Featured Members Colene & Sal Caravello
April 2014
Hi Allante’ owners, let me introduce myself and my co-pilot in life Colene. Three years ago we retired from Sacramento, California to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Colene or better known as Co retired from the Federal Government working for the Bureau of Land Management. I retired from WS Packaging Group, Inc. with thirty five years in graphic design and printing. I also had the first electric car dealership in California, building and selling conversions, a story for yet another day.
We had one car for about a year while I not seriously looked around for something to work on, like a Mustang, Camaro and Firebird. The Run to the Sun car show was in town and I planned to go with my neighbors but they left ahead of me. My neighbor saw what he though was a perfect car for me an 89 Pearl White Cadillac Allante’. He called me to make sure that Co and I would see it. I had already owned four Cadillac in my time and was aware of the Allante’ but never thought I could afford it. We walked the show and were about to give up when we turned the corner and there she was. Yes, it was love at first sight but I was not sure. I talked it over with Co, I really wanted a Mustang but Co said it was me all over. It did not take much to talk me into it, I’m Italian. So Pearl and I was united, and unto the web I went and found a lot of information and parts but especially the Cadillac Allante’ Club. Co and I decided we would work on her and show Pearl at Florida Allante’ Show, than it was National Allante’ show in Indianapolis, how could you turn down driving on the Brick Yard with your own car? Than we found the Atlanta Allante’ Club and off to Bristol Speedway we went. We bought a car and found an Allante’ cult following with great people we enjoyed so much. So now it is about the people for us.
Had the bug bad, trying to start my own club in the Carolina’s. Our first OctoberRally we had friends from Florida, Indiana, New Jersey and Atlanta support us. It was more than I could say great people, great car and lots of fun. We did not stop there; we ended up buying our new girl a 1993 Teal now known as Blue-too with only 9,000 miles on it. Co said it was enough we only had a two car garage, so Pearl needed to go, but I was not going to sell it to anyone, she was my baby. Off to the Run to the Sun show again where we sold her in three hours to a local couple that just loved it.
I will never forget Pearl she was a great car and showed well, but Blue-too is really special. It came from a dealer in New Jersey who drove it as a demo and sold it to a couple in Indiana with 6,000 miles on it. They garaged it for several years than finally sold it to me. Sight unseen I bought it with Steve Garrity help. She is a beauty and runs like new. I wanted to pin stripe it but Russell and Co will not let me do it.
Co and I have made great friends that would not have happened had it not been for a simple purchase of a Cadillac, but not just any Cadillac -- an Allante’.
Sal & Co
