Page 7 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 7-31-15

BULLSEYE Feature 7July 31, 2015

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Airman uses passion to restore ‘survivor’ car

By Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis

99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — In 1971 “Fury” was born. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis
She had a smooth fuselage body painted in Spanish gold with four
headlights, a horizontal grille and two doors. She came equipped Airman 1st Class Thomas Kelly, 99th Comptroller Squadron customer service technician, stands next to his
with a nylon/foam seat and carpet, a clock, and concealed wipers. car “Fury” on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., July 27. Kelly grew up fixing and tinkering with anything from 1940’s
radio equipment to teletype machines to older Chrysler cars. Kelly is the third owner of the vehicle and hopes
Her first owner was named Bill Bolton, who served in the U.S. to fully restore it in the future.
Marine Corps during World War II from 1942 to 1945. He was
wounded at Tarawa in November 1943 and was awarded a Purple
Heart in December 1943 at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Hawaii.
Bolton passed away and his family had no idea what to do with
Fury, so they sold it.

The second owner was a man named George Stone, who was
a Navy Signalman who served on the USS Yorktown and did a
tour in Vietnam from 1966 to 1968. When Stone purchased Fury
she had been sitting for two decades untouched by human hands
in the desert. He worked on it as he was able and successfully
brought her back to life.

Ultimately Stone, who lived in Cottonwood, Arizona, sold
Fury, but because Fury was an all-original “survivor” car he
wanted it to go to a good home. He posted her for sale on the
internet and Airman 1st Class Thomas Kelly, 99th Comptroller
Squadron customer service technician, inquired about it.

“I found the car online, gave him a call and had a really
good conversation about it for probably an hour or so,” said
Kelly. “I convinced a buddy of mine that a road trip was in

_______________________ See SURVIVOR, on page 8