In September 2022, I purchased her from a car lot in Bryon, Ohio, called Murray's Cool Cars. She was in rough shape, with no rear drums, the front brakes apart, and the engine not running. Despite this, I saw her potential and paid $3,200 for the beauty hiding under flaking paint. Before unloading her off the trailer at home, she was already running—as if she knew that a little help would inspire me to restore her to her past glory. From the first time I drove her, with no brakes off a trailer and into the garage at idle, I was hooked.
Elvira got her name during that drive home. One look in my rearview mirror at her on the trailer, and I knew she was Elvira.
When I tackled the brakes, I went straight to Turner Brakes for the front, then rebuilt the rear and had Galaxie drums cut down to fit. Not that there haven't been trials and tribulations, but I drove her on the road for the first time on June 24, 2023—just nine months after bringing her home. Since then, there have been many adventures and upgrades, as well as miles. In her first year on the road, I drove her 3,420 miles. Her engine hasn't been rebuilt; the transmission got a fluid and filter change, and the rear end got new fluid. Mechanically, I would trust her to go anywhere. She purrs down the interstate and has done trips over 400 miles in a day.
I'm not sure where everyone stands with their cars, but this car is special. Not just because I've wanted one since I was a kid, but because she seems to have an attitude, a life, and a spirit that not all cars have.
Elvira is more than just a car—she's a journey, a dream come true, and a testament to the magic that happens when passion meets dedication.
/Erin Bjorn Hays - July 2024
