The history of an American muscle car


Jim Daly remembers his son, Randy, through their mutual love for a 1970 Chevelle Malibu

CRESCO - By Zach Jensen,

General Manager; Randy Daly bought a 1970 Chevelle Malibu in 1979 - when he was 17 years old. For two years, he worked on it whenever he could in hopes of someday having a classic muscle car fit enough to be driven in parades, but in 1981, it seemed that hope may have never become a reality - after the young Cresco man died in a tragic car accident near Ridgeway.

Jim Daly, Randy's father, knew his son's love of that car, and after three years of dealing with the loss of his son, Jim began picking up where Randy left off - restoring that classic old Chevelle to its original condition.

'I wanted to do it in his honor,' Jim said. 'To keep his memory going.'

Jim began restoring the car in 1984, and in 1985, the car was show ready. The result is a cherry 350-V8, double-barreled, 300 horse 1970 Chevelle Malibu with four on the floor, polished chrome grill and bumpers, Keystone Classic mags and a near-perfect body - all with just over 70,000 original miles.

'That's for him,' Jim said, as he revved the engine while driving the old muscle car past the cemetery where Randy is buried one day last week. "I like to let him know she's still running strong. "I used to spin the tires a bit, but I don't do that too much any more," he continued. "She does have some get up and go, though. She will bark."

Jim said he puts on an average of about 600 miles each year, going to shows around the region. In 2003, the car won the plaque for having the Best Classic Set of Goodyear Tires at the Cruise to Cresco car show. In 2004, the car won Best Chevelle, and in 2005 the Malibu was elected as the show's poster car.

"This car really brings back the memories," Jim said with a smile. "It's just one of the old, classic muscle cars. They don't make them like this anymore."

Cresco-area car enthusiasts will enjoy having even more memories and probably a few aspirations this weekend, when the annual Cruise to Cresco car show fills downtown Cresco with polished chrome, candy apple finishes and purring engines of yesterday."


Classic Muscle Cars