Chevy Centennial: "My Dad's Car"- Part II

A familiar 1965 Impala Super Sport

Fresh from the "My Dad's Car" Commercial

Herb Younger and his baby, the 1965 Impala SS

The Chevy, Herb and I

In my last post, we discussed the phenomenal Chevy commercial "My Dad's Car", about the sons that tracked down their Dad's much loved 1965 Impala Super Sport and bought it back for him almost three decades later. I haven't met anyone that didn't tear up watching that spot.

Last week was the Press Preview for the Los Angeles Auto Show. I was there with my sidekick Rockit and as we walked over to Chevrolet, I remarked to her that if Chevrolet were smart, they'd have that Crocus Yellow Super Sport on a platform and would be running that commercial behind it all week.

Well, they didn't, but during their press conference, they showed the "My Dad's Car" commercial, and we all teared up a bit. Then the curtain opened and the Chevy drove onto the stage to applause. Herb Younger and his sons were inside, smiling widely. The boys didn't realize that the commercial was making them all into rock stars.

Afterward, I went up and talked to Herb and Derek. Nice guys, super nice actually and just as cool as they seem in the commercial. Herb had a bit of back story, he was still in college when he bought the Super Sport, his first new car. Derek recalled how his Mom used to drive the boys to school in the four-speed Super Sport. Herb told me how he was asking $3000 for the car in 1985 and someone came along and offered an envelope with $2700 in it. He needed the money for his family and took it.

I think I dig this story so much because it's the opposite of O'Henry- the Father does the right thing and sells his toy to raise money for his family. His boys grow up and see an opportunity to say thank you to their Father. The car waited patiently to come home to all of them. Isn't that what families are all about?

Chevy Centennial- "My Dad's Car"

Chevrolet released a new ad in their Centennial piece this week. Called "My Dad's Car', it tells the story of a man named Herb Younger who bought a new 1965 Impala Super Sport coupe and kept it twenty years. His sons Jared and Derek grew up in the back seat and all have fond memories of it.

Herb was forced to sell it to pay for his son's education during hard times in the eighties. So thirty year later, his sons began to search for it and literally chased it across North America for five years before locating it on line at a dealer in Montreal. They bought it online, shipped it home to California, and gave it back to their amazed and delighted father. Watch Herb take the wheel of the very same car he bought new forty-six years ago- he drives it like they've never been apart.



This five minute version adds depth to the backstory and allows the brothers to describe their quest to find their father's car and return it to him. "It's not just the car- it's all of the memories and the feelings- it brings it all back."

Chevrolet does a compelling job of weaving themselves into the tapestry of family heritage. I think this clip says everything about why I love classic cars. Well done, Jared and Derek. Well done, Chevrolet.

Now pass the Kleenex.