IT'S ON CONTRACT

In high school, Mitch Laucks had to sign a contract with his parents prior to buying this full-size Chevy.

- SCOTTY LACHENAUER

Mitch Laucks wasn’t much different from other kids growing up in rural Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. As with many of his peers, reality put the squeeze on many of his loftier daydreams. This curious kid knew that only ownership of a certain hunk of GM-branded metal could make those dreams come true and provide him a dose of the freedom that only comes with a set of car keys and a tank full of gas. As it turned out, though, the only thing standing between this hot-rodder-in-training and nearly two tons of Chevy goodness was a single piece of standard loose-leaf paper.

As luck would have it, Mitch was blessed with a pair of understanding parents, and they were all for helping the 16 year old out with his first car purchase. However, Bruce and Lisa Laucks wanted something in return: a promise in the form of a signed contract, stating that if Mitch was lucky enough to be conditionally gifted a particular full-size Bow Tie bruiser of his very own, that his grades at school would not suffer during his “provisional” ownership. He emphatically agreed, and a contract was quickly drafted and signed by both parties.

Contract in hand, the Laucks kept their word and delivered a certain ’67 Impala to the family garage. The car was found locally and was in relatively good, drivable condition upon its passage to their son. The Laucks would soon find out that their simple gesture had a more profound impact on young Mitch than they could have imagined.