Jazz and high-octane have more in common than they seem at first glance – both require flair, rhythm and character. It is this connection that lies behind the great passion of the famous Bulgarian musician Bobby Valchev for retro cars, writes Plovdiv24.bg.
For the jazzman, cars are not just a means of transportation, but machines with their own character, which bring the atmosphere of another era. There are several classic cars in his garage, but one of them holds a special place – a 1979 Chevrolet Corvette C3.
It is the legendary American model that is the main character in the latest podcast on bri4ka.com.
Историята на Вълчев с Corvette C3 започва още в детството. Тогава той има малка количка играчка на модела и мечтае един ден да седне зад волана на истинския автомобил.
Мечтата се сбъдва преди 18 години в Дубай. В местна автокъща музикантът открива Corvette C3 и го купува за около 9000 долара.
Автомобилът носи всички характерни белези на американската автомобилна индустрия от края на 70-те години. Сред най-разпознаваемите детайли са изскачащите "pop-up“ фарове, а под предния капак работи 5,7-литров V8 двигател с карбуратор.
"The feeling behind the wheel is pure mechanics – without electronic assistants, computer systems or gas delay. Every press of the pedal is a direct reaction from the engine“, says Bobby Valchev.
The pleasure also has its price. The Corvette's fuel consumption reaches about 20 liters per 100 kilometers in the city, and outside it it moves between 11 and 13 liters.
6.5-meter American car
The musician's other great automotive passion is impressive dimensions. While living in Dubai, he decided to buy the largest pickup truck possible. Thus, a Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD appeared in his collection.
The very transportation of the huge machine to Bulgaria turned out to be a serious test. In order to fit the pickup into a standard shipping container, one fender and part of the outer tires had to be removed.
The dimensions explain why - the car is over 6.5 meters long and weighs about 3.5 tons empty. Under the hood is a 6.2-liter V8 with a power of about 400 horsepower, and the tank holds an impressive 140 liters of fuel. The consumption regularly exceeds 20 liters per 100 kilometers.
He repairs his own cars
A curious part of Bobi Valchev's story is that he performs about 80% of the maintenance and repairs on his cars himself.
His interest in mechanics developed out of necessity during his stay in Dubai. The difficulty of finding specialists in classic American cars led him to gradually study the machines and the work under the hood himself.
Over time, this became a second passion.
His collection is not limited to Corvettes and Silverados. Other iconic cars such as the 1967 Ford Mustang, the 1973 Buick Riviera and the 1994 Jaguar XJS have also found a place in the jazzman's garage.
For Valchev, the connection between old cars and music is not accidental.
"Both are from an era in which the human hand is visible, not the machine. With a car, you don't need to know its brand for it to make an impression on the road. Jazz also brings individualism and its own spirit“, says the musician.
Just days after telling the story of his passion for cars, Bobi Valchev will bring the spirit of another era to the stage in Plovdiv.
On October 3, the musician will give a concert at the Ancient Theater, where he will take the audience through different periods in the history and sound of jazz.
With him on stage will be Dimitar Lyolev - saxophone, Todor Bakardzhiev - trumpet, Kiril Zafirov - trombone, Nikolay Popgeorgiev - guitar, Alexander Lekov - bass, and Nacho Gospodinov - drums.
The evening's special guest will be violinist Galina Wilcox.
And the connection between the concert and Bobby Valchev's garage seems natural - whether it's the sound of a saxophone or the growl of an old V8, for him the most important thing is character.