40 years after selling dream car for ‘diaper money’, dad is overcome with emotion as son gifts it back

In 1984, a father gave up his dream car, a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, to provide for his growing family. Decades later, his son made that dream a reality again with a heartfelt birthday surprise.

Jared Guynes told Good Morning America he first heard about the beloved Camaro as a teenager.

At the time, he was used to seeing his dad, Earl Guynes, behind the wheel of practical family cars, like a minivan, rather than a classic muscle car.

“When he described that he once had so many cool cars in the late ’70s and ’80s after he got out of high school and before he got with my mom, I couldn’t believe it,” said Jared Guynes, now 40, describing his dad’s as the “coolest car.”

At 22 years old, Earl, an automotive parts worker, bought his dream car from a coworker.

Earl’s car was a 1967 Marina blue Camaro SS equipped with a 350 small-block V8 engine and an automatic 3-speed transmission.

It also has Crager chrome 15-inch mag wheels, white-letter tires, a 1969-style cowl hood, a small whale tail at the rear, and a black interior.

“The car was loud and people would kind of always be looking at you and you’d always see somebody side eyeing like see that car come down the street. It was just a cool thing, a fun thing to do, you know?” Earl said.

As life progressed, he fell in love and started a family with Mona, having two children, Jennifer and Jared.

With a growing family to support, he realized he could no longer afford to maintain his dream car and decided to sell it.

When Jared asked his father what happened to the Camaro, he discovered a lighthearted family story. His dad explained that he sold the car to cover the cost of his diapers.

Reflecting on the story, Jared shared, “The joke was always that because I was born or about to be born, that my dad had to sell the car so he can afford my diapers.”

The son had long dreamed of one day buying back his father’s dream car, the 1967 Camaro, and giving it back to him.

However, the high cost of purchasing and restoring a rare classic car and the difficulty of tracking down the exact model kept that dream out of reach for years.

After a successful year in 2021, Jared set out to recreate his father’s cherished Camaro.

Since his dad had sold the original car for cash, Jared needed to find a suitable replacement. In 2022, he found a beautiful blue Marina Camaro just 70 miles away.

Over the next three years, he carefully restored the Camaro to its original condition, keeping the entire project a secret from his father.

Jared was careful to keep the restoration a secret. He only shared details with a few people, asking them not to take pictures or share information.

For his father’s 65th birthday, Jared planned a dinner party and arranged for a magician to reveal the surprise.

During a trick, Earl unknowingly picked the numbers 6 and 7 and spelled out “Camaro,” leading to a memorable moment.

As the magic trick ended, the magician led the group outside. Earl initially thought the 1967 Camaro was part of the show.

But when Jared handed him the keys and said, “Thanks for the diaper money, Dad,” the surprise was revealed. Overcome with emotion, Earl embraced his son, tears in his eyes.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Earl admitted he was “absolutely surprised” by his son’s touching gesture.

“I thought it was the greatest magic trick I ever saw in my life,” he said. “I had no idea what was coming. I mean, it just appeared. It was the greatest surprise I’ve ever seen.”

Earl said he would make the same choice again, sacrificing his beloved Camaro to support his family.

Jared’s gift of the restored car was his way of showing love and gratitude, reminding his father that his sacrifices were never forgotten.

Jared hoped each time Earl started the engine, he would feel appreciated for the sacrifices that shaped their family’s future.

“He sold this car so he can start his family and he can afford diaper money and he forgot about it. But I didn’t forget about it,” Jared said.

Watch the magical moment as Earl reunites with his dream car: