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With Her DeSoto, a Third-Gen Hot Rodder Keeps the Tradition Alive
On June 28, 1985, Chas LeCourt experienced two life-changing events: He bought a 1930 DeSoto Roadster he named Old Rod, and his granddaughter, Michelle Ignatowicz, was born. At that moment, he couldn’t possibly know the trajectory those two events would take.
Michelle was classically girlie as a child, all dolls and stuffed animals, but unlike other little girls she knew, those interests were tempered by Chas, her Pop-Pop.
Michelle would leave the dolls at home when she visited her Pop-Pop, who was 100 percent car guy and well-known in a number of car and motorcycle clubs around Connecticut. She would follow him to his barn and spend hours watching him restore and modify his hot rod DeSoto. She listened to his stories while he lay on a creeper under his car.
“I loved my Pop-Pop so much I wanted to be around him,” Michelle says. “In his house, he built a swing for me that was right next to his chair where he watched TV. But most of the time, we were in his garage. We were inseparable. Anything he was involved in became special to me. I watched him install a Mustang front clip and a small-block Chevy in Old Rod, and I would go with him to junkyards in search of parts. I watched the car evolve under his hands.”
Since the DeSoto was around from the beginning of her life, it was special to her, and she could see it was special to Chas. “He had other cars, but they kind of came and went. He had a Buick for a while, a Packard, and many other cars of the period, but the DeSoto was always there. I watched him make changes to it and modify it every time I visited.”
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Michelle’s dad was a car guy, too, so the whole family would do the show circuit. Michelle was too small for the rumble seat in Old Rod, so she had to ride with her parents in another car. Only Michelle’s grandmother Joyce could ride shotgun with Chas. She was a willing participant and loved driving to car shows with Chas and seeing all their friends in the car scene. The couple thought nothing of driving hundreds of miles for a show.
During Michelle’s senior year of high school, her grandparents moved down to North Carolina. “I was sad. I didn’t get to spend as much time with my Pop” (she’d shortened his name by that point). “I missed my Pop, but he and my grandmother would get in the DeSoto and drive straight through for holidays and family events.”
After all, that’s what real hot rodders do, and Chas and Joyce did it well into their 80s—in a machine not many would describe as comfortable.
In their absence, Michelle had gone to college and gotten a job as an elementary-school art teacher. “Then, my son came along, and I took a break from teaching and stayed home with him.” She got a masters in school counseling and was ready to return to work, then got pregnant with a daughter. “So I was a full-time mom again. Just as I was updating my resume, in February of 2020, everything was put on hold. But I got to focus on my artwork.”
After being away for 12 years, Chas and Joyce moved back to Connecticut. Chas built another barn to house Old Rod, and Michelle resumed her place by his side, this time with her son, a burgeoning gearhead, in tow.
A few years before his death, Chas began to think about the stewardship of his beloved DeSoto. Initially, he planned to leave it to his son, Michelle’s dad. It made sense, because he was mechanic, but he’d also gotten into boats and spent more time on the water than under cars. So maybe Chas would just sell Old Rod.
Michelle’s mom called her to tell her about that plan. “I instantaneously broke down in tears. I couldn’t lose my Pop and Old Rod. I couldn’t imagine the car going away. The DeSoto was a part of the family. It couldn’t leave.”
Her father took up her case and put a bug in his dad’s ear. Before Chas passed, he decided Michelle should get the car, and he told his family of his wishes. There was only one significant hurdle Michelle had to overcome. “I had to convince my non-car-guy husband about the joys of hot rod ownership,” she says. “It took months of discussions. In the end, he saw the light.”
Their home had a one-car garage, and they already had two cars. Renting a space was out of the question: Pop’s car couldn’t be someplace where she couldn’t quickly check on it, take it for a drive, or just look at it when she wanted to. The only solution, it seemed, was to build Old Rod another barn, this time behind Michelle’s house.
Chas passed away in April 2021. In July 2022, Michelle’s dad picked up the DeSoto to bring it to her. Joyce came outside to wave and watch it drive away. “My grandmother was happy that Old Rod was going to me,” Michelle says, “but she made it clear that she would never ride in the car again. That was her thing with her husband; now, it was on to a new life.”
Now that Michelle is the custodian of the red DeSoto, she does what her Pop did and drives it to car shows, though the experience has not been without its bumps. “On my first time out, I started the car and ran inside to grab my bag. I came out, and smoke and steam billowed out of the garage. A hose had blown, sending coolant all over the engine. That was how I learned to reattach a radiator hose …”
Her next outing was to the Dream Show in Farmington, Connecticut. Michelle and Old Rod made it to the show field and were placed among an array of supercars, hypercars, and other exotics. The judges came around and looked closely at Michelle’s little red car, listened to her story, witnessed her enthusiasm. A very tearful Michelle won best in show that day. Afterward, however … “It was so embarrassing. When I went to leave, Old Rod wouldn’t start. That’s how I learned to use a jump box. Incidents like this don’t keep me sitting at home, though. I’m a car gal and hot rodder; I will always hit the road again.”
Following the Gathering of the Marques during the 40th Lime Rock Historics in 2022, she says, “I went for a drive to take some pictures, and one of the front discs came apart. That was more than I could handle, so I called Hagerty and got my rod flat-bedded home. Then I learned how to do brakes.”
The DeSoto has been a part of Michelle’s life since she was born. When she looks at the car, she sees her Pop. She can’t get mad even when it acts up. She will keep right on fixing it, learning about it, and taking it for drives to be closer to him.
“Before he died, my Pop told me, ‘you tell anyone who works on the car, I have touched every nut and bolt on this car at least three times’.”
Michelle keeps that in mind as she and her dad touch all the nuts and bolts to keep Old Rod on the road. She has learned a lot from him along the way, bonding over the car that bonded her to Pop. He would have loved that.
The Northeast is still buried in winter, but Michelle is already planning for the upcoming show season, excited to go out and wow people with her little red car. One key change she’s made: When Chas was behind the wheel, his vanity plate read OLDROD. Now that Michelle is driving, the plate says POPSROD. Chas will be cruising with Michelle in the hot rod DeSoto for many miles to come.
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Very sweet story.
What a great read. This is one I can show to non-car people to help them understand that a car is more than just a mode of transportation.
So. true
Love the story. Pop’s Rod continues to make people happy! Car and owner, together since she was born!
what a great story. Cars connect…
Hey Sean, nice work on the story. The ‘30 DeSoto is looking great and in good hands. Leo
Thank you, Leo!
A touching story, brought tears to these old eyes. The love between a grandfather and grand-daughter around a beautiful hot rod is inspirational. Reminds me of my son and myself. My daughter was the intellectual and didn’t get the “car thing” like my son did, but she likes cars. I’m glad that there are “girls” out there that understand wrenching and put many men to shame, and put to rest the sexism that was generated in the past. May we all give credit to all who work in whatever trade or profession and excell in their chosen work!!
Great comments, my friend. I’m with you!
What a beautiful story her pop pop gave her a beautiful lesson in appreciating old cars. May she instill that in her own daughter and son. Beautiful story, beautiful car, beautiful girl, beautiful family life is good.
It needs a 50’s Hemi!!
Awesome story. Great humanity. We need more people and families like them. Thanks, Hagerty.
Great story, and that’s an incredibly cool car to boot. I sure wouldn’t want it leaving the family.
Thank you so much for putting this story out there. This 80 year old grand father of 10 had tears in his eyes reading it.
NEVER sell it. If I only had my 48 Woody back.
Sounds familiar: “It took months of discussions. In the end, he saw the light.” Great story though.
Michelle how you have daughter to keep it the family. Beautiful story ❤
Mike A