These are only two of the cars in Faron’s collection.

When you talk to any car guy, it’s soon evident that there was one experience that was the catalyst for their personal obsession with the car hobby. For many Chevy enthusiasts, it was a ride in a certain family member’s car. For others, it was first time they saw a certain car on a car lot. Many times, this second scenario occured while in the passenger’s or rear seat of the aforementioned family member’s car. Finally, some start really early, and begin their obsession by picking out a multitude of cars at the local department store. Those 1/64-scale hot rods have started many car guys on the path to having empty pockets, and really cool rides. Faron Scherer of Beulah, North Dakota, says, “I’ve been restoring cars ever since I had Matchbox cars, then I moved on to models, and now real cars. I started doing body work on cars for other people for no money, I just wanted to learn.”

Although Faron makes his living as a heavy-equipment mechanic, his hobby is a little easier to drive around town. He tells us that he has owned several cars that — like many people — he wishes he still owned. But, unlike many people, he does still have his first car, which is a blue ’73 Z28 Camaro. Faron says, “This car has 80,000 miles on it, and I have owned it since 1980.”  Residing under the hood is the original LT1 350 cubic-inch small-block, and inside that engine are the original pistons and rings, connecting rods, and crankshaft. The only thing that he did change was the carburetor and camshaft.

Big-block power and hide-away headlights, what more could you ask for?

Although the car’s original color was Pewter, the blue was added years ago. But, Faron has plans to restore the car and cover the sheetmetal in the factory hue with the requisite black stripes. Since he retained everything that is original to the car, the restoration should be a relatively-simple undertaking.

Next up is his ’68 RS/SS Camaro with a big-block under the hood. “I have owned this car since 1991,” Says Faron. Apparently, the car sat in storage for 28 years before he did a complete, rotisserie restoration in 2012. Faron continued, “This car is very loaded, and has 396 cubic-inch big-block with a 400 automatic transmission, front disc-brakes, 3.43-geared 12-bolt posi, deluxe interior, tilt steering wheel, and it had factory air-conditioning that the previous owner discarded.”  

He says that the car was one of the nicest cars that he ever started a restoration, with virtually no rust anywhere. The interior is still all original, with the exception of the driver’s seat skin, carpet, and headliner. Faron tells us that he and his wife have actually owned a ’68 Camaro since they were married in 1985, this is the third ’68.

Faron is proud to say that he has owned his ’66 Impala Super Sport since 1993, and like his other cars, he handled the restoration himself. The car is powered by a mildly-built 350 cubic-inch engine with a 700R4 automatic transmission bolted to it. The interior has been restored with the correct two-tone green interior. He did however lower the car slightly, just to give it a more aggressive stance, and he rebuilt the factory disc brakes on the front.

The latest in this line of restorations is his ’63 Impala convertible. He says, “I have owned this car for more than 20 years, and I have only been working on it for a couple of years now.” According to Faron, the plans for this car include a return to its triple black coloring, and the addition of an LS engine with a 4L60E automatic transmission. As you have probably guessed the ’63 will be more of a restomod, not a restoration, and will also include four-wheel disc brakes, aftermarket air-conditioning, and anything else that makes this car drive and ride like a late-model classic. In Faron’s words, “I’m in no hurry to get this done, it’s how good it turns out, and not how fast it gets done.”

Do you own a Home-Built Hero? We want to hear about it. Since we’ve started the Home-Built Heros series, we have received more than a few candidates, but we still need more. If you want to see more cars built by you the readers, send us a few pictures of your car with all of the pertinent information, and we’ll make you Internet famous. You can send your submissions to [email protected].