The Story......

It all started back in 1974 when my parents bought a new light green Monte Carlo.  I was only 5 years old at the time but always loved going for drives to the beach.  When my older brother turned sixteen, my parents gave him the car and he drove it daily.  

Going back to 1975, my father’s sister learned how to drive a car with his 74 Monte.  She liked it so much that she wanted one of her own.  She purchased a new 1977 orange metallic Monte Carlo from Peter Hallissy Chevrolet of Lowell, MA on February 24, 1977. 

Every time we visited my aunt Helen, my brother and I would look and admire the car from a short distance and could only dream of driving that car one day.  As kids, we thought it was funny because my aunt had a pillow on her front seat.  She was a short woman and had a hard time seeing over the steering wheel.

In July of 1985, I met my husband Michael.  It turned out that he shared the same passion as me, and loved Monte Carlos too.  Michael’s first car was a gold 1972 Monte Carlo, which he purchased used in 1983.  In 1986 Michael purchased a second car and bought a new dark maroon metallic Monte Carlo Sport Coupe.  He even let me drive it off the lot first.  We attended the 11th convention in Louisville, Kentucky in 1996 with his car and Michael was presented with an award for Top 10 Editor’s Choice.  He also won an award for Top Three in his class.

Sadly, in 1989 my aunt Helen died, but the love for her car lived on.  My parents kept the car for 10 years.  In 1999 they sold a piece of property where this car was stored, and did not have a place to keep it.  Because my parents knew this car would be in good hands and wanted to keep it in the family, they gave me the car.  On May 13, 1999 I took ownership with a little more than 19,000 original miles on it.  And as of today, everything is still in it’s original condition.

This past June my husband, daughter, the two dogs and I traveled 1105 miles to the 19th convention in Kentucky.  This was the first time my car was ever shown and we took 3rd place in our category.  We also got an award for the longest distance traveled.  Getting an award for my car was one of the happiest moments in my life.  And I think of my aunt Helen every time I take that car for a spin.  I know she is looking down from heaven and smiling, because she knows how much joy this car brings to our family. 

Because I live in Massachusetts, I only drive the car in the summer and fall.  I love this time of year because my car looks so nice with the foliage.  But with winter right around the corner, it’s almost time to put Nellie away until May. 

I’m hoping to attend the 20th convention next year, but with two Montes in the family it’s going to be a difficult decision as to what car is going.  But whatever car it may be, just being fortunate to attend the convention is good enough for me. 

 Dawn Levesque