images courtesy V8 For Vocations

Car enthusiasts are made up of a diverse group. Some enjoy spending their days working on their cars to make them better, some enjoy taking long rides on weekends, and others enjoy both of those aspects of the hobby, and they enjoy helping others while they do it.

The Roman Catholic Diocese in Gallup, New Mexico, has a vocations director that has a long history growing up around cars. According to Father Keller, “I’ve always loved cars, and my first car was a ’64 Malibu SS. My dad taught me a lot – most of what I know mechanically – and I was in vocational school in high school, so we fixed up the Malibu and about a half dozen other cars. I sold my car when I went to college, and it was the worst decision I ever made.”

The volunteers made a body-supporting jig to make working on the floors much easier.

Father Keller never lost his passion for cars, and when one of his parishioners suggested he restore another car, he thought it sounded like a good idea.  But, being the person that he is, he had an idea to make it a helping experience. He felt that with the help of friends, he could rebuild a classic, and then hold a raffle. The proceeds of the raffle could be used to send a young person to seminary school.

The Chevelle before the rebuilding process began.

His program is called V8s for Vocations, and was started in June, 2014 when a parishioner bought the Chevelle and donated it to the cause. “It was a daily driver, but a bit of a basket case,” Keller said. Since receiving the car, Keller’s team has spent every available minute working to rebuild the Chevelle.

According to Keller, “So many people have helped us with their time and expertise. Some men have walked into the garage in the back of the church who might not walk through the front doors. The car has given us a great opportunity to minister to them.” Keller estimates that 50 to 60 volunteers have helped with the Chevelle project, but there are 12 who have been fully committed to it.

The Chevelle is powered by a 454 cubic-inch big-block that now displaces 468 cubic-inches. Behind that is a Muncie M20 four-speed transmission, and a 12-bolt rearend stuffed with 3.73 gears. The frame and suspension have been powdercoated, and the car has new wiring, steering, and suspension components.

The winner of the car will be getting a rust-free beauty, thanks to the replacement of the front and rear inner fenders, floorpans, and quarter-panels. When finished, the car will be painted black with white stripes.

Raffle tickets are $25 each (available at v8forvocations), and as an added bonus, the winner will not be required to cover the taxes. “We’re paying those,” Keller said. “We want the winner to be able to drive the car away without worrying about that.”  He said the date of the drawing is significant, because it coincides with The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the day of diaconate ordinations, the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Gallup, and the 60th anniversary of its Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Keller admits that after nearly 1 1/2 years of hard work, it will be difficult to see the Chevelle go. “This is my midlife crisis,” he joked. “I thought working on cars was behind me, but God had other plans. It’s been a lot of fun, and it’s been a way to bring people together. I’m trying not to get attached to it – just finish the car, raffle it, and say goodbye.”

Images of the finished car were not available at the time of this writing, but you can follow the build by checking out their Facebook page. The winning ticket will be drawn on December 12, 2015, so hurry to get yours now.