I was only 5 when they died but I remember the news reporting it on the radio. I didnt understand then but I came to understand in the late 60s what we had lost for many years I have said that Buddy was the father of what would become the next big thing the beatles. Also let us not forget the young man from LA. Richey V up till KFWB went all news you heard one of his songs every day, sure as the sun came up. as for JP Richardson he wrote one of my fav songs white lightning for Geo Jones.
I'm still completely confused with everything i've read as to if the car was actually his. From what i've gathered it leans towards it not being.. Never the less, at least another 58 Impala is getting restored. As for the talent lost that night...It was huge..I wasn't even a thought in '59...but the impact they had on music is very apparent to me. But, this is not a music board, so we'll keep it about the 58..... I'd still like to see the car finished, and also would love to see someone who was there, first hand, to say yes they remember it..but..................
I have no idea whether the car was real or not. I know that Peggy Sue will be there for the auction promoting her new book, and it is going on a "tour" before it goes to the auctions. He has papers signed by Petty, and the vin numbers match. The engine is the original engine as well. Yes, I know it is easy to swap vin numbers, there is a guy in town that does it. I have not spoken personally to either of the Bills, as there was someone different that let me in the yard. I have no idea if it is real or not, nor do I think I could ever find out. Yes, it was restored by the body shop on 19th street here in Lubbock. They took it to different car shows, and all of the trailering and shows got the car pretty dinged up (someone knocked something over on it and put a huge dent in the door). A few of the panels are not a 100% match of the color, so they are going back and redoing it all. They are putting quite a bit of bondo to level things out. The car will be done in 6 weeks. Either way, it is a 58 impala. The story matches up in my eyes (driving it to amarillo, the accident (all of the bondo is on the back end) and leaving it at the lot, etc.) Back then, no one thought that anything he owned would be worth anything. Now it is worth a ton
When it originally came to service bill griggs and bill clements did not agree that this was the correct car so there have been some ongoing discussions about the matter but both bills have come to the conclusion that is infact the right car. They have been pretty quite about it till they made sure every thing was correct. I personally know both of the bills and it will be at the barrett jackson in arizona. And will be in top notch shape by then.
<FIELDSET cl***=fieldset><LEGEND>Attached Thumbnails</LEGEND> </FIELDSET>I saw that sign when I was in Lubbock. I went about 6 hours out of my way on vacation just to see the town, and the museum. The museum is great, and I highly recommend it. I have wondered where the car is for some time also. I remember reading about it in Hot Rod or Super Chevy years ago. I think it should be in the museum, or some where else the public could see it.....if it is real.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mppMPqfe1FY I knew I could find it. I saw this a long time ago. Very cool.
im glad to hear that that is who has the car i actually think you can see it if you p*** by sitting in the front near a gl*** window, but im not sure if thats the car... the rest of the shops in lubbock from what i have only been told not experienced, i would not trust with my bicycle except for humberto ortiz at vulcan specialties, he seems to know what hes doing and richard over at bens muffler shop but niether of those places are restoration or rod shops really...the other shops in town (not naming anyone) have a pretty bad rap, the main one everyone knows about has stories like the guy will take your car in to be worked on, put a lien on it and then not work on it just so you cant have it and he keeps it forever, and hills hotrods needs to change their name, all they built are 80 model chevy trucks, blazers and suburbans with 22s and wild paint on airbags, in no way do they build hot rods and ive walked every corner of their shop...so it sounds like buddy's car is in some good hands
Very cool.. Thanks for the info. I've read some of Bill Griggs' writing, and that's where my confusion came form. He, from what i've found, seem's to be an authority on Buddy Holly..and a while ago i'm pretty sure he wasn't sure it was actually his.. Good to hear thing's have changed, I'll be looking forward to reading about, and seeing photo's of the car some day. Tony
looking back on the photos i took, I think the odometer said 35,000, but not sure. The impala is not in the shop on 19th street, it is in a garage that Bill Clements personally owns, and has owned for 40 years. The auction is in January, and will feature the car along with Peggy Sue promoting her new book. The car looks like it will be in great shape by that time. You are correct, hills hotrods is not a hot rod shop. I wouldn't trust them. I have never used any shop for body work except for paint. I do all of my own welding and hammering. I do the prep work, then take it to a shop to be painted. Is anyone on here a member of the CCCC? oh, and BTW, Buddy Holly was NOT born in a hospital, so there is no way you were born in the same hospital as him Buddy Holly (the guy on this site). He was born in his mom's house when they lived right behind the walmart on 4th and Marsha Sharp freeway...
I'm interested, now. IF it is, without a doubt Buddy Holly's car, there will have to be do***ents to back up that claim. I'm skeptical as long as those facts are withheld. I for one am in agreement that if those facts are known and this car is authentic, that the 'proof' be kept private if the current owner so chooses. If I had the car, me and my big mouth would have spilled the beans a long time ago, I would have shown the do***ents to everybody! It would be quite interesting to hear the controversy should a car, heretofore unheard of, should come to light as "the real Buddy Holly '58 Chevrolet" including dealer invoices, matching numbers, etc. to prove it, eh?
From what i understood, there was some purchase paper work, signed by Normal Petty, and i believe registered to "Buddy Holly and the Crickets" that did have the vin number on it. But, at the time i read about that, i think Bill Griggs and Bill Clement were in disagreement on if was authentic. One piece of paper does not prove anything to me especially when it changes the value of something from, say, 25,000 restored, to who the hell know's how much... That was why i even mentioned up a ways i'd love to hear from someone who actually SAW the car, in the time period it was new.. But..............
I believe that Norman Petty would have registered the car that way, because the band, "Buddy Holly and the Crickets", was how Holly was able to sidestep his contract with Decca, a plan masterminded by Petty, and his(Holly's) subsequent freedom to produce his own songs with Coral and Brunswick. Of course, Decca owned Coral and Brunswick, so it was all in the family, a win-win-win situation. http://oldies.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.pmoorcroft.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm
Well the car is slated to be sold on Barrett Jackson later this month. I guess I sort of hope it's the real deal. It's certainly a beautiful car. http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appl.../lotdetails.aspx?aid=304&ln=1258.2&pop=0&it=1
My feelings on both..It sure is nice to see it like it is now rather than the way it was. Thanks for the link. It's the first time i've seen it restored. Tony
now heres the real question . Yes it may infact been bought from Buddy's Money but was it infact buddy's car ? , he was known to have bought a few cars for his band members , Infact he bought Waylon Jennings ((( who was once a Cricket ))) a Chevy Impala . Waylon was in some trouble and didn't have a Drivers Licences and could not obtain a car himself and Buddy Bought him a car , and Waylon States he Sold the car ((( In a Drunken state of Mind ))) to a guy for 147 dollars because he was going to play at a place in CA. where Merle Haggard was performing and couldn't take the car with him ... and needed Money to Live on while he was there and with Waylon , Merle and Willie Nelson playin in the same Juke Joint Together they seen alot of younger People Filling the Bar and desided they must be doing something right . But anyways Just figured I'd throw that wrench into the Conversation
B-J has been hammered pretty hard the past couple of years for shoving some questionable cars across the stage. Russo-Steele and Me*** have become the companies of choice for the serious and informed collector/investors.
bye bye miss american pie!!! drove my chevy to barret jackson but the papers were wrong......the bidders were waiting but the car it was gone...
Here's a funny tidbit to add to this. A while ago after i first started this thread i had gotten a couple nasty pm's regarding me questioning Mr.Clements and the authenticity of the car. Kinda funny to read B.J. would not allow it to go through for that reason. Either way, it's a slick car and i'm glad it was restored....... Now, if i'm not mistaken i remember J.I. Allison ( Buddy's drummer) mentioning in the "Real Buddy Holly Story" that they drove Buddy's 55 Olds to record in Clovis....Yet no photo's of that car and the band anywhere..be cool to see one of them with the car Tony
The article in Hot Rod everyone has referred to was a little column in the Roddin at Random section sometime in 1996. The car was not found in Lubbock but in Amarillo behind a body shop just south of the down town area that is actually now closed. Rather or not it's really Buddy's car it was in pretty decent shape. When I was in high school my shop teacher was friends with the guy who owned the body shop and I would go there quite a bit to pick up or drop off parts. I asked the guy about it once and he told me that he put a lein againt it for unpaid work and the years of it sitting in the yard had taken it's toll. He at one point was going to donate it to my high school for our senior project but due to the leins and no clear ***le he couldn't. I think he made a pretty chunk of money off of it when it was "determined" it was Holly's car. But I also think that I remember the article saying that the car was purchased for Peggy Sue and was never actually used by Holly. I might be wrong on that.
I'm at least glad BJ decided to decline auctioning it until some of this speculation is laid to rest. Beautiful car, if it was restored correctly, which I highly doubt. One thing I will say, I thought Bill Clements said it was a non-profit venture? Now he tries to auction it off to the highest bidder! This just shows what a joke he is. There's no telling what shortcuts were taken or what was covered up in that "restoration" between a shady owner and a shady shop. What a shame! I'm a lifetime Ford guy, but there's got to be some restorers here that can lay these claims to rest about the VIN#'s. Steven.
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