Spotto!

Jenni Cleave Had a Dream to Own a Blown, Two-door ’57 Chevy, Just Like in Running on Empty – and It Came True.

- Boris Viskovic

“SPOTTO a ’57 Chev. A blown ’57 two-door” – the unmistakeable line from the classic Aussie film Running On Empty, which Jenni Cleave watched as a 12-year-old. It ignited a dream to one day own a blown ’57 Chevy two-door, a dream that stuck with her throughout her adult life and has finally come to fruition. And Jenni couldn’t be happier. “I drove my friends insane about my love of this car,” she says.

“I used to go to Summernats in Canberra, and there in front of my eyes was ‘Blown ’57’. I could not believe that I was standing in front of the love of my life. She looked a little worse for wear at the time, but she was as beautiful as ever to me. I took that many photos of it I think I used all my film up.

“After a few years I gave up on the idea of ever owning one, but still watched the film regularly,” she continues. “I met my now-husband of 23 years and the story started all over again; all I ever talked about was this car. He thought I was mad. He had never even heard of Running On Empty, so I thought I best sit this man down and put the video on, and from then on I drove him insane about it. I am so lucky that he has been so supportive and amazing, I don’t know how he put up with me sometimes.”