Two cars owned by building tradesmen took top honors in their division at the Feb. 22-24 Autorama in Detroit.

Asbestos Workers Local 25 member Richard Bondy's '72 Chevelle won "Late Street Machine Custom 1970-79" and the Popular Hot Roding magazine's "Outstanding Streetable Performance Car" awards. And Pipe Fitters Local 636 member Mike Flavin's '64 Pontiac GTO won the Muscle Car Class as well as top spot for "Best Restored."

It was the first time either had entered a car at Autorama, much less took home a title. This was the 50th anniversary year for the Autorama, so there was tremendous competition.

"I didn't think I had a chance," Flavin said. "The quality of the competition was just great. I was very pleasantly surprised."

"I was quite thrilled, especially getting the award from Popular Hot Roding Magazine," Bondy said.

Flavin owned a 1966 GTO in high school, "but I always liked the '64" because it was the first model year. He bought his '64 from IBEW Local 58 member Jim Nicolai that was in need of restoration, and took it to a shop in Portland, MI for the work.

"I think it won because every nut and bolt was taken off the car," Flavin said. The car is 100 percent stock, with a 389 cubic-inch, 348 h.p. tri-power engine. He said about 1,400 hours were put into the restoration.

Bondy bought his Chevelle three years ago from an owner who had it stored in a barn in Monroe. The car was generally in good shape. Bondy and his son Jacob did some work on the Chevelle, but most of the restoration was done professionally over a two-year period. The car was transformed into a drag-racer, with a 540 cubic-inch big block Chevy engine capable of producing 1,000 h.p. at the flywheel and speeds of up to 160 mph.

Bondy had a '70 Chevelle as a teenager. "My wife tells me I'm in my second childhood, and she's probably right," he said.

Not surprisingly, neither Bondy nor Flavin wanted to discuss how much they had invested in their four-wheel money pits.

"When you get involved in a project like this, it's a substantial investment. You can't count the pennies, or you'd never do it," Bondy said.

A union contractor also won awards at the 2002 Autorama. Larry Mates, who owns Rand Environmental and hires laborers and Asbestos Abatement Local 207 workers, entered two cars in the show and won two awards.

His 1932 Ford Sedan Delivery steel body took first place in the "Street Delivery" class, and his rare 1932 Ford Three-Window steel body took second place in the "Altered Street Coupe" class. "I was ecstatic to win," Mates said. "There were a lot of great entries with this being the 50th year for the show. But I was just as happy with the second place award. Some of the other owners that this car beat out spent a million dollars on their cars."

Mates acquired his sedan-delivery car about six years ago, and his three-window about two years ago. Both were professionally restored. 

THIS 1972 CHEVELLE, owned by Richard Bondy of Asbestos Workers Local 25, won "Late Street Machine Custom 1970-79" and the Popular Hot Roding magazine's "Outstanding Streetable Performance Car" awards.

THIS 1964 PONTIAC GTO, owned by Mike Flavin of Local 636 (in photo), won the Muscle Car Class as well as top spot for "Best Restored" in this year's Detroit Autorama.

THIS 1972 CHEVELLE, owned by Richard Bondy of Asbestos Workers Local 25, won "Late Street Machine Custom 1970-79" and the Popular Hot Roding magazine's "Outstanding Streetable Performance Car" awards.

THIS 1964 PONTIAC GTO, owned by Mike Flavin of Local 636 (in photo), won the Muscle Car Class as well as top spot for "Best Restored" in this year's Detroit Autorama.