copp, who is also 64 and a longtime member and two-time president of the Lions Club of East St. Paul, has known Slota since they were kids. He always looks forward to seeing his pal’s memory machine, along with a few hundred other classic and special-interest cars, trucks and motorcycles that will be on display Sunday.

“We start planning the show and shine in October, lining up all the sponsors and getting the volunteers organized,” says Copp, who acknowledges that although the show is a lot of work, it is also big fun. “Members and volunteers always enjoy their day, everyone takes on a different responsibility and it all comes together for a great day in support of great causes.”

The show takes place Sunday at the East St. Paul Recreation Complex, 266 Hoddinott Rd. It is free for the general public, and only $10 for participants, who receive a dash plaque and lunch for registering their vehicles. Registration opens at 7 a.m. Highlights will include a display of new cars inside the arena from sponsor Gauthier Cadillac GMC, a vendors row, children’s activities, a silent auction and a barbecue and beer garden from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. And, of course, a sea of shining vehicles and smiling faces. The best part is all the proceeds from the event will go to charities who benefit from the Lions Club, which is thankful for the support received from Napa Auto Parts, Bestway Fence Systems, One Insurance, Denray Tire, Hawk Auto & Truck Accessories, Jonesy’s Restaurant & Bar, Sunova Credit Union and East St. Paul Community Hub.

It’s a guarantee Will Slota will be there bright and early to make sure he gets primo parking for his one-of-a-kind Impala — and also a sure bet he will be fielding questions all day long.

“This show is always a lot of fun and brings the entire community together and I especially get a real kick out of the general public and their questions about the car,” Slota says. “Most people would get tired of telling the same story over and over again, but I don’t, because it was my dad’s car and people are enthralled with the story, so it’s fun to share it with them.”

willy@freepress.mb.ca