American automotive history

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception 

Car collectors dream of finding a forgotten “new” classic car, in a barn  or warehouse, covered in dust. This is that dream, only 500 times better….

A small-town Midwestern dealership in Pierce, Nebraska sold Chevrolets to local families and first-time buyers for 50 years until the husband and wife team closed their doors 17 years ago. Since then, a staggering inventory of 500 surviving cars, new & used, have been stored away, undriven for decades. Some 50 cars “brand new” Chevrolets from the 1950s and 60s have less than 10 miles on the odometer.

Ray and Mildred Lambrecht, now in their 90s, have made what is described by their daughter Jeannie, as a “a difficult and painful” decision, to liquidate the dealership’s massive inventory of ‘survivor vehicles’. On September 28th and 29th, 2013, VanDerBrink Auctions will have the honor of selling this incredible, once in a lifetime collection of American automotive history.

Up for sale? A seemingly endless list of 1950′s, 60′s Impalas, TRi-Fives, Chevelles, including a  1956 Chevrolet Cameo Pickup and a 1963 Impala with less than 10 miles on the clock.

Lambrecht Chevrolet Company opened in 1946, at a time when cars sold for around $600 to $800. It was owned and operated by Ray and Mildred Lambrecht with one employee, a mechanic. “My parents worked six days a week for 50 years, never taking one single day of vacation or one sick day,” remembers their daughter Jeannie. “They worked hard and operated their business with honesty, integrity, and kindness, frequently lending a helping hand to others who were in need …This was a small ‘mom and pop’ operation, and it stayed that way throughout the decades in business.”

While all the new, unsold stock were stored away in the warehouses, many of the dealership’s trade-ins were parked on the family farm outside of town which gradually grew into a massive collection. “There is a lot of history in that collection,” explains Jeannie, who says her love of Chevrolets is in her DNA . “Dad can look at any of those vehicles today and tell you the story behind it. He remembers each used car and the former owner, like the 1928 Durant owned by Mom’s uncle Louie.”

“Unlike today, one special day in September of each year was the first opportunity for anyone to view the new car models for that year. New cars would be delivered in advance and then hidden away so that nobody could see them before Announcement Day. Early that morning, Dad would move one shiny new Chevrolet into the showroom. There would be balloons and banners, coffee and donuts, souvenirs, and lots of built-up excitement. Everyone in town would come to see the new car and truck models.”

“When attending gatherings of friends and family, Dad would often turn to me and loudly ask the question, ‘What is the finest car made?’ I would shout, ‘Chevrolet!!!!’, and it would bring down the house. I didn’t really know what was so funny, but I was happy to play my part.”

Find details of the auction on the VanDerBrink website. See a quick video tour of the cars going up for auction at the end of summer…