HOCKLEY, Texas – Betty Smiley met her late husband Roy while he was driving his 1978 Chevy Monte Carlo. Through the years, Smiley said the car was stolen a few times and was relegated to the garage.
“He just loved that car,” Smiley said. “We had several other cars after that but that was his heart.”
Roy always talked about restoring the car once he retired.
“That was his dream, his wish to get that car up and running,” Smiley said.
Roy didn’t have the opportunity to work on the vehicle. He died unexpectedly in 2014.
Through the years Smiley repeatedly told her family she would continue his effort and restore the vehicle. She wanted to leave it to her children to remember their father.
Last year, she started working towards restoration. She didn’t have the best experience with the first company. She had to get constable deputies involved to recover the 1978 Monte Carlo.
Then she started working with City Classic Cars.
In the beginning, Smiley said things were fine, but communication was sporadic.
Smiley shared with KPRC 2′s Rilwan Balogun the contract she signed with City Classic Cars which said updates would be posted on social media, “A photo and video record of work performed for the month will be provided at the end of each month,” the contract reads. “Many of these digital photos and videos will be available on Facebook, YouTube and a link to view them will be provided to you monthly. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and/or Twitter to see regular postings on project progress. Although we do make occasional calls and send occasional emails, the digital storytelling, along with invoices, are our primary tool for work updates.”
“You never give me an update. You never give me an invoice. He never called,” Smiley said referring to the owner Sabra Johnson. “You never give us an update on what’s going on with the car.”
The last Facebook post regarding the car was on December 2, 2022. The post said the car was ready for primer, “this car is going to have a wonderful transformation. We love seeing old rusted cars completely turned around,” the post reads. “This car is going to be turning heads very, very soon!”
Smiley, and her daughter, Roiesha, said that was around the last time they ever saw the vehicle.
To this point, the Smileys said they’ve paid over $40,000.
In May and July, Smiley said there were some back and forth about payments and balances however, they claim City Classic Cars never issued them an itemized list explaining the balance.
They didn’t pay the $20,000 they claim the company was seeking.
“I kept asking her ‘what do I owe you for?’ What have you done? No explanation,” Betty Smiley said.
“You speak of a balance or an invoice that’s nonexistent because you haven’t sent us one,” said Roiesha Smiley. “How can we owe you if you haven’t provided an explanation of what’s due?”
In an interview with KPRC 2 the attorney representing the company said the family would soon receive the itemized invoice.
“Ms. Smiley has received invoices and has never been asked to pay for anything that’s not put into writing,” Brandon Riley said on behalf of Sabra Johnson and City Classic Cars. “So, it as it relates to this moment, it’s a customer service failure and or an individual who decides they want to move forward.”
The Smileys are asking the company to release their vehicle.
The owner, Sabra Johnson said, once they pay the balance, he’ll release the 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
“He has the vehicle here,” Riley said. “Without question, he wants to continue working on behalf of Ms. Smiley because he loves what he does.”
We’re not trying to get anything for free and that’s their claim,” Roiesha Smiley said. “It really grieves me to see her going through this.”
The Smileys said they are looking into their legal options.
