THE car likely to arouse the most sentiment at next month's Chryslers on the Murray vehicle show won't be a shiny model.
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The once yellow VJ Valiant Regal hardtop, one of only 1067 made, belongs to Corryong resident Ron Barker.
It is being restored by Chrysler enthusiast Dave Cooper, who had the same model stolen from his Leeton home and torched beyond repair several years ago.
Mr Barker originally posted photographs of his burnt car on a VJ hardtop Facebook appreciation group to find a taker.
"I thought I haven't got the tools or the money to fix it and I offered it to them, rather than have it go to the crusher," Mr Barker said.
Spotting it, Mr Cooper reckoned the Valiant's body shape showed that it could be redeemed.
"When I first looked at the pictures I saw that the roof wasn't bowed, the car was still relatively complete, it hadn't stretched or anything like that and I thought that's nearly repairable, because it hasn't been that hot," Mr Cooper said.
The uninsured hardtop first belonged to Mr Barker's parents and had sat undriven for 12 years in the Tintaldra shed.
"I was going to put it on club rego and never quite got around to it," he said.
Realising what the Valiant meant to Mr Barker, Mr Cooper opted not buy it but restore it and return it free of charge.
"I've been in that situation to lose something like that, that you treasure and it's more than just a car," Mr Cooper said.
He has now offers from specialists to assist with the engine, transmission, paintwork and trimming.
However, to harness the face-to-face interest of Valiant lovers, the shell will be at Chryslers on the Murray on Wodonga's Gateway Island from March 13 to 15.
Then at the same event next year, Mr Cooper hopes to present the restored car to Mr Barker, who looks after fire-bombing helicopters.
"I was pretty depressed for the first six weeks about losing everything and having to clean up, so what Dave's doing does help," Mr Barker said.
"It restores your faith in mankind, it's a great thing.
"He's a good guy."
