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1940s Chevrolet Convertible Saved From Fate as Chicken Nest

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Restored 1940s Chevrolet Convertible

What would you do with a classic 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Convertible if you were lucky enough to own one? If you’re like the McCarty family in Mississippi, you could park it in a barn for a few decades and let a chicken build a nest in it.

If that sounds like a sad fate for such a beautiful car, don’t worry. The McCarthy family has recently rescued the car from the barn and paid to restore it to its former glory, as well as adding a few modern touches, such as air conditioning and cup holders.

Check out the video from the Daily Journal below to see it in on the move:

The 1940 Chevrolet Special Deluxe Convertible originally belonged to Guy Gravlee, a bomber pilot in World War II. Once he got married and settled down, Mr. Gravlee sold the car to Walter Earl McCarty at the end of the war in 1945 for $750. McCarty bought the car while on leave from his post in Florida, and drove it to Georgia to elope with his girlfriend before continuing to a honeymoon in Texas.

McCarty’s daughter, Ann McCarty Brown, says she remembers the car from her childhood. Once, when driving on a two-lane highway, a 18-wheeler blew the roof off in the rain. The family was forced to make it back home in a deluge with no cover. It must have felt like the inside of a car wash.

The convertible was then parked in a field, with McCarty intending to restore it for his son. The project was abandoned when McCarty passed away in 1969, and the car was moved into the barn instead. There it sat, serving as a home for the chickens, until Ann’s husband rescued it. The Browns are avid classic car fans, with a 1972 Buick and 1978 Ford truck already in their collection, so they knew who they needed to talk to to have it restored correctly.

While the repairs were costly, it helped Ann remember her father and the good times they shared in the car. Guy Gravlee’s family has even visited the Browns to see their dad’s ride and take it for a spin. The Browns drive it to car shows regularly, and we hope to see this Chevrolet, infused with so many family memories and love, in our neck of the woods.

News Source The Daily Journal