THE DREAM CAME TRUE

Hi NZV8, I’m 28 now and I’ve been into Holdens my whole life. Growing up I fell in love with VL Commodores. I’ve owned many of them over the years. Back in 2001, when I was 11, my father and stepmother went to the Kumeu car show and took a picture of this VL. I was so blown away by it that after they put in the family photo album I stole it without them noticing. I’ve had the picture for 17 years. A couple years ago I started building a replica of the car in the picture. It was the exact same colour, same engine (304 V8), same model (Royale). Sadly, I had to sell it before I could complete it, due to living arrangements. Over the years as I got older, I kept seeing the VL in the photo I’ve held onto for most of my life driving around but I could never catch up with the owner to ask him to sell it. Last year someone posted a picture on a VL Commodore page of the VL with no front bumper. It was the one I’d been after for years. I could see the name of a car yard in the picture, so I called them and left my number for the owner if he came back. I never heard a word. A year went by (a tough one due to a relationship break-up), then, out of nowhere, the VL in my picture popped up on Trade Me for sale. The owner had had it for 18 years and now finally wanted to sell it. I called him straight away but he wanted a lot more than I could afford at the time. A month went by and it was still for sale. I decided to go up and see it. I fell in love at not exactly first sight. So I bought it and I now own the car of my dreams. The owner couldn’t believe the story I told him about the picture. He was happy it had gone to a good home. Here comes the creepy part. While cleaning all the interior out a couple days after getting her, I found the original VL handbook. Inside it showed where it was first registered, and which car yard sold it. The car was first registered by Giltrap Motors which was based in Glenfield. I grew up in Glenfield. The first registered owner from Birkenhead lived one street away from the house I lived in as a baby. The car I had carried a picture of and pursued for all these years turned out pretty much to be the girl next door! If that isn’t meant to be, then I don’t know what is. Cheers, Mike Morris Wow, that’s awesome! Not often things fall into place like that. The car looks great too, and, with a 304 and manual, it’ll be a whole bunch of fun! Cheers, Todd