Hi everybody. My name is Jon Mello and some of you may know me from some of the other websites. There is a lot of great information here. You guys have done a great job. I was curious if you guys have dug up much on Bud Gates Chevrolet in Indianapolis. I tried a search and nothing showed up. I did speak with him last year on my summer vacation but we mainly talked about his racing exploits. I dropped the ball and didn't think about the pacers. Have you guys located any pacers that came through Bud Gates' dealership?

-Jon

Yes.. I'm thinking who but its not popping in my head.. Pete Sgro?.. We have some cars from Gates and/or info about Gates in 67. A gorgeous 69 was for sale last year that had Gates docs as well. Is it Bud Gates ( the Bud part doesn't ring a bell)? We have Bud Wolf Chevy which is Andy Wolfs Dad and the dealer that was ( bought) Bill Kuhn Chevrolet where mine and other 67 IPC's where sold after the 67 race.

My festival car came from Johnson Chevrolet. I do not know who sold my other car.

Hi Jon,
Welcome aboard!!
Good to hear you are lurking about on the website. Some of us enjoy the CRG website just as much as this one, but you didn't hear me say that. The CRG website is a great sister site to this one or visa versa. We have referred to it often here on this website.

Gates Chevrolet was in South Bend I believe. The pace car I sold back in 2003 came from there. Thee is still a Gates Chevrolet near South Bend.

About time you join up here Jon!

Jon, we have a couple of pacers from Bud Gates INC....one of them is very well documented. It Festival #55.

THATS RIGHT! #55... whadda car

Thanks for the welcome, guys. Yes, I guess I am long overdue especially since I am a '67 fanatic. I picked up a Bud Gates license plate frame and was wondering if it was legit or something somebody made up. I thought most dealerships back East or in the Midwest used a dealership emblem or sticker, not a license plate frame. Bud Gates was definitely in Indianapolis. The Gates dealerships in Mishawauka and South Bend are not connected to Bud Gates. Does the #55 car have anything on the body to ID the selling dealer?

-Jon

The license plate frame looks like something from the 1980s.
As far as the vintage pictures show, #55 doesn't have any Gates Chevrolet Emblems.

Jon!

There is quite a few 67 nuts around here!

How's "number one" coming along?

Tony, you are '67 nut #1! If I see you with a '67 station wagon pacer replica, I think we're going to have to call in the funny farm people from Camarillo! ha ha.

I'm in "waist deep" on the resto right now. Total frame off and body work is pretty much done.

I believe Bud Gates got out of selling Chevys in the 1970s. Never made it to the '80s. Now is selling Toyotas in another state.

-Jon

Jon!

Have you seen those wagons???

They are 396 rides!!!

When I did my Speedway Archive search last year at the Pace Car reunion show, I found some sweet photos of the wagons.
Chevrolet also had Brass Hat Impala Convertibles!!!!!

So!!!

I'm guessing you saw that I found May built PaceSetter Truck??

Oh!

All the License Plate frames I've seen from the 1960's are pot metal...that black one you have is plastic..right?

Tony,

Yeah, I saw the truck and actually that is pretty cool. I'm also seeing what you're wanting to do to your garage. You've got the sickness, my friend. I'd say that's a good thing but my wife might smack me upside the head.

-Jon

Tony, no that frame is not plastic, it is chromed metal. I did not notice but I guess the flash makes it look black.

-Jon

Does this shot make it look any less black?

-Jon

Oh Yeah!

It sure does!!!

Now it looks like it could be from the 1960s!!

My garage!!!

Man!!!

You have done some reading already!!!

Can I ask you to check out the Mod Top thread??
I think you might like it.
One of our members posted a picture of his car and I almost died!!
Do you know of any surviving Mod Tops??

Here is a shot of the garage ( mess )last week when I picked up a couple of framed Posters that I finally hung up earlier this week!

quote:

You've got the sickness, my friend. I'd say that's a good thing but my wife might smack me upside the head.

Classic!!

Have you had any additions to family?? The last we spoke you had two girls....

I can kind of get away with what I do because I'm in the garage.....

I don't dare bring this sickness in doors!!

I would get a swat too!

Hey Tony,
It looks like you just hiested the GM Pace Car Museum. What a great shot! Maybe you should open your own museum.

Tony,

Yeah, I have had a look at that mod top thread already. Some of that stuff is nasty and some of it is cool. In a way, it is all cool because it is unique and gives a better understanding of these cars in relation to the era in which they were built. I'm embarrased to say but I actually like that AMT stuff. That brochure is killer.

-Jon

quote:

Originally posted by Tony ( BigBlockPace ):
There is quite a few 67 nuts around here!

How's "number one" coming along?

Jon,
Have you found a rearend yet for your #1 Z?
We have a mutual friend here in Sacramento.
Robert Lodewyk!

quote:

I'm embarrased to say but I actually like that AMT stuff. That brochure is killer.

Oh!!!

I love that stuff too!! I don't know if I would want to be seen in one..but I do think they are sweet!!

Jon!!

Didn't you tell me that one of the local Ventura or Oxnard area Chevrolet Dealerships sold some of the "Phase" Camaros???

I have a 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son. Never had a second daughter. Do you guys have any kids?

Actually, I've got a couple of Camaro models inside and a Camaro picture in our bedroom (Mark Donohue's car). My wife was OK with that for some reason. I don't dare analyse why...

-Jon

quote:

It looks like you just hiested the GM Pace Car Museum. What a great shot! Maybe you should open your own museum.

Hi Tom!

Perfect time to check in!!

Talking about another 67 sickie!!

The garage looks a lot more organized now than it did in that picture.
I shot this picture to email a friend of mine that didn't believe the size of that Fashion Goes Motoring Showroom Poster.

That sucker is a huge monster!

Tom,

I've got a correctly dated axle for the car but the code is not right. If I could find a December "PU" coded axle, that would be awesome.
_______________________________________

Tony,

Yeah, I'll touch on that in the mod tops section.

-Jon

Jon,
I have one daughter. She is turning 23 in two days!