Chevy with power galore and a body that says speed
Lumina the pride and joy of the family
GERMISTON businessman Raymond Debipersad was only four years old when he was “ordered” to help his father, Boy, in the garage.
At the time, he resented his chores, but over the years they grew into a passion for restoring cars.
The youngest of four brothers, Debipersad was assigned the “terrible task” of scraping off the overspray of paint from the car widows.
Debipersad, 38, was born in Durban and lived in Havenside, Chatsworth, before moving to Germiston in Gauteng. He married his high-school sweetheart, Vishala, and they have a son Josh, 6. Both share Debipersad’s love for cars.
“It gives me great fulfilment to take cars I find in junkyards and bring them back to life. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but the end product is definitely worth the sacrifices.
“I have a soft spot for Chevrolets. I was 14 years old when I used to sneak out in one of my father’s 57 Chevs — which he parked on the roadside — for a night on the town.
“I would fetch my friends and we used to party the night away, and in the early hours of the morning we would quietly roll the car back to its parking spot.
“But my father always knew the car was moved and I appreciate that my older brother took the blame for me,” he said.
Debipersad now owns a 2009 Chevrolet Lumina SS 6.0l V8 and says it is his “pride and joy”.
He bought it five years ago from a dealership in Boksburg. He had set out to buy an SUV, but he and Vishala changed their minds when they set their eyes on the Lumina.
“Vishala also learnt to drive in a Chev — her dad gave her a 1981 Chevy Commodore when she was in Standard 7. She used to drive to school with her friends and park the car close by so the teachers wouldn’t notice.
“The Chevy holds special memories for us and this is why we love having them around — they remind us of the good old days.
“The Lumina appeals to both of us — I love the look and drive of the car and Vishala loves the space, which is perfect for when she goes shopping.”
The Lumina boasts a few impressive additions, such as a TNT performance exhaust system, imported H&R suspension, K&N filer, 20-inch Rezax work wheels and custom handmade stripes.
The interior has black leather electric Recaro seats and a six-speed manual gearbox.
“Since the start of the year, I have won 10 trophies in various car competitions with the Lumina. No doubt, it is a good-looking car and has a powerful engine. It does turn a few heads.
“I dread driving past a school because the pupils go crazy. They shout and scream and plead for me to rev the engine up or do a wheel spin.
“It reminds me a lot of the way I used to be in my younger days,” said Debipersad.