1954 Pontiac Cheiftan sedan

Reading this blog might lead you to believe I was a foolish young man. You would be correct! My next car was a 1954 Pontiac. It was as clean as a whistle and didn’t have a visible flaw. The straight 8 engine was silky quiet, the radio worked great, the the most impressive feature was that the Indian head hood ornament lit up at night when the lights were on. It’s amber lense really made it stand out! How cool was that?

I should have known better, it was at a local used car lot, and only $45. I am not sure of the price but I am very sure it was under $100. Problem? No title. No title? No problem. At least that’s what the used car guy said. I took the Pontiac and he took my money and told me to “check back in a couple of weeks” and the title would be there. After all it had to come from Utah or some other far off place. After hearing numerous stories about why he still did not have a title yet, I finally convinced him to give my money back and I was off the hook. ( My angry father wating in his truck outside the used car office could have swayed the guy in my favor..)

I only drove the car home and a few hundred yards near my parents house and then back to the used car lot but it was a nice car and I loved it. I have never considered repeating that mistake.

Royce

 

1950 Olds 98 sedan

Man, what a boat! I loved this car the moment I saw it. I had sold the ‘53 Ford and needed a car and for less than $200 I was back in business. My Olds was jet black. All the chrome was in excellent shape, the interior was perfect, had great tires, and everthing worked. It should have occured to me that something was amiss because the selling price was so very low…but nope, never a thought and I took it home.

Shortly after buying this fine automobile I asked a gal out for a ballgame at a high school across town and she accepted. I went to her house (perhaps 2 miles) to the game ( about 10 miles ) then to McDonalds ( 8 miles ) and then back to her home (2 miles ).  After a staggering  $3.00 of gasoline ( about $.40 per gal if that much ) and 3 quarts of oil I was back in front of my house. I’m guessing that the trusty ‘98 was clocking about 4 or 5 mpg and a quart of oil each 8 miles.

I kept this one only about a week and a sucker pal just had to have it and offered me what I had paid. Never mind that most of it I charged to him and never was paid. At least I no longer had that refinery on wheels.

They say you live and learn…but did I?

Royce

1951 Ford ragtop

One of my friends came to visit one summer day riding with a friend in a sky blue 1951 Ford convertible. It was a beauty. It had those pretty Olds, spinner hubcaps, two chrome exhaust tips, and I loved it.

I was shocked but very pleased when the fellow offered to trade the ‘51 for my ‘53 even up. In my youthful ignorance I did not have a clue that something must be amiss. After all I reasoned, my car is two years newer. Never mind it was an ugly pale green with primer on the right rear and now on the right front thanks to a rock that had leaped from the side of the road, dented my fender, and then managed to return to its place like magic. ( I just saw that rock two weeks ago and I’m still mad at it! )

I gave the boy my keys and my title and he gave me his. I thought I had made the trade of the century! I could hardly wait to drive the thing (It didn’t occur to me that I should have driven it before I traded ) and show it off to my buddies. Soon I learned that the only cloth on the convertable top was in fact the boot. Now I owned a car with no top in Western North Carolina and winter was just a few months away.

The final straw was when I started home after a few minute drive I discovered that the only way I could get the ‘51 back up the mountain where I lived was to back up the mountain. (The “Fordomatic” transmission had a lower grea ratio in reverse than in low going forward )This beautiful car had a sick flat head V-8 with an automatic transmission. It would not have pulled a sick hen off her nest.

After some frantic phone calls and threats the young boy returned with my trusty ‘53 Mainline hot water six and we traded back, shook hands, and I never saw him again. I learned some valuable lessons doing that car trade.

• If it sounds too good to be true it an’t
• drive it first stupid!
• check it over from bumper to bumper (a lesson not quite learned yet as my experience with a ‘56 Pontiac will clearly show )
• don’t let greed cloud your thinking.

Royce

 

My first car…1953 Ford

I was just over 16 years old and itchin’ to have my very own car. I found a 1946 Ford sedan at a local used car lot but before I could return with my dad to buy it, it was gone. I was so disappointed.

A few days later I spotted this green 1953 Ford on the back row of the used car lot at Parkland Chevrolet in Asheville, N.C. The rear bumper was in the back seat with the end sticking out of the left rear window. Someone had removed it to do some minor body work on the right rear under the deck lid and tail light. The reddish primer in that area stood out like a sore thumb up against the pale green paint of the car.

I really wanted this car for one huge reason. My freind’s older brother delivered dry cleaning in a 1953 Ford panel truck equipped with a 300 six cylinder and three speed standard transmission. That dry cleaning truck would do about 55 in 2nd gear and “get rubber” in all three gears, that is if the clutch was adjusted just right. I knew the Ford 300 six was already legendary for being fast and dependable.

My dad came back later that day with me and the moment I started up Cox Ave I knew this was the car for me. At the first opportunity and out of earshot of my dad and the salesman, I speed shifted from low to 2nd gear and it did not disappoint me, the screeching of burning rubber was music to my ears.

I drove the ‘53 for about 2 years. It was affectionately named “The green Mariah” by my friends. I abused that car about as much as any young boy can and it never used any oil, got great mileage, and was as dependable as they get. After trading it for a 1951 Ford convertible and then trading back again, I sold the car to a guy who worked for the legendary Banjo Matthews. The engine, just as it had been removed from the car, was installed into a dirt car which won the feature at Greenville Pickins Speedway the next Saturday night.

Of all the wheels I’ve owned the trusty 1953 Ford Mainline was one of the very best. If I could get my hands on a really good one I might just own another one.

Royce