Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / File photo of the iconic 1972 Plymouth Duster that welcomed residents and motorists to Chilliwack. This colourful, visible landmark that withstood the test of time and bylaw compliance in Chilliwack and was once the subject of a fundraising appeal in 2023 has been sent to auction, with proceeds to benefit the Chilliwack Salvation Army. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Pink car

Pink car that once welcomed Highway 1 motorists to Chilliwack is on the auction block

Mar 21, 2024 | 3:11 PM

CHILLIWACK — A colourful, visible landmark that withstood the test of time and bylaw compliance in Chilliwack and was once the subject of a fundraising appeal in 2023 has been sent to auction.

According to a posting on an online auction site Thursday afternoon (Mar. 21), the famous 1972 Plymouth Gold Duster is currently posted on Beekman Auctions with an asking price of $2,750. Roughly 40 bids have been registered for the vehicle.

The vehicle had been placed on Beekman’s website on February 27, 2024 with a starting bid of $5 and bid increments of $250. However, there’s a catch. There’s no motor, no registration and no transmission. The vehicle has a rolling chassis.

The online auction ends Thursday, August 4. The vehicle will be on site for auctioning purposes on Wednesday, April 3. Beekman Auctions says on its website that it will match the winning bid for the pink vehicle; proceeds will benefit the Chilliwack Salvation Army.

In May 2023, Southern Irrigation announced a fundraising partnership with the Salvation Army with the stated purpose of saving the iconic landmark in town that was a cornerstone of Chilliwack for decades.

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When Southern Irrigation took over the property formerly occupied by Pick-a-Part at 43645 Industrial Way in October 2022, residents may have wondered about the fate of the iconic pink Plymouth made famous by former Pick-a-Part owner John Davy. Once the property acquisition was finalized, Southern Irrigation would later embark on a fundraising campaign to commemorate the icon and bolster a non-profit organization, the Salvation Army, with funds towards a new facility for the social services charity.

“We are proud to call this well-known property the new home of Southern Irrigation, and we are eager to move our facilities to the new location,” Southern Irrigation CEO Jeff Oostenbrink previously said. “We aim to make an impact with the pink car, and Chilliwack will stand with us in restoring an icon while strengthening our community.”

Along with ownership of this property came the iconic pink car, and discussion around what to do with this landmark was a common topic among Southern Irrigation owners, Southern Irrigation said in a press release.

“It was inevitable, with the footprint of the new building being 50,000 square feet (around 1 acre) and the proposed layout of the new facilities, that the pink car would have to soon return to the ground,” Southern Irrigation said in a prior press release. “CEO Jeff Oostenbrink brought the idea forward to create a campaign to save the pink car while keeping the money raised within our community.”

Southern Irrigation said at the time if $50,000 was raised, the pink car would not be crushed. If $100,000 was raised, the pink car would be preserved and displayed on the new Southern Irrigation property. If $500,000 was raised, the pink car would be restored to its former glory and be driven in community events and parades, used for future charities, and more.

The pink car itself has a storied history. Beginning in 1983, John Davy leased the land that would soon become the home of Pick-a-Part. The original name was “Right Way Autobody,” providing a glimpse into Davy’s past career as a mechanic. In 1985, he purchased the first five acres and later acquired the seven acres beside it, which he gravelled and fenced before bringing on his lot of used vehicles.

In 1988, Davy went to a mechanics convention in Edmonton, where he was introduced to the concept of self-serve auto parts. Davy returned to Chilliwack and got to work building his business. It took about a year to fill the yard, and in that time, Davy had the company sign constructed and put in place. He paid a friend to place the poles and build the sign.

Image: Google Maps / The former site of the Pick-a-Part at 43645 Industrial Way and the glorious pink Plymouth.

In the months that followed, John was pursuing new inventory from the ICBC salvage yard when he came across a hot pink Plymouth; he reckons it was a grad car that someone had hand painted hot pink with everyday household paint. Amused at the sight of it, John bid $100 and left the yard that day with the car in tow.

With the intention of this vehicle being placed in the yard for parts, it was only when an employee jokingly said to John that it would look great on top of a sign. The car was subsequently emptied and placed atop the sign shortly thereafter.