DEN-56 - Trista's PL8STORY Podcast Plate 44 with Denny Salvage

This week we meet Denny Salvage from CT. Since he could drive, he has been collecting the Tri-5 Chevys. He grew to love the 56 Chevys the best and became known as DEN 56 to his friends. Denny’s passion for antique Chevy’s turned into a collection, restoration passion and even a highly successful YouTube channel. We learn about Denny’s life-long adventure with 56 Chevys and more on this week’s episode.

Visit Denny Salvage on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DennySalvage

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Episode Transcript available at www.iwokeupawesome.com blog post

Transcript of Episode DEN-56

DEN-56-Interview

[00:00:00] Trista, Host: [00:00:00] Welcome to this week's episode of Trista's PL8STORY  (Plate Story)  Podcast. I'm Trista Polo from iwokeupawesome.com and I am your host. Each week, we learn the story behind that vanity plate. You know, the one you saw driving down the road... what did it say? What did it mean? Why did they choose it? 

welcome to this week's episode of Trista's plate story podcast. I'm excited to have Dennis Savage from Eastern Connecticut with us. He is Raylene Taskoski's father and his plate is DEN-56. Welcome Dennis.

I'm excited to have you. Now Rayleen was on a previous episode. Her license plate is ROMANCE, and she said, you've got to talk to my dad. So tell me the story behind your license plate, DEN-56. 

Denny Savage: [00:00:52] It all started when my wife and I were dating in a 57 Chevrolet that I [00:01:00] shared with my mom. That was our family's second car in 1967. And Renee was driving a 55 Chevrolet that she shared with her mom and her dad as their family second car. So we were in a 55 and a 57 and one day when we decided to get married, neither parents thought it was a good idea at the time. So we just said, let's do it easy. And we got in my 57 Chevrolet that I drove from Yukon to Providence, Rhode Island to pick her up.

We drove into one of the major airports in the New York area and flew to North Carolina and got married. So we actually eloped in my 57 Chevrolet.

[00:02:00] Trista, Host: [00:02:00] Did your parents ever come around ?

Denny Savage: [00:02:03] Eventually.

Trista, Host: [00:02:07] Well, it's a good thing that you guys eloped. Cause it sounds like you had a wonderful life together. Great kids, grandkids. Now you're still married and happy. 

Denny Savage: [00:02:18] And great grandkids now, five of them. 

Trista, Host: [00:02:22] Wow, that's awesome. Oh my goodness. Now, Raylene helped. Now you have quite a history that goes well beyond even just the beginning with these, 56 57 Chevy's. Tell us a little bit about how they've played a role in your life. 

Denny Savage: [00:02:45] Well at the time, I really wasn't a mechanic. I knew some really basic stuff, but I was into animals. I wantED to be a veterinarIAN. So I was studying a lot of medical stuff and not automobile [00:03:00] stuff, but I was driving the car because I could buy them very reasonably at the time.

There were like 5 million, 55, 56 and 57 Chevy's around. So, they were inexpensive. And I learned how to fix my own car by necessity. So when I couldn't fix the 57 Chevy anymore, because it needed welding and stuff to save it, I found a 56 Chevy, very reasonably, and I could use parts from the 57 Chevy on a 56.

So that started, Hey, this makes sense. I can buy these cars pretty cheap and I can fix them myself. So that makes sense. We don't have to have a new car with new car payments.

So we went with what she was driving and I was driving and combined to driving a 56 because we liked the sitting in that one, the best. And then I started just buying 56 Chevy's cause I could [00:04:00] get them pretty cheaply and all the hot rodders, all the kids, they wanted the fives and sevens because they were the hot ones.

So I had my choice. I could find plenty of 56's and we decided we were going to save a few, because I knew they were going to be shot after eventually. And that led us, to buying an old farm that had been a chicken farm with big buildings on it. And we could start saving 56 Chevy's as I maintained them with on my own parts.

So some of the cars became very valuable for restoration projects either. 

Trista, Host: [00:04:39] Wow. So it's like, instead of being a veterinarian and getting into animal rescue, you got into Chevy rescue.

Denny Savage: [00:04:52] At one point I had so many 56 Chevy's that friends started calling me jokingly, that's Den-56. This [00:05:00] guy's got 57s, meet Jim-57. And, and that's how my friendships started to develop. And eventually by 1979, you know, also the, the end of the sixties and through the seventies, we were driving these every day.

 we've been to Canada in 56 Chevy and Michigan in 56 Chevy's and they were just old cars that I was maintaining and we were using them for daily transportation. 

And we started a classic Chevy club here in Eastern Connecticut, with, with friends that I knew that had become friends of mine that had to Tri-fives Today is still an active chapter of a flashy car club called the Dream Machine Classics of Eastern Connecticut. I was the first president, Renee was the secretary.

Trista, Host: [00:05:46] Wow. How did you know that these were such special cars? They were probably just like you said, they were so common in their time, but there was something about them that you knew they were something worth [00:06:00] saving, salvaging, restoring, and collecting. How did you know that? 

Denny Savage: [00:06:07] I, I really can't say how I knew, but when I was living at home, living with my dad and he, and my uncles whose grandfather had classics, I would hear my dad say sometimes, boy, I wish I never sold that car. Look where this was today. It's happened in my dad's generation. It's going to happen in mine. It's just going to repeat. And what are the cars all the kids want that were my age. They wanted the five, six, seven. And in the 56 was always called the red headed step child.

It was right between the two. People love their red headed step-children. 

Trista, Host: [00:06:46] Sure. 

Denny Savage: [00:06:48] I knew it was going to happen again because there was so many people had them and they were using them for drag racing because of the suspensions that, that Chevrolet [00:07:00] developed in 55. And that was the first mass produced small block V8 for Chevrolet since 1917.

So it had a high revs that had a lot of features that made it good for performance. So they would drag racing. They were shuffle racing. And I said, it's not going to stop. It's going to keep going as long as those cars you're out there.

 And they're still so popular that there's a company in Texas that ha has a, a storage for parts in Taiwan that are making brand new bodies. For tri five Chevrolet, you can buy a brand new body in any way you want. It's not just to try fives now, but you know, it's moved to, to other, you know, other interest cars, but it started with the tri five and I was then 56.

So I applied for a Connecticut license plate with my name and nobody had it. [00:08:00] So I got DEN-56. 

That's awesome. And so that's been your license plate for quite a while, right? 

yes. since sometime in the, early, early eighties, I got that plate. In fact, it was 1984 or five, 1985. I think I bought a stock car to race on my vocal circle track.

Cause I always wanted to drive a race car, but I was never reckless on the streets. So I didn't do any, you know, Performance driving on the street. So I bought a race car and everybody gets assigning number. So I requested number 56 and nobody had it. so I wound up towing my 66 Chevelle race car to my local track with my 56 Chevrolet that had the license plate DEN-56.

Wow. And even though I hadn't won a race at all, I made the Speedway scene magazine because here I [00:09:00] was towing a 56, with a 56 Chevy, a 66 Chevelle number 56. Cool.

Nope. It continued to, to roll like a snowball and, it even gets better than that because Raylene got involved once again. at one point she was at our local community college and she met with some of her classmates to study and it went really well.

So they all decided to, exchange phone numbers so they could keep in touch. And Raley's one of her friends handed her her phone number. And she said, Oh my, my dad would kill for that number. And her friend said why? She said, well, because he owns a whole collection of 56 Chevy's and he's known as DEN-56. So she said, well, if my mother ever moves, I'll call you and tell you, so your dad can have her number.

Well, a couple of years later, she called Raylene and she said, tell your dad, my mom's moving. He can [00:10:00] have her number. 

And it had, it had 56 in it twice. 

Trista, Host: [00:10:05] Oh, so now your phone number, your license plate, your cars are all about 56. That's awesome. Talk about a life theme. 

Denny Savage: [00:10:15] That was before the internet. 

Trista, Host: [00:10:19] That's great. You have quite the following on your YouTube channel, I'm pretty sure. Is that right? 

Denny Savage: [00:10:25] Well, the YouTube channel, which is about antique cars and trucks, happened because I used to love going to salvage yards to find parts that I didn't already have.

I actually had a subscription to a magazine, that had an article every month in the doc that was called salvage yard Roundup where the editor would send one of his, cameramen out and said, find a salvage yard, take a bunch of pictures. We'll do a story. And every month when I got the magazine, I would say, Oh, here's that article? I go right to it, salvage [00:11:00] round up and I'd read about the cars. And I said, yeah, I know where there's one of those.

 And then one day I was sitting down to watch the NASCAR and I picked up the magazine and, and it just, it just kind of hit me. What is it about this article every month that just sucks me in.

And I heard a voice that said, I'm giving you a TV show. 

So I was involved in my local access and I said this is amazing. No wonder I get sucked into this because it's doing what I love to do. I love to produce, you know, so I contacted the editor. In fact, I don't remember the NASCAR race that day. When I got off the couch, I came in here into the computer room.

I sat down with a magazine. I found the editor's email address. And I said, this is the idea I have. I would like to take your article, Salvage Yard Round Up that you have every month [00:12:00] and create it as a video for a television show. And here's the plot development I have and I hit send. And then I said, That might've been a mistake.

I don't know that guy. Yeah. Yeah. Who knows? This is my idea, but all well, I sent it it's Sunday afternoon at three o'clock and at 8:30 on Monday morning in may, 15 years ago, I still have the email... he said, Denny, great idea. You and I have the same 10W30 in our blood. I will help you as much as I can. and he did. He invited me and Renee to his office in Florida. We brought down some copies of my pilot, so he could look at it. He made very constructive criticisms. And now to make it better. And then he said, now make sure you copyright this because I'm in the industry and [00:13:00] somebody will steal it. 

Trista, Host: [00:13:01] Wow. 

Denny Savage: [00:13:03] So I did 

Trista, Host: [00:13:03] what a stand up guy. Cause he could have easily stolen it, like you said, especially since you got it from his idea, he probably could even have justified it as a businessman, you know?

Denny Savage: [00:13:14] Yeah. His name was Greg Rager. So then I, you know, I did the paperwork, I got the development, copyrighted and I, I took his ideas.

I created a better quality pilot and I started shopping it around. And film festivals, local film festivals, because I met a bunch of people in Southern new England who had put together a association of people in film and audio and stage. And we all got together and we were helping each other produce stuff locally.

And every time I had a piece to show that deal it, and they'd give me criticism. And they, we became like a big family and the president of the group, his name is Alec. He [00:14:00] even came to my friend's house one day on his own time to help us finish editing the pilot so we could show it at a film festival and people enjoyed it.

And that was, that was a few years ago, but. Raylene stepped in the picture again. And she has, she has a YouTube channel for her Pure Romance by Raylene. And she put my trailers on her Pure Romance channel because she knows that every wife has a husband as a daughter, has a father, and it's going to do a lot of them who have antique and classic cars. And it started getting quite a few views from her channel. She said, Dad you've got 125,000 views on my channel. Yeah. She said, you, you gotta, you gotta get your own channel.

So she helped me with a couple of friends who are in the industry and we created my own channel. called Bring Them Back to Life. And right now we have 12,300 subscribers, and climbing. 

Trista, Host: [00:14:58] That's awesome. [00:15:00] And you put out, episodes, how 

Denny Savage: [00:15:02] often? Well, we were trying to do one every two weeks, but then the coronavirus epidemic started.

And I've had to shelter in place a lot. And my grandson who has a degree in film and editing in he's working in the industry lives in Rhode Island. And he does all my editing. So we haven't gotten very many out since the Corona, issue started the pandemic. We're at episode 46 so there's plenty there for people to look at, even if they're just finding to channel. 

Trista, Host: [00:15:38] That's amazing. How many, cause I know you said you have the chicken farm and you've always had us collection. How many do you have now? And how many did you have at once? What was your record 

Denny Savage: [00:15:52] at one time we had over 30, just 1950 sections. Okay. Some of them [00:16:00] are front halves. Some of them were back halves.

Some of them were right side. Some of them were left sides so yeah, we had, we had 30 

Trista, Host: [00:16:10] now 

Denny Savage: [00:16:11] around 20 because I have, I have decided to start selling some. I saved them. That was my goal. To keep them from going to the salvage yards, put in the crushers.

And I saved some that I, I didn't intend to restore would have if things were different, but now I'm saying, well, if the guy's 50 years old or he's 55 and retiring, and he wants a 56 convertible and I have four, I probably should sell him one. Another one can get restored. so that's what I've been doing since I was 65.

I actually, in my, when I was 63, I got bladder cancer and I had to get through that. But once I, once I got through [00:17:00] that and I said, okay, I lived, but I'm not going to live long enough to restore all these cars I have left in the barn. I'm going to start selling some of the choice ones that. that I know I can, I can get a good price for, and then let other people restore them and just keep six or seven that I consider my close knit circle.

Trista, Host: [00:17:20] Yes, that's right. The inner circle family. Absolutely. 

Denny Savage: [00:17:25] But at one time, when I was looking at the insurance policies, I said, you know, There were nine assembly plants in the United States building classic Chevrolets in the three years. So I had seven of them represented in my collection. Only two, only two.

I didn't have representatives from in my collection. And one was from Kansas city, Kansas, and one was from, up in, Wisconsin, Janesville, Wisconsin. So I started looking on eBay for people selling 56 Chevy's [00:18:00] and I didn't care if they were four-door sedan. So I didn't care if they had an engine, what if they were selling them?

And they had a, then that said Janesville or vendor said Kansas city. I put a bid in on them. And I got the last two I needed just to finish the collection. Wow. One of them ran and drove and I, I hired a professional transporter to be, bring it from Kansas city. And the other was in Janesville, Wisconsin.

I didn't have.. It didn't have an engine. So I made a road trip with a friend and we went to Wisconsin and got 

Trista, Host: [00:18:32] it. What an adventure. I just love your passion and your knowledge for the, the five, six and seven chevy's. That's awesome. I want to just tell you your YouTube channel is awesome. Like if people are interested in this kind of content. so typically you go to salvage yards and you're, you're touring salvage yards and they can watch you do that. And see what you find is that typically [00:19:00] what you're covering in your episodes? 

Denny Savage: [00:19:04] Yes. I show people the salvage yards that are sometimes third or fourth generation owned .

So I I'll have somebody who's my age that was born on the property and raised on the property and still runs the business from his father. And I'll meet his son and grandchildren who are working on the business with him third or fourth generation, grandson, who has taken it over from grandpa and dad.

And are running it. but they still have still selling parts off antique and classic vehicles. Or they'll sell what's left of one so someone can restore it and bring it back to life. 

Trista, Host: [00:19:46] Yeah, 

Denny Savage: [00:19:48] that's right. Many, many, many classic vehicles, not just to try five Chevy's that people want. And a lot of companies are [00:20:00] remanufacturing the replacement parts.

So if you have a basic body with a bin, And in some cases you need a title. In some cases you don't, but if you have the basic vehicle, you can buy the doors and the fenders and the trunks, for vehicles that have considerable of value or interest. SO I Show what'sl out there. If they, you know, if they have it and they're willing to sell it, I say, here's where they are. If you find something on my video that I showed on camera here, call them. Yeah, like, make the offer or make a deal. rent a trailer and take a vacation. 

Trista, Host: [00:20:35] Awesome. So you're offering a service, you're showing a piece of Americana. You're almost doing a reality TV show. And I just want to give some stats of your YouTube channel because I'm very impressed. I have a YouTube channel. I know what it is to try and get subscribers and followers. And clearly your content is very sought after, because you have over 124,000 subscribers and. In just [00:21:00] August. You're about a thousand views a day of your videos and you have total lifetime views of 2.5, 3 million views on just your channel.

And that doesn't even count the views that you got on Raylene's channel before you started your own channel. So with only a handful, just 40 or so episodes. You have such a following and people are so appreciative and really taking advantage of getting the content that you're creating. So I really want to acknowledge you for that.

Now I have to ask you, you obviously, this is a passion of yours. Is this also your main source of income or have you had, professions or jobs in your lifetime? 

Denny Savage: [00:21:42] Well, I, I did have a profession, but unfortunately political activities in Congress put my company out of business. I, I worked for a great reputable local company in [00:22:00] Eastern Connecticut, that made the nuclear reactors for Navy submarines.

Wow. And I worked in the reactive assembly area. So I was a technician at some point, working with the engineers. I was a, an assembler of inspector that I could inspect after the job was done to make sure it was done properly. And it's met all the specs of the department of defense. so yes, I know how nuclear reactors go together. 

So I had to find a new career and I went into television. I w I wound up getting a degree in communications and doing Christian show and tell.

and just before the COVID hit, I was starting to get a Google AdSense check every month. That was sizable enough to have people like Raylene said, Alright dad! But that went away, [00:23:00] that went away. 

Trista, Host: [00:23:02] You know, this COVID thing is a blip and, and it'll be back . you know, I I'm so appreciative of you being on and sharing your plate story and your passion for a very important piece of American history. I do like to turn the tables before we wrap up and ask you, if you have a one question you'd like to ask me, what would you like to ask me if anything 

Denny Savage: [00:23:26] well, having.

Communicated with you on several occasions now, trying to get this interview done and having been with you here, on my phone, I realize you you're very skilled at what you do. And I was wondering how you got involved in radio and how did you develop your. Your radio personality so that you can be such a good interviewer.

Trista, Host: [00:23:53] That's a nice question. Cause it's got a compliment built right in. Thank you for that. Well, I [00:24:00] went to school in new Paltz SUNY new Paltz. I have a communication degree and I joke that I use it every day. I'm talking every single day. So I use my degree every day. I'm like so many people, but I did a lot of radio when I was in college.

And I didn't pursue it professionally. I have had more than one podcast in my life. This is actually my third podcast, but I was a co-host and the other two, and I always ended up acting like the interviewer. Even though I was the co-host. And so when I decided to do a new podcast, I said, I'm going to do it as an interviewer because that's the piece I really enjoy.

And I think part of it comes from my innate curiosity of others, and I am highly trained in communication and listening skills. And I think that really helps me as well. But I love learning about people. And so I'm hoping that by getting to meet [00:25:00] really cool people, like you, we get to know who people are and you know, your license plate's DEN-56 and look at the juicy, rich history that's behind that. And that's something I'm very privileged to be able to share. 

Denny Savage: [00:25:16] Well, I'm glad that Raylene shared it with you. Yes. She has a unique experience herself.

Trista, Host: [00:25:24] Yes, she does. She was a very fun interview and I loved finding out, I mean, her plate's cool ROMANCE, right. Who wouldn't want to know the story behind that. And, it was really wonderful to hear the great work she's been doing. And, I'm just so happy to have had you on as well. Any last words before we wrap up?

Denny Savage: [00:25:44] Well, I think what gives me gratification is when I meet someone. And they tell me that they've seen an episode of my show and it helped them finish a project, find a project, or buy a project that [00:26:00] they had been looking for. 

Trista, Host: [00:26:02] That's awesome. well, I'm going to include the link to your YouTube channel right on the show notes. and I want to just thank you so much for sharing your plate story with us and I wish you all the best.

Denny Savage: [00:26:15] Well, thank you very much.  

Trista, Host: [00:26:16] thank you so much, Denny salvage for being with us today.

Denny Savage: [00:26:20] And that was kind of a neat combination of what my friends and mother calls me and where I shoot my shows. I just had to add the L in Savage. 

Trista, Host: [00:26:29] Yes, indeed. I love it. I love it. 

Denny Savage: [00:26:33] Bye-bye.

Trista, Host: [00:26:34] Thank you for joining us for this week's episode of Trista's PL8STORY podcast. Please subscribe to Trista's PL8STORY podcast to get the story behind all those vanity plates, driving with you on the road. And if you would like to nominate the owner of a license plate, including you... Or visit any of our partners and sponsors come and see us www.pl8story.com. That's P L number eight [00:27:00] story.com and give us the details. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a review and give us a share. I'm Trista Polo wishing you well on the road to your next adventure.