boxy
12-24-2005, 02:07 PM
Here's a link to a story about a friend of mine's ****ty night, he lost 3 sweet Dodge cars in a fire. The reporter some how missed that while his Dodge DAYTONA Charger may have looked like the General Lee, that is not what made it special.
Frank, you've met Greg at the 1000 Islands PR, he runs with Paul Honeywell, who runs the 33' Eliminator "Last Request"
................... Sorry about that, here's the story......
Greg Williams is a muscle car fanatic.
The 38-year-old, who lives near Kars, has been buying classic cars for years. His first purchase was a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner. But his dream was to own a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona like the one on the television show Dukes of Hazzard.
A while back, Mr. Williams took a trip to Guelph and, lo and behold, found one of the last of the 500 V-8 rumblers ever made. He bought it -- "one of nine with the copper metallic paint job," as he says -- shelling out a fair chunk of cash.
The Charger was proudly parked with Mr. Williams' other classics in a large garage he'd built behind his Carsonby Road home to house his growing collection.
Early Thursday, he was awakened by the police knocking at his door. They were there at 2 a.m. to tell him his garage was burning.
"I was hoping it was a bad dream when I woke up," Mr. Williams said yesterday as he wandered around charred metal remains of his beloved collection.
He recalled his stunned reaction as he followed the police to the burning garage. He remembered standing speechless as firefighters hosed the burning garage. He was grateful no one was hurt, including the four beagles he kept in a kennel near the garage. But his heart was breaking.
The fire destroyed the Daytona Charger, the Roadrunner and a 1970 Dodge Challenger. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but damages were estimated at $500,000.
"My three favourite cars are right here," he said, staring at the scorched metal remains.
It was a sight that could make any car lover feel ill. The cars were windowless, the glass having shattered in the heat. The blackened bodies had been crushed by falling beams. The tires were lumps of melted rubber burned into the garage floor. The once beautiful burnished paint work was scorched to bare metal.
Yet, despite the loss, Mr. Williams has no intention of surrendering his dream. He's been in touch with Legendary Motorcars Company near Toronto to find out if anything can be done to salvage his prized possessions.
It's going to be costly, but he figures he can afford it. He was born and raised in the same house and figures he's been working since he was six years old.
"Growing up on a farm, there was no money," he said of his childhood. "Whatever I've got, I've earned."
Now, though, he runs his own roofing business, GW Roofing, taking jobs from Montreal to Toronto. The work has allowed him to indulge his passion for classic cars.
In any case, Mr. Williams still has seven vintage beauties -- stored elsewhere -- as solace for his loss. Among them are a '70 Dodge Charger, a '69 Plymouth GTX and a '67 Plymouth Belvedere GTX.
He refuses to dwell on his misfortune.
"My chin is up," he said. "I'm going to see what I can do to restore (the cars)."
Frank, you've met Greg at the 1000 Islands PR, he runs with Paul Honeywell, who runs the 33' Eliminator "Last Request"
................... Sorry about that, here's the story......
Greg Williams is a muscle car fanatic.
The 38-year-old, who lives near Kars, has been buying classic cars for years. His first purchase was a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner. But his dream was to own a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona like the one on the television show Dukes of Hazzard.
A while back, Mr. Williams took a trip to Guelph and, lo and behold, found one of the last of the 500 V-8 rumblers ever made. He bought it -- "one of nine with the copper metallic paint job," as he says -- shelling out a fair chunk of cash.
The Charger was proudly parked with Mr. Williams' other classics in a large garage he'd built behind his Carsonby Road home to house his growing collection.
Early Thursday, he was awakened by the police knocking at his door. They were there at 2 a.m. to tell him his garage was burning.
"I was hoping it was a bad dream when I woke up," Mr. Williams said yesterday as he wandered around charred metal remains of his beloved collection.
He recalled his stunned reaction as he followed the police to the burning garage. He remembered standing speechless as firefighters hosed the burning garage. He was grateful no one was hurt, including the four beagles he kept in a kennel near the garage. But his heart was breaking.
The fire destroyed the Daytona Charger, the Roadrunner and a 1970 Dodge Challenger. The cause of the fire is still unknown, but damages were estimated at $500,000.
"My three favourite cars are right here," he said, staring at the scorched metal remains.
It was a sight that could make any car lover feel ill. The cars were windowless, the glass having shattered in the heat. The blackened bodies had been crushed by falling beams. The tires were lumps of melted rubber burned into the garage floor. The once beautiful burnished paint work was scorched to bare metal.
Yet, despite the loss, Mr. Williams has no intention of surrendering his dream. He's been in touch with Legendary Motorcars Company near Toronto to find out if anything can be done to salvage his prized possessions.
It's going to be costly, but he figures he can afford it. He was born and raised in the same house and figures he's been working since he was six years old.
"Growing up on a farm, there was no money," he said of his childhood. "Whatever I've got, I've earned."
Now, though, he runs his own roofing business, GW Roofing, taking jobs from Montreal to Toronto. The work has allowed him to indulge his passion for classic cars.
In any case, Mr. Williams still has seven vintage beauties -- stored elsewhere -- as solace for his loss. Among them are a '70 Dodge Charger, a '69 Plymouth GTX and a '67 Plymouth Belvedere GTX.
He refuses to dwell on his misfortune.
"My chin is up," he said. "I'm going to see what I can do to restore (the cars)."