Chad Fergusson and I see each other several times a week, primarily because our kids go to the same place for martial arts training. He or his wife usually drive the kids around in a family friendly Highlander. A couple of times though I saw him arrive in a bright red 911 Turbo. For a petrolhead like me, that made him special right away. Chad has an even bigger (and pleasant) secret in his garage which I didn’t know about until early Summer 2019.

One warm Saturday afternoon, several families gathered at Chad’s place for a potluck. While we were enjoying a global selection of amazing food, the conversation shifted to cars. When I expressed my admiration for his 911, someone asked me to take a peek in his garage.

I think I didn’t blink for a minute upon entering the garage. The scene is difficult for me to describe because I was spellbound. Chad has installed a garage lift where two brilliant bright red convertibles sit on the two levels. You have read about the 911 already but it was the upper level that my eyes were fixed on.

An immaculate 1955 Corvette.

A few weeks later, I was back at his place to learn more about the car.

This is a 1955 Corvette, #270 of only 700 made. The car’s VIN is its actual production number. Chad inherited the car from his dad who bought it as a teenager in 1962. The first time his dad met his mom, he was driving this car.

Chad has several childhood memories with the car. He showed me many pictures of it with his dad. The car was put in storage when he was about 10 but dad always talked about bringing it back to life one day. Decades later, Chad started restoring it. Around this time, his dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed away shortly thereafter. He feels very sad that the car couldn’t be fully restored for dad to ride once more but has some satisfaction that it was restored enough for dad to see it running again.

This picture tells how fondly he remembers his dad. This is a bullet casing with his dad’s ashes inside. It is always in the car. And yes, he is the only one who drives it.

The pictures I saw had the car in White. Chad told me it had red interiors. Now, the configuration is reversed. The car has been beautifully painted in Red and the interior is spotless White with Red stitching. The work is remarkable and would have taken hundreds of hours. Every week he spends a good amount of time working on the car but he ensures the car is driven regularly (about 2 - 3 times a week). He regularly takes it to classic car shows where it is a star attraction.

We have extraordinary people amongst us. All of us do our best to take care of our loved ones and then you meet people like Chad who re-emphasize the importance of parents and families. They show us that some things are not mere possessions, they are a part of our lives to cherish for years and a great way to educate our kids.

I am sure Chad thinks about his dad every time he fires up the massive V8 and dad smiles down on him. I imagine him proudly talking to his kids about it. Wishing him and his family many enjoyable years with this awesome car.

Thank you for sharing your story, Chad.