WHEN Warren and Simone Mottershead from Murchison East first laid eyes on their 1956 Chevrolet BelAir their first reaction was ‘oh dear’ and after deciding to buy it their drive home left them nicknaming it The Red Rattler, but today when you start the engine, the grunt can be felt in your chest while you are admiring the striking red exterior.
Three years ago, Warren and Simone went in search of this particular model of Chevrolet after Warren had wanted one his whole life. They found one in Brisbane that had only been imported by the owner a month earlier.
Warren and Simone said, “When we flew up there we said that if he opens the garage and we weren’t wowed by it, we wouldn’t buy it. When he opened it, we said ‘oh dear,’ but we bought it anyway and drove it home. On the drive home it rattled so loudly, which is where the nickname came from.
“The exterior colour was there, but it was a bit rough. The paint was the texture like that of an orange peel. We spent weeks rubbing it out.
“We took it to a friend in Tasmania who helped to put in a new motor and he worked on the diff, front end, brakes, steering, it’s had a lot done to it.
“It’s our everyday cruiser and is nice to drive.”
