Echos of Wings Past
Car Owner: Alyssa Paradowski
Car: 1931 Chevy VIN: 2AE, signifying SportRoadster w/2 passenger rumble seat.
Old cars often exude an air of reluctance to spring to life, and as these metal garage roll-up doors screeched open, a chill reminiscent of a meat freezer enveloped us. Alyssa's 1931 Chevy, having remained dormant for quite some time, faced the challenge of awakening again. My pessimism grew, pondering the state of the battery and silently cursing myself for not bringing a jumper pack on this cold morning. However, Alyssa seemed unfazed.
Clank Clank Clank—the sound of gas pedal priming the carburetor echoed through the metal space. Standing alongside, I watched the fuel pressure gauge mounted on the engine block slowly rise with each crank like a blood pressure needle. My skepticism lingered until a small burst of backfire gave way to a rhythmic combustion, and the steady rumble of the engine filled the air. We cheered!
Our journey on this cold, damp, yet thankfully sunny autumn morning would be a voyage through time. It intertwined the legacy of Mark Paradowski's 1931 Chevy, the airport that cradled his plane, and the ongoing legacy of the Chevy now passed down to Alyssa after her father's untimely passing back in 2005.
This relic harks back to a time pre-YouTube and online forums. My first encounter with this car was when Alyssa had grown frustrated with the engine work, including carburetor changes and countless other parts to get it running after sitting dormant for two decades. We picked it up from a hot-rod specialist, a mechanic expert pushed to the boundaries of his skills to breathe life back into this vintage beauty. With their help and her hands-on dedication, the car came back to life. Mark, an engineer by profession, had a knack for tinkering and problem-solving. This Chevy, born from a free-donated cab shell, inherited the frame from a Mustang and the engine from an Impala. Decisions were made based on availability, resulting in a unique hot-rod with a story of its own. Alyssa shared memories of her father using scrap parts from home renovations on the car's assembly.
The roots of Chevrolet trace back to co-founder William Durant, finding inspiration in a bowtie pattern on Parisian hotel wallpaper during a pre-1913 trip. The scrap shape, torn from the wallpaper and carefully transported to Detroit, became the cornerstone of Chevrolet's iconic emblem. Just seventeen years into the founding of Chevrolet, Mark's 1931 Chevy took shape on an assembly line building in Tarrytown, NY, bearing the Fisher emblem. Chevy, still partnered with Fisher Coach Builders, utilized their innovative universal joinery, allowing parts to be used on various models. During the Great Depression, GM's Divisional Structure played a crucial role in keeping its head above water, with Chevrolet offering more affordable production examples.
Mark's '31 Chevy proudly displayed the blue badge over its engine, featuring not only the original bowtie shape but also the stripes symbolizing the unity of divisions within General Motors. GM later bought out Fisher, only to reunite within the decade for wartime production of aviation hulls during WW2.
While Mark never offered rides in his '31 Chevy, a neighbor once experienced its power, witnessing the front wheels lift off the ground. Alyssa, reflecting on her father's diverse interests, remarked, "Anything with an engine captured his heart." Mark was also an avid pilot, owning single-engine planes, including a Cessna. Alyssa reminisced about his engineering mindset and his meticulous planning, even recalling a trip he planned to the Bermuda Triangle, just for the experience.
Heads turned as the LS-350 V8 of the Chevy rumbled through zig-zagging avenues, making our way to a very sentimental airport, formerly known as Kupper Airport, home to where Mark kept his Cessna. The sun gradually warmed the cold air, leaving only the LS engine's chugging straight-pipe thump as we positioned the car for optimal sun angles.
The Cessna and the '31 Chevy, though from different eras, shared a spirit—perhaps in their simple hull cockpit design or the echoes of past legacy experiences. Money alone couldn't buy the knowledge needed for aviation training or the discipline required for restoring a hotrod with a lineage spanning over 70 years. This brisk morning at the airport was a reacquaintance with Mark's vehicles of passion and marked the dawn of a new era. Alyssa expressed her intent to keep the Chevy, contemplating changes to continue her father's dream while adding her personal touches in the years to come.
Photos/Written by: Chris Booth, EdgeOfAdhesion.xyz
