BOISSEVAIN — One of his collector cars purrs like a kitten, his truck has four on the floor and the Olds rides like a big, beautiful boat.

Boissevain’s Bob Chambers loves them all, but there’s one in particular he cherishes the most.

Chambers is a self-professed Dodge man who has had more of them than people have fingers. Out front of his place is a 2012 model, and before that was an ’02, and earlier than that there was an ’86, he said as he listed the vehicles from his past.

“I get shunned in some places. People ask, ‘Why do you have a Dodge?’ And I reply good naturedly, ‘Why do you have a Chevy?’” Chambers said.

“Dodge wasn’t considered a top-of-the-line car or vehicle until around the late ’90s. And now they’re one of the biggest trucks sold because of the Hemi engines in them. So, yeah, I’m a Dodge man and I can’t change it. I’m too old to change anyhow,” the 70-year-old said as he laughed.

His 1985 Dodge Ram with four-speed standard transmission is just out of the paint shop with a new white coat, with the recognizable hood ornament of the ram’s head with curving horns.

Historically speaking, that model year was given a facelift after businessman Lee Iacocca took charge of Chrysler in 1978. One of the many changes he made included adding the Dodge Ram name to the tailgate.

“I had three of these in the ’80s, and I like this one because it has four on the floor and even though it’s a six-cylinder, it sails pretty good,” Chambers said.

“It just floats” is how he described another one of his prized possessions, a 1978 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency Coupe with the original pastel blue paint, plush velour interior, and mock wood on the dashboard and trim of the steering wheel.

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It’s American made, in Lansing, Mich., and the odometer showed 48,000 original miles. It’s fully loaded with air conditioning, tilt steering, cruise control, an 8-track tape stereo system and power windows.

At 45 years old, the car is not vintage — but according to Chambers, it is a rescue.

“I bought it from my brother-in-law, who purchased it from the original owner, and then he just parked in his quonset for 10 years. He didn’t want to sell it and have it go to the demolition derby circles, because a big heavy car like this, made of metal can take a lot of hitting.”

After they stripped the battery and filled the car with gas, it fired up immediately, and has only required a new fuel pump and a few other minor adjustments, which makes it Chambers’ daily drive.

“It sure does float, and the mileage is incredible. I can go to Brandon three times on a tank, but let me tell you — to fill it up, it’s $200. It’s got a big tank and a big trunk.”

But the car that is his most beloved is a “pretty little classic Dodge” from the ’50s.

It’s a 1956 Regent four-door sedan with fins on the rear fenders, PowerFlite two-speed automatic transmission with an iridescent royal blue coat, built in Windsor, Ont.

“I fell in love with it because it was out the same year as my wife was born. So I bought it in memory of her,” Chambers said.

Chambers lost his wife Karen Lynn to cancer in 2019, after 46 years of marriage. They had just started to enjoy camping and fishing trips during their retirement when she got sick.

“After she passed away, I needed something to do because camping and fishing was not going to do it anymore. That’s something that we did together, and we really enjoyed it. So that’s why I got back into cars.”

And when he spotted the 1956 Dodge Regent, he said he realized it was the same model his mom and dad had when he was growing up, and that solidified his decision.

“It’s still not sitting right with losing her that early, and I might have been a bit quick on the buy, but when am I going to get a chance to buy a Dodge like this in such great shape?

“Besides, my wife was very good about me and my car stuff — to a point,” he said, laughing.

As he polished the chrome on the Regent, one of his three classic vehicles, Chambers is sure he made the right choice.

“She was usually OK with two at a time, I could only get away with so much.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @enviromichele