Neil Ellett loves Chryslers.
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His first car was a 1962 Chrysler Royal and he even worked at a Chrysler dealership.
These days he is the vice-president of the Central Victorian Chrysler Club and is preparing for the 15th Annual Midstate Mopars Show and Shine being held this Queen's Birthday long weekend.
Mr Ellett's rare 1964 Plymouth Valiant Signet convertible will be part of the show.
He bought it as an "absolute wreck" in 2012 from a private owner in Kyneton and it took him three years to restore it to its rightful glory.
"He (the owner) brought it up on a trailer to our meeting, selling its as a restorer," Mr Ellett said.
"I knew the car. I had seen it at his place. It was sitting under a tarp under a tree.
"When I heard he was selling it, I rang him up straight away and said I'll have it."
Mr Ellett stripped the car back to the bare metal and sourced the parts, even from as far away as the United States, to rebuild the vehicle.
"There was no engine in it," he said. "I put in a six-cylinder engine which is original to the car and upgraded the brakes on it."
The car still had the complete original chrome and it features an automatic push button transmission.
The Signet was a popular vehicle in the United States in its day but rarely seen in Australia.
Mr Ellett said the Kyneton owner had bought the car off an importer in Adelaide in the mid 1980s when it first arrived in Australia from the United States.
The car had 36,000 miles on the clock when Mr Ellett purchased it but it is now up to 49,000 miles.
"I love it," Mr Ellett said of the car.
"The fact that it's a convertible. It's a rare car out here.
Mr Ellett drives it all the time with the top down and has taken it on trips to Albury, Adelaide, Melbourne, Kerang, winning trophies at various car shows along the way.
He kept the restoration close to original as possible, enforcing his love of the Chrysler brand.
"They're just a great car," he said. "You can't kill them.
"I've always had one. I've had lots of other cars but I love the Chrysler."
About 400 Chrysler models are expected to be in Bendigo this weekend for the MidState Mopars.
The two-day event begins on Saturday, June 11 with a 'super cruise' from Lake Weeroona at 1pm to Heathcote for that town's 'Heathcote on Show' event.
Sunday, June 12 is the show and shine event with the cars lined up on display around the Bendigo Town Hall precinct from 8am to 2pm.
In a coup for organisers, Cameron Tilley from the Cameron Tilley Racing Team will bring his race-winning Valiant Pacer from Sydney for the show and shine.
It is the first time the car will have been on display at a show and shine event.
Central Victorian Chrysler Club is organising the event with money raised being donated to local charities.
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