This is a work of nonfiction, which is to say that I’ve made none of it up. Its characters are real people, identified by their real names—though in a few cases, I’ve dropped last names to preserve the privacy of minor characters who haven’t had contact with the story’s main players in many years. I’ve also left the doctors who treated Tommy Arney’s cancer unnamed, in the interest of keeping an already large cast at least a little easier for the reader to manage.
Whenever possible, I’ve sought out multiple sources for the story’s various turns. I witnessed most of the scenes and conversations related here, and have based my description of those events on copious notes that as a rule I typed into my computer very soon after. In these cases, I have used quote marks around the speech of the participants, which signals my confidence that I’ve captured verbatim what was said. I have also placed quote marks around speech in a few scenes that I did not personally witness, but reconstructed with the help of multiple participants, and about which the participants agree. Further, if quoted speech is included in a larger quote—if, for instance, I quote a character recalling a conversation—I’ve punctuated the interior quote for clarity’s sake.
In some instances, I have recounted speech without the use of quote marks. You should interpret these passages as reflecting the gist of what was said, rather than the exact phrasing. In some cases, I’ve chosen this device simply to compress a long and complex exchange into its essence; in others, I’ve done so because the participants did not remember their exact wording, but did remember the overall content and character of what was said; in a few spots, I’ve done so because corroboration was impossible, and I’ve thus relied on a single source—more often than not, Tommy Arney. In the last case, I’ve noted in the text that a scene is “as Arney recalls it,” or “as Arney tells it,” or something similar.
The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific entry, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.
PART I: DRIVES LIKE A DREAM
5 This particular afternoon: I witnessed the visit of Currituck County planners Ben Woody and Brad Schuler to Moyock Muscle on Friday, September 24, 2010.
12 Tommy Arney and I: My 1993 conversation with Arney is quoted in “The Abdominal Showman: How Tommy Arney Turned Booze and Belly Buttons into a Constitution Issue—and Won,” (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot, January 20, 1994.
15 So it defied long odds: I witnessed and photographed this scene on July 2, 2010.
17 Tommy Arney knows the inventory: I heard Arney mention the tinted windows at Moyock on June 25, 2012. I was with him when he discovered the Firebird thievery on September 8, 2011.
17 And such is the power: I was present for this scene on Monday, August 16, 2010.
18 His head is filled with such trivia: I conducted the inventory on August 26, 2011.
20 The V indicates: My description of the Chevy’s assembly is based on phone interviews with former GM workers Bill Bethke, Leo Heid, Henry Marshall, Tom McDonnough, and Skip Shiflett in May 2012. The Baltimore plant’s size and output is from “G.M. Impact on City Told,” (Baltimore) Sun, November 24, 1954.
21 At the plant’s “body drop”: The approximate date of the Chevy’s birth is based on Baltimore plant records; the wagon was the 6,235th car built there in July 1957, among a total of 14,450—meaning that it likely rolled out of the plant late in the month’s second week.
21 His mother’s people: Tommy Arney’s family history is based on numerous interviews with Arney and a January 13, 2013, interview with his cousin Billie Ruth Bryant and her husband, Steve.
33 Back to an earlier point: My description of Colonial Chevrolet is based on photographs in the collection of the Norfolk Public Library’s Sargeant Memorial Room, and on another loaned to me by former dealership head Josh Darden in 2004.
24 The wagon had not been on display: My descriptions of Nicholas Thornhill and his purchase is based on interviews with Bruce Thornhill Jr.; his mother, Ruby Thornhill; his aunt Polly Parker; and his sister, Janet, in November 2004.
26 Folks in rural Alabama: My passage on Durant’s role was informed by Eugene H. Weiss, Chrysler, Ford, Durant and Sloan: Founding Giants of the American Automotive Industry (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2003); Axel Madsen, The Deal Maker: How William C. Durant Made General Motors (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999); Arthur Pound, The Turning Wheel: The Story of General Motors Through Twenty-Five Years, 1908–1933 (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran, 1934); Robert F. Freeland, The Struggle for Control of the Modern Corporation: Organizational Change at General Motors, 1924–1970 (Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2001); and John Chamberlain, “The Rise of Detroit,” Fortune, March 1962.
26 His replacement was a man: My section on Sloan relied on Weiss, Chrysler, Ford, Durant and Sloan; Pound, The Turning Wheel; Freeland, The Struggle for Control of the Modern Corporation; Peter Marsh and Peter Collett, Driving Passion (Winchester, MA: Faber & Faber, 1986); Alfred D. Chandler Jr., ed., Giant Enterprise: Ford, General Motors, and the Automobile Industry (New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1964); David Gartman, “Harley Earl and the Art and Color Section: The Birth of Styling at General Motors,” Design Issues 10, no. 2 (Summer 1994); and Michael Lamm, “The Beginning of Modern Auto Design,” Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts 15 (Winter–Spring 1990).
28 Fifty-three years later: My tour of Arney’s childhood took place on October 23, 2010.
32 Arney trudges in a minute later: I witnessed the scene with the college boys on August 16, 2010. When I discussed this scene with Arney more than a year later, he insisted that the car in question was priced at $4,500, rather than $4,000. That may be—I never checked the windshield—but my notes leave no doubt that in discussing the car with the lads, Arney listed its price at four grand.
37 Likewise, it’s probably safe: Thornhill’s biography is based on interviews with his family—particularly his daughter, Polly, whom I interviewed on November 4, 2004.
39 Across the water: Reports of “dogs and sailors” signs have persisted not only in Norfolk but in other navy towns—i.e., San Diego; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Jacksonville, Florida—and aren’t restricted to the World War II years. To date, no legitimate example has turned up. See http://www.snopes.com/military/keepoff.asp.
41 Midwifed by the explosion: The Texaco ad appeared in Collier’s, September 14, 1956; that for Pendleton, in the same magazine’s November 9, 1956, edition; and the Gleem ad in Life, August 19, 1957.
41 No dummies, Chevrolet: The Chevy ad appeared in BusinessWeek, January 19, 1957.
43 See, for example: The “Road Race” episode is available in several parts on YouTube, the first at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=479bv1iseKg.
44 Real life was messy: I located the Star story on microfilm in the reference library of the Virginian-Pilot.
44 At thirty-five: The Thornhill children’s response to their mother’s death was described to me by the oldest child, Polly.
44 Seventeen years after: Thornhill’s marriage to Mary Drew Early, and their divorce, are described in court papers filed with the Portsmouth Circuit Court clerk’s office.
45 If the Thornhills fell short: Tommy Arney supplied this account of Fred Arney’s departure. His mother claimed to county officials that Fred Arney deserted her in a May 13, 1969, “Social Study” conducted by Edgecombe County officials, part of a dossier related to his childhood state custody that Arney obtained from North Carolina authorities in 2010.
45 The new man of the house: My descriptions of Strickland and Fern’s injury are from ibid.
45 Against this backdrop: Arney provided the descriptions of his own misbehavior and the family’s flight. The May 1969 Social Study suggests his older siblings may have chosen to stay in Norfolk.
46 Some of Tommy’s antics: Arney described his hatred for Strickland in a May 12, 2011, interview.
46 The five moved into: My description of the home is from the May 1969 Social Study.
48 The school expelled him: The cloakroom incident is detailed in Principal Pitt’s May 30, 1969, letter to Judge Tom H. Matthews, which was part of Arney’s state dossier. She makes her plea in the same document.
49 Witness a TV ad: The spot can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FES_cg6Zv5M.
49 The baby boom was on: The station wagon’s market share figures are from BusinessWeek, November 17, 1956. The Popular Science quotes here and in the next paragraph are from “The Big Boom in Detroit: 14 New Station Wagons,” February 1957.
50 The aim was to excite: Don Hammonds, “Style-Substance: Harley Earl’s Design Innovations Changed the Auto Industry,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 16, 2008.
51 His people knew to stay true: Francis Bello, “How Strong Is GM Research?” Fortune, June 1956.
51 He ascribed to a few more: “Another Kind of Transport: The Car as Art,” Economist, Dec. 23, 1995.
52 And there was Earl’s: Harley J. Earl as told to Arthur W. Baum, “I Dream Automobiles,” Saturday Evening Post, August 7, 1954.
52 By the mid-fifties: My account of Earl’s personal style was informed by Gartman, “Harley Earl and the Art and Color Section”; William Diem, “GM’s Harley Earl ‘Invented’ Auto Design,” Automotive News, June 26, 1996; Michael Lamm, “The Earl of Detroit,” Invention & Technology, Fall 1998; and Stephen Bayley, Harley Earl and the Dream Machine (New York: Knopf, 1983).
Incidentally, not all of the workers Earl fired came back. The styling departments of other automakers filled with refugees from GM. Gordon Buehrig, who won fame designing the uniquely elegant Cords of the thirties, worked for Earl beforehand, as did John Tjaarda, who designed Lincolns and Packards, and Frank Hershey, who crafted the ’55 Ford Thunderbird. Virgil Exner, the chief of design at Chrysler in the fifties, became a worthy rival to his old boss. Richard Teague, another alum, headed Packard’s styling and eventually became a top executive at American Motors.
53 The strategy dovetailed: The ’57 Chevy owner’s manual is reproduced at http://oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/Chevy/1957/index.htm.
56 In North Carolina, Edgecombe County officials: The passages describing Arney’s feelings about Strickland, and his family’s about him, are based on numerous interviews with Arney and the May 1969 Social Study.
57 At first, his behavior was angelic: The December 15, 1969, Social Diagnosis is included in Arney’s state dossier. Quotes in the following paragraph are from ibid.
58 With that, doctors prescribed: The psychiatrist’s errant diagnosis and the “wrong and harsh” remark are from an August 1971 “Social Work Study” prepared by North Carolina officials and included in Arney’s state dossier.
58 In his first six months: Ibid.
58 Indeed, a November 1970 evaluation: The handwritten assessment by a “Mr. Myers” is included in the dossier.
59 “He worked quickly and carelessly”: The quotes here and in the succeeding paragraph are from a psychological report prepared on February 9, 1971, and included in Arney’s dossier.
59 That August, a break came: Arney’s adjustment issues are described in a February 17, 1972, “Summary Dictation” prepared by Kennedy Home officials and included in his dossier.
60 About a month in: Arney described his flight and return to Norfolk in a March 18, 2010, interview. Official accounts in his dossier indicate he ran on September 26, 1971.
62 Thirty-nine years after: Arney shared his Sunoco and Coach House experiences in our October 23, 2010, tour of his old neighborhood.
62 Eventually, the cops caught: Fern Strickland’s handwritten letter, dated October 21, 1971, is part of Arney’s dossier. A May 10, 1972, memo prepared by a Kennedy Home social worker indicates that Arney “disappeared and was not located until Mr. Roger Williams, Superintendent of Kennedy Home, received a letter from Mrs. Fern Strickland. . . .”
63 Brokering the arrangement: My description of Arney’s stint with O’Neil is based on my March 18, 2010, interview with Arney and an April 17, 2013, interview with Bill Taliaferro.
64 When, outside a sub shop: Arney interview of April 1, 2011.
65 Another example: Arney interview of October 23, 2010.
66 Pity, even, the biker: Arney told me the soup can story on September 8, 2011.
67 He was breaking the law: Arney interview of March 18, 2010.
70 Sid Pollard was one of those kids: My description of Sid Pollard’s childhood and his purchase and restoration of the wagon is based on my interviews with him on October 20 and 27, 2004, and December 10, 2012.
70 The ’57 Chevy inherited some: My passages on the development of the ’55 Chevy’s body and the grilles of subsequent model years were informed by Pat Chappell, The Hot One: Chevrolet, 1955–1957 (Contoocook, NH: Dragonwyck, 1977); and Michael Lamm, Chevrolet 1955: Creating the Original (Stockton, CA: Lamm-Morada, 1991).
73 By August 1954: Earl and Baum, “I Dream Automobiles.”
75 Over at GM, meanwhile: Ibid. On fins, see also Grady Gammage Jr. and Stephen L. Jones, “Orgasm in Chrome: The Rise and Fall of the Automobile Tailfin,” Journal of Popular Culture 8, no. 1 (Summer 1974).
82 Like Nicholas Thornhill: Pollard interviews of October 20 and 27, 2004, and December 10, 2012.
83 And because it’s trusted: I had my visit with the Nova on November 23, 2011.
85 Seat belts were entirely absent: Ford’s safety campaign of 1956 is described in “When Wrecks Sell Cars,” BusinessWeek, December 10, 1955; and in “The Truth About Auto Seat Belts,” Changing Times, May 1957. GM’s position is described by Francis Bello in “How Strong is GM Research?”, Fortune, June 1956. For contemporary study of seat belts, see Charles A. Chayne, “Automotive Design Contributions to Highway Safety,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 320 (November 1958), and for a still-impressive primer on safety failures of the cars of the day, see Ralph Nader, Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile (New York: Grossman, 1972).
86 There’s no better demonstration: The IIHS video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joMK1WZjP7g.
88 Over in Norfolk: Arney described his entry into the junk business in several interviews, beginning with that of March 18, 2010.
88 He earned extra money: Arney described meeting his future wife in a June 1, 2011, interview. Krista augmented that account in a June 6, 2013, conversation.
89 Conduct yourself in such fashion: Arney described his conduct in fights in several interviews, including those of March 18 and October 23, 2010, and May 12, 2011.
90 He did not always leave the field: Arney interviews of May 12 and September 16, 2011.
90 On rare occasions he was defeated: Ibid.
91 He felt good for a little while: Ibid.
PART II—GOING DOWN SLOW
95 It looked like a winner: The advertisement I mention, along with other Alliance come-ons, can be savored at http://www.productioncars.com/vintage-ads.php/Renault/Alliance.
95 It covered thirty-seven miles: Ibid. The Motor Trend quote, from editor Tony Swan, was featured in Renault’s advertising.
96 Yet for all its attributes: Car and Driver admitted its mistake in a January 2009 feature, “Dishonorable Mention: The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History,” available at http://www.caranddriver.com/features/dishonorable-mention-the-10-most-embarrassing-award-winners-in-automotive-history. The story opens with the Alliance, which is saying something, seeing as how the list also includes the Vega and the 1974 Mustang II. “Here and now, in vivid HTML, Car and Driver formally apologizes for naming the Renault Alliance to the 1983 10Best Cars list,” the piece opens. “For the past 26 years, it’s been gnawing at our collective gut like a shame-induced ulcer. The car was trash. We should have known that back then, and it’s taken us too long to confess our grievous mistake. Let this frank admission be the start of our penance.”
97 As for Frank DeSimone: Interview with DeSimone of October 14, 2004.
98 The Savages lived in Suffolk: My description of Picot Savage’s upbringing and his life with Debbie is from my interviews with Savage of September 24, 2004, and July 15, 2013.
99 Picot Savage had seen: Ibid.
101 The Savages were unaware: For more on the history of Chevy’s small-block V8, see Chappell, The Hot One; Lamm, Chevrolet 1955; Gartman, “Harley Earl and the Art and Color Section”; J. P. Vettraino, “Block of Ages: Its Place in Automotive Lore Secure, the Chevy V8 Is Stronger than Ever,” Autoweek, May 1, 1995; and “Horsepower Nation: Chevrolet’s Small-Block V8 Celebrates Its 50th Birthday,” Autoweek, June 20, 2005.
101 GM officials woke up: For more on Ed Cole and his development of the Chevy small-block V8, see From vintage-metal.blogspot.com/2009/02/1955-chevrolet.html.
104 Still hauling junk: Arney described his transition into car repair and sales in a March 31, 2010, interview.
105 He found time for more violence: Arney described the attack on Mike in a March 27, 2012, interview.
106 Was it nature or nurture: Arney described the potato chip incident in our interview of May 12, 2011. I tried to ask the uncle about it, but on hearing Arney’s name he hung up on me twice on November 12, 2013, yelling both times: “He ain’t no kin to me!”
107 That was, it turns out: My interview with Billie Ruth took place during my visit to Lenoir on Sunday, January 13, 2013. I followed it up with a second conversation, by phone, on November 12, 2013. For all of her storied misbehavior, aunt Ruby’s criminal record in Caldwell County is short: The court clerk’s office turned up only a June 1981 arrest for “Drunk & disruptive,” and a July 1983 arrest for “Unsafe movement.”
107 Roughhousing wasn’t restricted: Arney described his first meeting with his father in our May 12, 2011, interview.
107 Given his kin’s fondness: Arney told me of his rumble with the marines in a May 30, 2012, interview.
108 He came close to shooting a man: Arney interview of May 12, 2011.
108 In 1985, Arney again expanded: Arney interviews of March 31, 2010, and June 1, 2012.
109 Part of the attraction was obvious: Arney interview of June 1, 2011.
109 So there was that: Arney interview of April 27, 2010.
109 Arney renamed the place: John “Skinhead” McQuillen described meeting Arney in a September 28, 2011, interview. Arney’s conversation with Mrs. McQuillen is from ibid. Arney described the meeting in our April 27, 2010, interview.
110 Often as not, the latter was the case: Arney interview of May 7, 2013.
111 He and Krista had been a couple: Ryan’s recollection is from an August 31, 2010, interview.
111 Finally, things between Arney and Krista: Arney interview of April 27, 2010.
112 Skinhead was on hand: John McQuillen interview of September 28, 2011.
114 Arney relates such stories: Arney interview of May 12, 2011.
114 Perhaps the most troubling facet: Ryan recalled spinning on the street sign in our August 31, 2010, interview.
116 Ricketts knew the Chevy was a dicey choice: Interview with Mary Ricketts on September 24, 2004. Also, interviews with her sister, Sandy Wood, on April 30, 2012; Julie Hill on April 23, 2012; Carrie Ziegfeld on May 1, 2012; Mary Jo “Joey” Rothgery on May 7, 2012; Marianne Holmes Vest on May 16, 2012; Charmaine Clair on May 24, 2012; Lona McKinley on June 25, 2012; and undated notes from a telephone interview with former Ricketts coworker Kenny Rowe.
116 A quick CV of the car’s new owner: Ricketts and Sandy Wood interviews.
117 Church camp each summer: Rothgery interview.
117 New best friend: Vest interview and numerous email exchanges in the weeks after.
117 In 1967, Mary’s father died: Wood, Vest, Rothgery, and Clair interviews.
117 In the spring of 1969: Wood, Vest, and Clair interviews.
118 That summer, Wic Clements: Clair interview.
118 Mary shared the impending birth: Rothgery interview. The letter, which Rothgery shared with me, was dated Friday, November 7, 1969. The bit about the baby’s name is from the Vest interview.
118 As planned, she put Britton: Clair interview; Facebook exchange with Martha Clements, January 13, 2013.
118 Fast-forward to an evening: Billy Ricketts shared his recollection of seeing Mary for the first time in a May 10, 2012, email.
119 The band played: Mary Ricketts interview; Billy Ricketts emails; telephone interview with Barry Scott, June 8, 2012.
119 Impressions of the maturing Mary: Wood, Vest, Clair, Hill, and Ziegfeld interviews.
119 She answered an ad: Notes from May 2012 telephone interview with Sandy Tickle, owner of the boutique; May 8, 2012, interview with Norman Goodwin, who operated a fine-fashion place next door. The photo is in the collection of Sandy Wood.
119 Next door to the boutique: Mary Ricketts and Wood interviews; Billy Ricketts emails.
119 Still working at the Sunflower: Wood and Ziegfeld interviews.
120 The first time Mary Ricketts’s friend: Ziegfeld, Hill, and Rowe interviews.
120 And who could be impetuous: Billy Ricketts emails; Ziegfeld and Hill interviews.
121 Ricketts rented a converted garage: Ziegfeld and McKinley interviews.
121 Ricketts adored it: Mary Ricketts, Ziegfeld, and Hill interviews.
122 Ricketts imagined the Chevy: Ziegfeld interview.
122 Decay wasn’t the only force: Mary Ricketts interview.
122 Then, round about 1992: Ibid.
123 Worse, her long relationship: Hill and McKinley interviews.
124 Unfortunately, there wasn’t much: Mary Ricketts and Wood interviews.
124 One day in April 1994: Mary Ricketts interview; 2004 telephone interview with Joe Scalco.
124 Ricketts went over for a look: Mary Ricketts and Scalco interviews; 2004 interviews with Alan Wilson and Al Seely.
125 Tommy Arney was doing well: Arney interview of March 31, 2010.
125 He was surrounded by more: Ibid., and Klemstine interview.
125 The money rolled in: Arney’s discovery of the lump, along with his subsequent doctor visits, operation, and the 7-Eleven incident, are drawn from the Arney interview of March 31, 2010.
128 The biopsy came back: The passage on Arney’s chemo treatment is ibid.
129 It was down on that tile: Arney interview of May 12, 2011.
130 The answer, as demonstrated: Arney described the pool table fracas in a March 6, 2013, interview; I also found references to the charges he faced after the fight in a May 2, 2005, Norfolk police record check, prepared as part of Arney’s application for his record expungement. Skinhead described the flip-flop episode in our September 29, 2011, interview.
130 Meanwhile, Arney came to feel: Arney interview of March 31, 2010.
130 In court on September 14: Arney related this story in a March 6, 2013, telephone interview.
131 One Saturday morning Arney telephones: I witnessed this scene on March 12, 2011.
136 And another development: Arney described his radiation treatment in our March 31, 2010, interview.
137 Sure enough, the cancer was gone: Arney interview of April 27, 2010.
137 He took time to reflect: Arney’s self-diagnosis is from our interview of April 27, 2010.
137 The evolution was bumpy: Klemstine and Hammond interviews.
138 More such evidence: Hammond interviews of May 11 and 31, 2012; Arney interview of May 31, 2012.
139 Four months past that Christmas: Interviews with Al Seely on November 4, 2004, and Alan Wilson on November 5, 2004.
140 That Wilson and Seely were so charmed: BusinessWeek’s forecast is from “What to Do Until Turbine Comes,” in its October 22, 1955, issue. Also worthwhile is “What Car Designers Are Planning,” in the magazine’s January 21, 1956, edition.
140 GM executive John DeLorean: J. Patrick Wright, On a Clear Day You Can See General Motors (Grosse Point, MI: Wright Enterprises, 1979).
143 Change was coming: For more on the Toyopet’s anemic beginnings in America, see Jerry Garrett, “Fifty, Finned and Fabulous,” New York Times, May 20, 2007; and Paul Ingrassia and Joseph B. White, Comeback: The Fall and Rise of the American Automobile Industry (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995).
144 A few years before: Paul Ingrassia, Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005). See also John F. Katz, “1957 VW Beetle Cabriolet: Twice a Savior,” Autoweek, September 30, 1996.
144 But the fattening American auto: Ingrassia, Engines of Change. See also “A Place for Small Foreign Cars,” BusinessWeek, January 26, 1957.
145 In most respects, the new owners: Wilson and Seely interviews.
150 Overworked and broke: Wilson interview.
152 Jack’s Classic occupied: I interviewed Jack Reed at his plumbing supply store on December 18, 2004.
152 The Chevy’s ninth owner had joined: I interviewed Jeff Simmons at his home in North Carolina in December 2004.
155 Here begins some very strange business: I interviewed Dave Simon in October 2004 and March 2011.
156 Such a fixation: James MacPherson, “In Midwest, a Model Farm Where Failed Fords Grow,” Los Angeles Times, November 13, 2005.
158 Chris Simon was undaunted: I interviewed Chris Simon on October 30, 2004.
160 He was an attentive parent: Ashlee Arney described her father’s parenting style in a June 6, 2013, interview. Ryan’s friction with his father is from our interviews of August 31 and September 8, 2010.
161 As he rebuilt his financial affairs: McQuillen interview of September 29, 2011; Arney interview of September 16, 2011.
162 Unfortunately, the church’s owner: Arney related the classroom tale in an April 27, 2010, interview. Ashlee Arney said in June 2013 that she did not recall the incident; and ABC documents supplied by the agency via email in November 2013.
162 He tried to keep the Body Shop: Taliaferro interview of April 17, 2013; phone interview with Victoria Hammond on October 24, 2013.
164 Arney’s actual numbers: I drew Arney’s crime stats from a July 14, 2005, packet of documents related to Arney’s successful application to expunge his record, and a November 2012 presentence report prepared by Senior U.S. Probation Officer Jeffrey A. Noll as part of the government’s prosecution in the Bank of the Commonwealth affair.
166 That’s as far as consensus goes: Arney discussed the police dog incident with me on several occasions, including our interviews of March 31, 2010, and March 5, 2013.
166 Taliaferro verifies the story: Taliaferro interview of April 17, 2013.
167 Arney whipped up his hands: Arney described his courtroom comment—which he says occurred before Norfolk Circuit Court judge Lydia Taylor—in our March 5, 2013, interview.
167 Taliaferro seconds many aspects: Taliaferro interview of April 17, 2013.
167 He did “seem to remember”: I interviewed Peter G. Decker Jr. at his Norfolk office on November 17, 2011.
168 The cops I spoke with: Betty Whittington made her contribution through retired police lieutenant Harry Twiford, in a February 1, 2013, email. I interviewed Carmen Morganti by phone a few days later.
170 The work begins in earnest: I witnessed the project’s beginnings on March 5, 2011.
173 It was seven winters before: Dave Marcincuk described his first encounter with the Chevy in September 13, October 5, and October 25, 2004, interviews.
177 First thing, Marcincuk decided: Ibid.
181 Then again, if he believed: Arney’s comment is from a July 1, 2010, interview.
182 Speaking of Ryan: Ryan Arney described his wayward period in a September 23, 2010, interview.
183 Arney owned the house: The quote about the horses is from my May 18, 2012, visit to Moyock.
184 By necessity, Arney was stingy: McQuillen interview of September 29, 2011; Arney interview of July 1, 2010. See also Walt Potter, “Man, 21, Shot, Then Tossed from Bridge,” Virginian-Pilot, November 19, 1977, which was accompanied by the photo of Skinhead on the sidewalk; “Crime Taking No Holiday in Norfolk This Weekend,” (Norfolk) Ledger-Star, November 19, 1977; “4 Men Shot, Robbed Him, Victim Says,” Virginian-Pilot, November 20, 1977; Bill Burke, “Shooting Suspect Surrenders,” Ledger-Star, November 22, 1977; “2nd Norfolk Man Charged in Abduction and Shooting, Virginian-Pilot, November 30, 1977; “1 Defendant Pleads Guilty to 4 Charges in Shooting,” Virginian-Pilot, May 18, 1978; Mike Hardy, “Man, 21, Gets 51 Years in Abduction, Shooting,” Virginian-Pilot, July 15, 1978; and Clifford Hubbard, “Plea Bargain Draws 10 Years,” Virginian-Pilot, July 18, 1978.
187 Bootleggers, he called it: Arney’s quote is from our interview of September 8, 2010.
189 Last candidate: a 1970 Olds: My first visit with Dave Marcincuk took place on September 13, 2004. My notes from that visit include this passage: “On M’s front door, taped over the oval glass, pages from a Sept 15 1966 newspaper. Ad for Ajax laundry detergent shows line drawing of couple waving from a 67 Pontiac Bonneville convertible full of cash. ‘Name the White Knight’ contest. Veal Sale! Cutlets $1.09 lb. Shoulder roast 39¢ lb. Veal loin chop 99¢ lb. Scott toilet tissue 4 rolls 45¢ Bread 23¢ a loaf.”
190 I drove him to Big Al’s Mufflers: The car is described in great detail in my notes of September 13, 2004, and augmented by my October 5, 2004, interview with Marcincuk.
193 It takes faith to buy an old rust bucket: Much of the section that follows was informed by my October 25, 2004, interview with Marcincuk.
195 Frank DeSimone had been busted: Shirley Bolinaga, “Man Pleads Guilty to 5 Counts of Selling Cocaine,” Virginian-Pilot, December 14, 1989; James L. Pate, “The ‘War’ on Drugs Just Costly Words,” Portsmouth Currents, September 9, 1990; Picot Savage interviews of September 24, 2004, and July 15, 2013.
195 Mary Ricketts was still working: Mary Ricketts, Wood, and Hill interviews.
198 Marcincuk had sold Dowdy: Bobby Dowdy interview of May 13, 2010, and Dave Marcincuk interview of July 19, 2013.
199 He’d built his sales pitch: Arney provided this account.
199 Route 168 narrowed: My visit to Moyock occurred on January 29, 2010.
PART III—OUT WITH THE OLD
205 The spring of 2010, a few months: I was present in Norfolk Circuit Court on February 18, 2010, when Arney lost his case against ODU. Afterward, as we stood in the hall, Arney delivered an angry soliloquy. “Lawyers like that, they should be executed,” he said. “I told [one of the opposition’s lawyers] that—I said it right in that courtroom, in front of the bailiff.
“I can’t stand that behind-your-back sneakiness, because I’m a man. If I don’t like you, I’ll walk right up to you and tell you, and if you don’t like it—well, in my younger days, I’d punch you. Now that I’m older, I’ve come to see there are better ways, maybe, to do things.” Emphasis his.
206 At roughly the same time: My description of Arney’s appearance before the Planning Commission is from a city transcript of the panel’s April 8, 2010, meeting, which I obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
207 The Planning Commission disagreed: Harry Minium, “Western Bar Sign No Longer a Bootleg . . . It’s Legit,” Virginian-Pilot, July 26, 2010.
207 Another man might have been: Arney interview of February 10, 2011.
208 Arney’s appearance before: I witnessed Arney’s City Council appearance on October 26, 2010. See also Harry Minium, “Owner Takes Verbal Shots at City’s Bar Task Force,” Virginian-Pilot, October 28, 2010.
209 Arney might have been able: The Bank of the Commonwealth’s faltering health, and the role that loans to Arney contributed to it, are detailed in the government’s “Statement of Facts” accompanying his indictment and in his plea agreement of August 24, 2013. See also the coverage of the bank’s failure by the Virginian-Pilot’s Tom Shean, including these stories: “As Losses Mount, Commonwealth Bankshares’ Future in Doubt,” April 2, 2011; “Feds Investigate Bank, Officials,” April 16, 2011; “Inquiry Hurts Bank’s Effort to Raise Cash,” April 19, 2011; “Community Banks Feel Pressure to Raise Capital,” April 24, 2011; “Commonwealth, Amid Asset Troubles, Postpones Meeting,” May 24, 2011; “Fed Gives Bank of Commonwealth 30 Days to Bolster Finances, or Sell,” July 8, 2011; “Commonwealth Bankshares Posts $26.22M Quarterly Loss,” August 16, 2011; “Commonwealth Bankshares’ Stock Price Slides 45 Percent,” August 17, 2011; “Va. Seizes Bank,” September 24, 2011; and “Failed Local Bank’s New Owner Fields Queries on the Future,” September 27, 2011.
210 Through Fields he’d come: The quote about Woodard is from my interview with Arney of April 1, 2011.
211 In the midst of his sharpening panic: Arney interview of July 1, 2010.
211 Arney appealed the decision: My description of the Board of Adjustment’s July 8, 2010, meeting is based on the minutes. See also Cindy Beamon, “Currituck, Classic Car Dealer Clash over Rules,” (Elizabeth City, NC) Daily Advance, July 12, 2010.
213 But with a lot of effort: I witnessed this scene on or about March 14, 2011.
215 The blasting commences: I was present during this scene on March 25, 2011.
217 He and Bobby Tippit roll: My account of the floor pan’s installation is drawn from notes of my Moyock visit of July 6, 2011.
220 If you were so inclined: My discussion of the issues associated with restoration was informed by Stephan Wilkinson and Philip Herrera, “Restoration Drama,” Town & Country, June 1999; Richard S. Chang, “The Motivation Is Perfection,” New York Times, February 7, 2010; Joseph Siano, “Is It Real or a Replica? The Factory Knows All,” New York Times, October 30, 2008; Donald Osborne, “The Art of the Restoration,” New York Times, August 17, 2008; “Clones, Tributes, Reproductions, Recreations, Fakes,” Collector Car & Truck Market Guide, September 2000; and Marjorie Keyishian, “Cars of Yesterday Purr like New,” New York Times, March 24, 1991.
221 Answering such questions: Telephone interview with Patrick Krook, president and CEO of Show Your Auto Inc., of Grayslake, Illinois, on February 22, 2013.
221 The second reason: Telephone interview with Richard Todd on February 23, 2013.
222 This was demonstrated: The Hemi ’Cuda saga was related, more or less, in Paul Sontrop, “Rags to Riches,” Mopar Action, October 2011; and by Krook in our interview of February 22, 2013.
224 Outside the automotive world: For more on Fallingwater’s salvation, see Patricia Lowry, “Restoration of Drooping Fallingwater Uncovers Flaws Amid Genius,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 8, 2001. To the list of examples I offer, I can add one more, which was hard to miss while I wrote this book at the University of Virginia: Thomas Jefferson’s Academical Village at UVa is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, yet its centerpiece—the Rotunda, Jefferson’s domed tribute to the Roman Pantheon—burned to the ground in 1895, and was rebuilt with an interior that veered substantially from the original. The changes were later undone, and Jefferson’s original vision reproduced—so that what we have now is a modern rehabilitation of a century-old reconstruction of a Jeffersonian reimagining.
225 As debates associated with restoration: My discussion in this and the following paragraph relies on Edward Ford, “The Theory and Practice of Impermanence,” Harvard Design Magazine 3 (Fall 1997); and Howard Mansfield, The Same Ax, Twice: Restoration and Renewal in a Throwaway Age (Lebanon, NH: University Press of New England, 2001).
226 But what of that Hemi ’Cuda: Krook interview.
227 A few days after the donor car’s: I witnessed this work on July 21, 2011.
229 The next day, having triumphed: I witnessed this work on July 22, 2011.
231 On a Sunday late in the month: I witnessed the several scenes that unfolded during the July 24, 2011, trip to Gloucester.
235 Over the next few days, Skinhead: The ’56 two-door wagon that gives up its tailgate is VIN B56T194191, a 210 six-cylinder built in Tarrytown, New York.
236 Late one breezeless and stifling summer night: This scene took place in Norfolk on June 1, 2011.
236 His relationship with the bank: Interview with Tommy Arney of May 31, 2011.
237 For the time being: I witnessed this scene on August 13, 2011.
239 Tippit has spent two hours: I witnessed this scene on August 14, 2011.
239 Over the next few days, Paul: I witnessed this work on August 17 and 26, 2011.
240 Late in August 2011: My account of post-storm Moyock Muscle is based on my visit of August 29, 2011.
240 But that changes: Chapman visited on September 8, 2011.
241 Ordered back to the wagon: I witnessed Paul’s mudding and sanding on my visits to Moyock of September 8, 16, and 21, 2011.
242 For the next ten days: The story I mention is “Car Dealer Faces $78K in Fines,” Daily Advance, September 13, 2011.
243 Over lunch, Arney assures me: I witnessed this exchange on September 16, 2011.
245 Painter Paul begins the process: I was present for this scene on October 28, 2011.
247 I find myself lying awake: The progress I note is drawn from notes of my visit to Moyock of October 31, 2011.
249 Grinding without goggles: Notes from my visit to Moyock of November 4, 2011.
250 Actually, I learn in speaking: Arney interview of November 9, 2011.
250 Besides, the original chassis: November 4, 2011 notes.
250 Arney is even more enthused: Ibid.
251 With the body coming along: Notes from my Moyock visit of October 31, 2011.
251 We suspend further discussion: November 4, 2011, notes.
253 Halfway through the second week: Notes from my Moyock visit of November 9,2011.
254 Arney had to get busy: I was present during Arney’s meeting with Ben Woody on October 27, 2011.
255 Currituck County surprises him: I attended the Technical Review Committee meeting at the county courthouse on December 21, 2011.
256 At the rear of the property: Notes from my Moyock visit of November 10, 2011.
256 “It’ll be a long, long time”: I witnessed this scene on November 9, 2011.
257 In mid-November 2011: Notes from my Moyock visit of November 17, 2011.
258 He has a propane heater: Ibid., and notes from my visit of November 22, 2011.
258 So he cuts away a rusted flange: Notes from my Moyock visit of November 23, 2011.
259 On a late November Saturday: Notes from my Moyock visit of November 28, 2011.
260 The Dodge is still there: Kitchens interview of December 5, 2011.
260 That evening, I find Arney: I witnessed this scene on November 28, 2011.
261 But the next morning: Kitchens told me he’d been fired on Friday, December 16, 2011. I brought up the firing with Arney several times over the next month, expressing my own view that Painter Paul was a dedicated worker.
PART IV—PEDAL TO THE METAL
265 So Arney has his surveyor: I attended the meeting between Arney and Woody on January 10, 2012.
266 The next day, Arney: Notes from my Moyock visit of June 26, 2012, during which I examined copies of Woody’s emails.
266 Comes now the day: I was present during Arney’s meeting with Woody on January 12, 2012, and the Board of Adjustment meeting that night.
267 In early February: Arney interview of February 8, 2012.
267 Once again, he finds his time: Arney began work on the building in January 2012. A city fire marshal, suspecting that work had been performed on the premises without a permit, informed Arney on February 16 that he’d have to submit to an inspection of the building’s interior. Arney went “berserk,” Deputy City Attorney Cynthia Hall told me in an August 26, 2013, interview, and in angry exchanges with city officials revealed to them that he was renting to the Hells Angels. The city responded by informing Arney that the building was zoned for retail, not as a “place of assembly.” He’d thus have to declare the intended use of the property before any permits would be issued. Arney responded with a March 6 affidavit, which he signed with the local Hells Angel leader, attesting that the “downstairs space will be used for internet/online retail sales of clothing and accessories.” That failed to convince City Hall—and the same went for a floor plan of the space on which a massive bar was labeled an “employee lunch counter.” The building was placarded by the city on March 14, “due to current condition deemed a hazard to firefighters and occupants.” Hall took command of the city’s dealings with Arney the next day.
269 Which might be reasonable advice: Hall letter to Bill Taliaferro of March 22, 2012. Hall supplied me with a copy in August 2013.
270 A few days later his lawyers: I heard Arney’s end of the phone conversation during my Moyock visit of March 26, 2012.
270 The upshot is that days pass: The day’s events are recorded in my notes of March 26, 2012.
273 They select the first car: Notes from my visit to Moyock of March 27, 2012.
274 Skinhead uses a reciprocating saw: Notes from my Moyock visit of March 28, 2012.
276 Confirmation comes in another: Notes from my Moyock visit of March 29, 2012.
277 The Turbo 350, as motorheads call it: Ibid., and notes from my Moyock visit of June 9, 2012.
277 They roll the donor car’s: Notes from my Moyock visit of March 30, 2012.
278 One: Arney orders the parts: Notes from my Moyock visit of May 30, 2012.
278 Two: Whatever Paul did or didn’t do: I witnessed the El Camino owner’s fretting in Moyock on June 1, 2012.
278 Three: Money, already tight: I witnessed this conversation on May 30, 2012.
279 Arney isn’t inclined: I witnessed this exchange on May 18, 2012.
280 In late May, however: Arney interview of June 12, 2012.
280 Not long after, Skinhead finds: Skinhead was served on May 18, 2012. The following passage is from my interview with him of June 25, 2012.
281 We now return to the wagon: Notes from my visit to Moyock of June 1, 2012.
283 True to his word: This section is based on notes from my Moyock visit of June 9, 2012.
283 Early one morning: Arney, McQuillen, and Paul Kitchens interviews of June 25, 2012. Arney shared a copy of O’Boyle’s letter, which was written on behalf of U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride and dated June 13.
284 Arney has no interest: Arney interview of June 25, 2012.
285 He’ll do nothing to help: Ibid.
285 Ibid.
285 He will offer variations: Ibid.
286 Now dust devils whirl: Ibid.
286 The morning after this conversation: Interview with John McQuillen of June 26, 2012.
288 Then, early on Thursday: Interview with John McQuillen of July 13, 2012.
288 Arney’s part in the scheme: Indictment and “Statement of Facts” filed with Arney’s plea agreement on August 24, 2012. See also Tim McGlone, “Six More Charged with Bank Fraud,” Virginian-Pilot, July 13, 2012; and McGlone, “Ed Woodard Jr.: The Man Behind the Bank,” Virginian-Pilot, July 15, 2012.
289 While the lawmen host: McQuillen interview of July 13, 2012.
290 That afternoon, Arney: I was present during the court proceedings of July 12, 2012.
290 Arney leaves the courthouse: My interview with Tommy Arney of August 4, 2012.
290 And truly, the day is not: Arney interview of July 13, 2012.
291 Though it hasn’t been easy: Notes from my visit to Moyock of July 16, 2013.
291 Arney reports as he eats: The following passage is drawn from notes from my visit to Moyock of July 17, 2013.
293 In court the next morning: I witnessed both the courtroom drama and Brad Schuler’s visit to Moyock of July 18, 2012. See also Tim McGlone, “Ex-President, Five Others Plead Not Guilty in Bank-Fraud Case,” Virginian-Pilot, July 19, 2012.
294 Most of Arney’s waking hours: Notes from my visits to Moyock of July 25 and 26, 2012.
295 And as if his finances: Notes from my visit to Moyock of August 6, 2012.
295 He can’t afford not: Arney interview of August 4, 2012.
296 Over the same period: Arney interview of August 4, 2012.
296 He also seems to develop: Notes from my visit to Moyock of August 15, 2012.
296 By late August: Ibid.
297 One more thing: Ibid.
299 On Friday, August 25: I was present in court for the session. Arney provided an account of how and why he decided to plead in several interviews.
300 His fate is now assured: Arney told me of his color selection in a September 26, 2012, phone interview.
300 I see it myself a few days later: I witnessed the events of September 29, 2012, in Moyock.
301 That Arney’s rage: Interview with Arney on February 2, 2013.
304 The properties he stubbornly: The quote is from a phone interview with Arney on March 6, 2013.
305 He orders parts for the Chevy: I witnessed the events of February 9, 2013, in Moyock.
308 If there’s a happy sidebar: I witnessed this exchange on February 2, 2013.
310 So things seem back: I received the text on March 9, 2013.
310 Slick’s party proves: Notes from the birthday party of March 12, 2013, at Havana.
311 We’ll not get bogged down: I was present in the courtroom for Arney’s testimony on March 26, 2013.
312 Later, in a long, late-night: The phone conversation occurred on May 7, 2013.
313 I certainly wondered: Krista showed me into Arney’s home office on February 10, 2013.
316 Arney and Skinhead arrive: I witnessed the events of May 11, 2013.
320 An hour before dawn: I witnessed the events of June 28, 2013.
324 Arney has told me: The quote is from my interview with Arney of May 7, 2013.
325 His arrival at Norfolk’s: I witnessed Arney’s sentencing on July 22, 2013.
326 Martin notes that the court: Arney supplied me with Ryan’s letter, from which I quoted more than Martin did.
328 “There, on the truck”: The reunion took place on Saturday, July 27, 2013. The telephone conversation I mention occurred on July 18, 2013.
330 I stroll among the guests: Interview with Alan Wilson in June 2013.
330 I also knew not to expect: Interview with Mary Ricketts, February 14, 2005.
331 Most recently, I called her: Wood and Hill interviews. Ricketts died May 22, 2011. Her obituary appeared in the Virginian-Pilot on June 8, 2011. The memorial I describe took place three days later.
331 I notice Dave Marcincuk: The quote is from my interview with Marcincuk of July 19, 2013.
333 Bill Taliaferro called him: Arney interview of July 23, 2013.
333 I’ve often seen the wagon’s: Telephone interview with Al Godsey on July 29, 2013.