Project GTO Tribute to Fallen Soldier Nears Completion

Although there are many ways to honor our nation’s fallen heroes that have fought and died in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, a New York restoration shop has stepped up to take an automotive-themed approach to remembering the sacrifice of one local soldier named Major Jeffrey Calero who was killed in Afghanistan in October of 2007. Like far too many of our soldiers, when 34-year-old Calero of Queens, New York, lost his life on the battlefield, he left behind a family and a lifetime of unfilled dreams. One of those dreams was an unfinished muscle car project.

At home, Jeff Calero was a member of the Long Island GTO Club and had been working on restoring a 1970 Pontiac GTO convertible that he had purchased 10 years earlier. After Jeff died, his GTO Club decided to honor him posthumously by awarding his unrestored GTO a Best of Show Award at a 2008 Car Show where it caught the eye of Long Island-based Paul’s Rods & Restos owner Paul DiMauro. DiMauro decided on the spot to offer to donate the labor to restore the GTO free of charge. Along with the GTO Club collecting donations to cover some of the costs, DiMauro began the process of collecting parts donations from other sponsors including those from Original Parts Group, Incorporated who wanted to help with the total restoration that is set to include many custom touches.

DiMauro said the GTO required extensive repairs and that his shop had to replace nearly everything on the car including a complete floor pan, trunk floor, quarter panels, left-side door, hood, radiator support, and lower fender repair panels. Although the work has progressed steadily, DiMauro hopes to keep the completed project under wraps until the official unveiling at the 5th Annual Paul’s Rods & Restos Classic Car Show on September 15th in Deer Park, New York. Attendees will know that Major Calero’s automotive dreams and aspirations have been realized when they view the finished GTO.