PAUL Ryan waited more than 44 years to become the proud owner of his 1963 Chrysler Crown Imperial.
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The former Perth banker has possessed the claret metallic car — 5.7 metres in length and weighing 2.3 tonnes — only since 2010.
It was worth the wait, he said.
“The lady who owned it used to come to the bank where I worked every week in it,” he said.
“I fell in love with the car and I eventually got to buy it.
“I loved it as a kid and spoke to the next bloke who owned it in the 1980s, but he wouldn’t put a price on it.
“But back then I had a house mortgage and wasn’t in a position to do something about it.”
Mr Ryan is a Veteran Car Club of Western Australia member with his car’s original owner being a Kuwait Emir, Sheik Abdullah Es Salem El Sabah.
Chryslers on the Murray, which attracted 6000 people and 610 entries to Gateway Lakes at the weekend, is the latest show Mr Ryan has attended in the eastern states since September last year.
His car, a special export model with only 531 produced, had only travelled 2000 kilometres before arriving in Western Australia in the mid-1960s.
It was painstakingly restored in 2000 with its features including electric windows and seats, central locking, automatic headlight dipping, electro-luminescent instrument lighting, power steering and brakes and air conditioning.
Mr Ryan uses the car twice a week and has done 3000 kilometres since leaving Perth including a cruise around the Albury-Wodonga area at the weekend.
It was among the top-10 American cars shown.
The top car at this year’s show was a 1970 Plymouth Cuda owned by Sergio Ciccotelli.
Canberra motoring buff Brett Goyne’s 1966 VC Valiant was among the top Australian cars on display.
Mr Goyne drove the car, which is still in its original condition, from the ACT for the show.
“The bloke who owned it drove it into town and I had one look inside and said I would buy it,” Mr Goyne said.
“It is hard to get a car like this so clean and so original.
“I drive it everywhere and it goes pretty well.”
The only changes he has made are some venetians, trims and a new set of wheels.
“My first car was a Valiant and the people here who like old Valiants like it,” he said.
“This was the biggest selling model other than the Charger, with something like 66,000 VC’s sold.”