"Carley Simon" is ready for her close-up.

By Robert Bullock as he interviewed David Anderson 

Imagine keeping your first car in your driveway or garage. Can you see it? My partner David Anderson's first car was a 1968 Chevrolet Malibu convertible, which he still owns. He acquired the car in 1983 in his early twenties. He nicknamed it "Carley Simon" after the American musician and singer-songwriter.  

The appearance of the car could be better with her age and use, showing minor wear. There is a crack down the front dashboard, the car's paint color is a weird off-white, and all the rubber on the vehicle is dried up, cracked, and petrified. The front bucket seats are lumpy and could use some smoothing for a more comfortable ride. The radio is missing, and the antenna fails to rise when the radio is turned on. The industry calls an unrestored car a "survivor," which is very popular with car enthusiasts and collectors.   

Recently, with the help of a well-respected car restorer located in Temecula, CA, "Carley Simon" has been in the process of getting a facelift for a little over a year. We encouraged the restorer to take his time to restore the car to almost brand new. The car is about ready except for the last remaining item — a new cloth convertible rooftop. Everything else is done.  

This restoration is not to the cost or extensiveness of a Pebble Beach Concourse de Elegance, but she looks beautiful in my eyes. The car looks almost brand new with a new interior and beautiful paint and bodywork. It's the best the car has looked and run in over 40 years.   

I look forward to attending local car shows to show off the restored car and highlight its uniqueness as a 1968-era Chevy Malibu convertible. In the forty-plus years of driving around the Los Angeles area, I have only seen three other 1968-era Chevy Malibu convertibles. I hope the car will be delivered to me completely finished this July. "Carley Simon" is ready for her close-up.