“We’re 99% sure it’s Tuxedo Black… and it’s not what your usual ‘Handyman’ looks like. He’s a little dressed up… lookin’ a little flash, like he’s wearing his best outfit… his tuxedo,” says Andrea Dyer of her and husband Kevin’s 1956 Chev Handyman.

Being a two-door wagon and the 150 spec makes TUXEDO a rare sight on these shores; and being a Chev rather than a Ford makes it a rare sight in the Dyer’s Hamilton garage. The story of how this match made in heaven came to be is a good one, and although the car was originally imported to be sold on, it’s not going to be leaving the family any time soon.

While Andrea grew up in a car-loving family, it wasn’t till ‘the inlaws’ (Gary and Elaine Pulley) came to stay for a week or two in 2003 that Kevin soon caught the bug.

Gary was importing a Mustang and while waiting for it to arrive must have put the idea of doing something similar into Kevin’s head, as it wasn’t long before he was convincing Andrea that the boat they hardly used could be turned into a smaller boat and a Mustang also. Soon after this a 1969 Muzy was purchased from Christchurch, which arrived just before Gary’s ’65 notchback landed from the States. (more…)