I am running around the recent Cars and Clippers fundraising show benefiting St. Baldrick’s Foundation. There was an easy 100+ beautiful cars as you expect with a show hosted by the Sultans CC of Long Beach. This certain 1970 El Camino caught my eye. The color. Have you ever seen a color and immediately had a nugget go off in your head reminding you of something from the past? I do. I did. I can’t quite figure it out, but as my noodles were swirling around up there I met Rick Puent.
Rick told me quite the story of this car. This one car. The one car that I stopped and asked the owner about. Hear Rick as he tells the story as we sit in the car to get away from the announcements on stage.
Rick’s wife Sharon and her Jordan High School friend Debbie Viviano used to go out to the Colorado River, up to Mammoth Mountain, and over to the Beach, a pair in a group of friends that took in all the good times of California in the 1970’s. Well apparently Debbie partied a bit too much and dad took her ’70 El Camino away from her. No he didn’t sell it. Instead, he just kept it. Right there at home.
The girls remained friends for decades and then Debbie caught the big C. Rick and the girls loved talking about the old car, and Rick offered to buy it if her dad was to sell it. Debbie gave her dad Charlie, the nod to sell it to Rick. Not long after she passed, Charlie told Rick that it was at a shop getting some carburetor work to it. Take care of the bill and the car is yours. Only a few months later Charlie passed away as well.
Rick took the car over to DP Classics in Fountain Valley to have a complete frame-off restoration with a bit more sporty styling as you can see. Today Rick and Sharon enjoy the car and the memories that Sharon holds of her dear friends.
