We recently had the pleasure of covering an interior restoration on a classic 1969 Cadillac that once belonged to Kay Stevens. Ken Boler spent a few weeks with the car, tearing apart the interior and refinishing the vinyl, leather, plastic, and carpeted panels with ColorBond Paints. ColorBond finishes are engineered to bond with the materials and provide a like-new finish that replicates installing new upholstery, but costing thousands less.

Ken Bolen working on the Rat Pack Cadillac, earning his way to the first CLeo award from ColorBond.

When the car was finished, it turned out incredible and took on a whole new attitude with the class and dignity to once again run with the infamous Rat Pack crowd that Stevens used to hang with, like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. The car has a storied past, and when Stevens bought the car the man on her arm at the time was pro football Hall of Famer Joe Namath, who had also spent some time behind the wheel of the car.

With all of the stories and the history of the car, and the incredible job that Bolen did to restore the entire interior, it prompted Malcolm Johnson, CEO of ColorBond Automotive Paint, to award Bolen the very first CLeo award for Interior Restoration.

The project began with the purchase of the car, and after the body and paint work was done Bolen tackled the interior. This included carpeting, seats, trim panels, dash, and even the convertible boot. The end result is a Cadillac that looks as good as the day it was purchased those decades ago.

The CLeo Award, and the man who inspired it, Leo Kagan.

The CLeo award is a crystal trophy awarded to an individual who has utilized ColorBond paints to restore the interior of any type of truck or automobile. The award was established to honor Mr. Leo Kagan, who is the man responsible for bringing the annual automotive aftermarket trade show, SEMA, from its former location to Las Vegas in 1977. Mr. Kagan is 98 years old now, and still continues to work for ColorBond Automotive Paint.

Next year, the CLeo award will be presented at the SEMA show where the winner will receive a $500 check and the opportunity to display their restored car.

Learn more about Ken’s restoration at the ColorBond Blog site, and visit the ColorBond website to see the entire arsenal of interior restoration finishes for seats, carpets, dashes, trim panels… and much more!