RT and SS – two classics
It’s not often you see a genuine Bathurst RT Charger driving down the street so when Dubbo Photo News spotted what looked like an original factory car crusing along Wellington’s main street, we followed it until it pulled up at the rest stop just the Dubbo side of Geurie. The Charger wasn’t alone, pulling in beside it’s travelling companion, a 1967 Chevvy Camaro.
Steve Durrington said he drove his Charger from its home near Windsor. “It’s a 1971 RT Charger, 265 cubic inch six-cylinder, three speed manual on the floor, triple Weber carbies, original paint. “I’ve had it for four years but I’ve known about it sitting in a shed for 30 years – I was sweating on it for 30 years,” he said. He’s pleased Covid restrictions have eased and he can once again go cruising around the countryside.
“Once a year we get together and go somewhere in NSW, this year we’re going to Narromine and coming back to Cars and Coffee in Dubbo on the Sunday morning,” he said, remarking it’s a fantastic feeling to be simply cruising around in his classic car with a good bunch of mates.
Charles Loconte owns the Camaro and drove it from his home near Camden. “It’s a 1967 Camaro, a 396 cubic inch Chev big block and it’s an SS lookalike, it’s not a genuine SS,” he told Dubbo
Photo News.
“I bought it locally, in Sydney, I heard about it by word-of-mouth. A guy just told me about it and away we went, I’m very happy with it.
“(The colour is) butternut – an unusual colour and probably more popular in America than here.”
He said his childhood dreams were of one day owning a Camaro and now he finally has one, he couldn’t be happier. “A Camaro big block is pretty cool. As a kid I wanted one, I’ve wanted one forever,” he said.
“I was in the ‘States in 1992 and I was looking at them. They were really cheap second-hand and I thought I’ve gotta get one of these but I didn’t do it then. I had another opportunity in 2011 to buy a fully restored one at Longbeach swapmeet for US$25,000 and it was only $3000 to import them in those days but didn’t do it. So anyway, I had to wait until recently and I sold a hot-rod to buy it. I’ve got another two hot-rods, I’m right into them.
“I love going on runs with my friends, this crowd we’re going with this weekend are very nice people, we have a ball. We’re all car people.”