Auto restorer works his magic on 1977 car given to man by Elvis Presley

(By Monica Young, Winston-Salem Journal) - It was two years ago at a classic auto-parts trade show in Las Vegas that Jim Barber was approached by a father and son interested in restoring a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am.

He could tell by the conversation that the men had researched both his company — Classic Automotive Restoration Specialists in Belews Creek — and what their car needed.

“They were insistent that I look at the car right away. I went with them, and a limo pulled around to take us to the car,” Barber said.

In the garage, Jason Awad — a Las Vegas lawyer — showed Barber a dingy, white second-generation Trans Am with damaged red seats and 82,000 miles on the odometer. The hood would not open, and the faulty brakes made the car unable to drive. The power window on the driver’s side would not close.

Barber knows from his line of work that every car has a story. He was wondering what it was with this one. Awad told him to look at the dash again.

So Barber ducked under the drooping headliner and started checking from left to right. He paused when he saw a brass plaque inserted into the red dash.

“Presented to my friend, Jason. Elvis. Oct. 1976.’’

“And then I got what was so special about this car,” Barber said.