Junkyard Roaming

Shortly after I received my driver’s license at age 16, back in 1972, I became fascinated with junkyards.
Before the EPA got all in a huff about the toxic liabilities of aging junked cars, a visit to the junk yard was for me, like visiting an auto museum.
Spending my summer months on Cape Cod, I had the occasion to visit several area salvage yards regularly.
One yard in particular that I frequently visited, was Marcelline’s in Harwich, MA.
There were two brothers, (whose names I’ve now forgotten), who ran the yard. In order to have full roaming access to the yard, one had to be there when the nicer of the 2 brothers was on duty. The unpleasant brother felt individuals like myself, would be tossing valuable parts over the fence to retrieve later...free of charge...if you know what I mean. The nicer of the two brothers saw me as no threat and told me what days he was working so I could peruse the yard hassle free.
Marcelline’s was an interesting yard and it appeared that they destroyed few of their cars. As one walked farther back into the yard, the cars got older. I remember seeing many 1920’s and 30’s era cars including Ford Model A’s as well as Chevrolets and Buicks standing idly by as they had for many years, complete with their ancient Massachusetts license plates still attached...waiting for someone to rescue them.
I also remember seeing at Marcelline's, a RARE 1947 Hudson pickup truck, a 1956 Cadillac hearse in pretty good shape, an ancient, late 1930's General Motors dump truck and a 1958 Cadillac with a stainless steel top...just to name a few.
Unfortunately, Marcelline's has become a victim of the times and no longer has the vast assortment of collectible vehicles it once had. Very few now survive as most were crushed per EPA regulations.
In future posts I will write about other intriguing Cape Cod junkyards.
If any of you have interesting junkyard stories, feel free to post them here.

History of Auto Air Conditioning

As the "Dog Days Of Summer" approach my area of the world, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, I can't help but appreciate the comfort and convenience of air conditioning...especially in my car. That got me to thinking as to when auto air conditioning first made its appearance.
I found that the first car with an air conditioning system was the 1939 Packard. It consisted of a large evaporator, called a cooling coil which took up the entire trunk. The only control was a blower switch. Packard advertised this mechanical marvel by stating "Forget the heat this summer in the only air-conditioned car in the world."
In 1941 the Cadillac division of General Motors produced approximately 300 cars with air conditioning, which like the Packard, was located in the trunk. The big drawback with Cadillac's air conditioning system was that there was no compressor clutch, which meant the the air conditioning pump would be on whenever the engine was running. To alleviate this, the car's owner had to go under the hood and remove the compressor belt...very inconvenient. Cadillac improved a bit on this after World War II by developing air conditioning controls. The only draw back to this "improved" system was that the Cadillac owner had to climb into the back seat to operate it as the controls were mounted on the shelf behind the rear seat.
Chrysler offered air conditioning, on a limited basis in 1942. It was similar to the Packard design and three 1942 DeSotos with this system are still known to exist. Chrysler made it's "Airtemp" air conditioning system available for it's luxury cars starting in 1953.
It wouldn't be until 1954 that an efficient and affordable air conditioning unit could be mass produced for the auto industry. Credit for that goes to the Harrison Radiator Division of General Motors.
GM first equipped it's 1954 Pontiacs with this new system which used a magnetic clutch, so when it was not in use, no power was needed to drive the compressor. This improved performance and fuel economy...no delving under the hood or into the back seat with this system.
It was noted by some however, that the Chrysler "Airtemp" system was a better design because it ran quieter and unlike the GM system which had plastic air distribution tubes mounted on the shelf behind the rear seat, Chrysler's system had small, flat ducts located behind the rear seat that directed cool air toward the ceiling of the car, preventing the air from blowing directly at passengers. By 1955 Chrysler's "Airtemp" system was available on all it's car models.
Not much has been written about Ford's air conditioning attempts, but by 1956 air conditioning was offered on most Ford models. Ford's Select-Aire was a factory installed system and early models directed air through the vents just below the windshield. In 1958 Ford's air conditioning system was redesigned and cooled air was now rerouted through vents below the dashboard. Ford also offered a dealer installed air conditioner called Polar-Aire which was a stand-alone hang-on unit.


As comfortable as air conditioning was, it wasn't a frequently ordered accessory until the late 70's, when it became the reliable and efficient system we are familiar with today. It is estimated the 90% of cars manufactured today have air conditioning.

Family Trips In The Dodge

One of the lasting memories I have as a kid, is traveling in our 1960 Dodge wagon as we made our annual pilgrimage to Cape Cod for the summer or visited my grandparents during the holidays in Worcester, MA.
I should add here that, during the time my parents owned the Dodge there was a total of 8 family members plus our dog Candy, on these treks.
Most times I chose the last seat in the back…you know, the one that always faced the traffic. I could be somewhat removed from my peskier brothers sitting back there.
Most of them were prone to car sickness when traveling in the “way back seat” as they called it, so they avoided that seat like the plague. So I pretty much had it to myself, except when Candy decided to join me.
That Dodge really earned its keep over the years. Not only did it haul us to the Cape for seven consecutive summers, it also towed a 15 foot boat and motor. During these road treks, the car wasn’t the only thing fully packed. The boat itself also served double duty as a utility trailer and was packed bow to stern with assorted summer vacation necessities.
When we visited my grandparents during the Easter and Thanksgiving holidays, my Dad would always stop, at the same Cities Service gas station on Rt. 9 in Auburn. Sitting in the “way back seat” I actually had a front row account of what went on. I remember the sound of the gas traveling down the filler tube, that fresh gas aroma, the ding as each gallon passed by and the mesmerizing effect of the spinning balls on the gas pump that indicated that the gas was quality mixed or some other public relations promo.
The summer of 1967 was the last summer we traveled to the Cape in that Dodge. My parents, who by now had bought a second car, split the passenger list between the two cars and I got to ride up front with my Dad in the Dodge.
Now I’m sure many of you, like me, associate a certain song with a certain memory.
For me I will always associate “Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett with the sight of a heavily smoking 1951 Studebaker. That car was in front of us, spewing its heavy plume of blue smoke as we approached the Branford, Conn. tolls, that summer of 1967. This song happened to be on the radio as I spotted this spectacle and is now forever recalled in my mind every time I hear “Midnight Hour.”

Collectible Cars and HIGH Gas Prices

With the ever increasing price of gasoline, there has been much talk lately, among collectible car owners as to how best to weather these increases.

When my 1965 Thunderbird was new, the average price of (leaded) premium gas was about 32 cents per gallon. Well, leaded premium has now gone the way of 32 cents per gallon gas…into the “Twilight Zone.”

The best way to economically use a collectible car today is to keep it well tuned, for optimal performance. One thing that should not be overlooked in addition to keeping the mechanics of a car well tuned, is to make sure the tires are properly inflated. Poorly inflated tires increase rolling resistance making the car work harder and in turn, less efficiently. In addition, the use of high demand accessories such as air conditioning can also rob a car of its peak economical performance.

The last time I did a fuel mileage check with combined highway and city driving, I found I was averaging 19 mpg. Not bad for a 43 year old Thunderbird with 300 hp. I should note that I kept my highway speeds at 60 mph.

I was asked recently by several people, what economical collectible car I would buy today if I was in the market for one. I told them that first and foremost, I would look for a car that touted itself as economical “back in the day.” A few cars that come to mind include the VW Bug, the Chevrolet Corvair, the Studebaker Lark, the Ford Falcon, the Rambler American and the Chevy Nova. These cars could be had with either a 4 or 6 cylinder engine and while you wouldn’t get breakneck acceleration with any of these, you could at least afford to “tool around” in them without going broke. Also, the cars I just mentioned are easily maintained as most parts are easy to come by.

It a safe bet to say that the collectible car that many of us will be driving in the future, will most likely be an economical one.

1957 Ford Commercials

This month I thought I'd show some VERY rare Ford TV commercials from 1957. What makes these so rare is that they're in color.
It is probably safe to say that most Americans only saw these in black and white, as color TV was still a very new medium. Few shows were broadcast in color and even fewer people could afford them.
Limited production for the '57 Ford, where the assembly line was tested (for safety and efficiency) prior to full production, began in late August of 1956 and full production started the first week of September. The last '57 Ford passenger car was built on September 27, 1957 and the last actual '57 Ford to roll off the assembly line was a Thunderbird on December 13, 1957.
Total production for the 1957 Ford numbered 1,674,448 units, with the Custom 300 Fordor Sedan being the most produced model, numbering 194,677 cars.
So now, lets go back to a time when these 1957 Fords were brand new cars being introduced to the public. Notice how Ford promoted these cars as part of an active lifestyle.

Happy Birthday Dad

Today, were he alive, my Dad would have turned 81.
Among all the happy memories I have of him is the first car I remember him driving.
Early on in his driving career, my Dad, like his Dad, favored Fords. Every car purchase my Grandfather made was a Ford from 1953 until he died in 1978...but that's a story for another time.
I remember Dad telling me of a brand new 1954 Ford he had only 2 weeks before a near head on collision on Rt. 9 in Charlton, MA. totaled it. He told me that immediately after the accident the first thing he remembers doing after checking to see if he was okay (which he was), was turning off the radio.
Now the first car I remember him driving and riding with him in, was a 1955 Ford Victoria.
My Dad's early Ford purchases were made at MacSherry Ford in Shrewsbury, MA.
At first he considered replacing his totaled '54 Ford with a new Ford model called the Thunderbird. Jim MacSherry the owner of the dealership and a good friend, told my Dad that he wasn't sure about the Thunderbird with it being a new model and he also didn't think it would hold it's value. Little did he know...
The car my Dad did end up buying was black with a white top and a red and white interior. As for options...I can see from pictures I have of this car, that it had automatic transmission (Fordomatic) and can see that it also had a radio and sported white sidewall tires.
My Dad and Mom honeymooned in this car and it stayed in our family until November of 1959, at which time my parents decided that a larger car was needed for their growing family. It was traded in at Nanuet (N.Y.) Dodge and replaced by a 1960 Dodge Dart Pioneer wagon.

Tips On Cleaning Your Collectible Car

For me there are few things more satisfying in life, than to stand back after several hours of washing and waxing one my cars and admiring all that hard labor.

My grandfather once remarked to me that a car actually seemed to run better after it was washed and waxed. I know what he means and I'm sure many of you share the same feeling.
Now considering that my collectible cars sit all winter covered, in a garage, the first washing of the year isn’t as extensive as a cleaning for my everyday cars would be.
If you followed the advice in my last post regarding checking your collectible car’s
mechanical items after its winter sleep, you’re now ready to do the detailed cleaning.

In this post I will deal with the cleaning your car’s exterior. Be prepared to put aside a couple of hours. Something like this should not be rushed. Whenever I do a detailed exterior cleaning on any of my cars, new or old, I plan on at least 2 hours for each car. I usually end up doing only one car on a given day. That way I don’t feel rushed.

First and foremost NEVER wash or wax a car in the sun, or when the paint is hot. I think the reasons behind this pretty much speak for themselves.
Before you start, thoroughly hose down the car from top to bottom with cool water. This removes any loose dirt and cools the paint’s surface (if it was out in the sun), to an acceptable level.
I use a soap specifically designed for car washing...one that's ph balanced. I do not recommend that you use dishwashing soap as it contains alkalies that can remove wax and strip the oils right out of paint.
I also don’t use the soaps that have a wax in them as I prefer to apply the wax myself.
When washing a car do so with a soft mitt or sponge and rinse mitt or sponge often to remove dirt. Wash only one or two panels at a time. Don’t rush the job by trying to wash an entire side of your vehicle before rinsing off the soap. You do not want soap to dry on your car, it leaves streaks and dulls the finish. Remember to rinse the wheel well area as well.
When you’ve finished washing the car do NOT let it air dry, you will end up with water spots that can be hard to remove. Dry off the car with soft terrycloth. Be sure to dry off the windows as they will also spot if left to air dry.

Now inspect the paint for tree sap, tar or other surface stains. Remove them with a product like Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover. Once again, be sure to use a soft terry cloth when applying.
If your car is a dark color and there are swirl marks or light surface scratches in the paint, you may want to use a glaze before applying wax. A glaze will lessen the appearance of such marks and deepen the shine.

Next is waxing. I prefer a wax such as Meguier's. Although there really is no difference in durability, I prefer a paste wax. I recommend that you wax one panel at a time. Letting the haze set up, then hand buffing it away before moving on to the next panel. This will allow you to do a more complete job and at the same time, prevent you from getting overtired which could lead to rushing the job, resulting in a less than satisfactory job.
When the entire car is completely waxed I recommend that you lightly spray your car with water and wipe dry. This helps to remove any wax dust that might have accumulated on the paint surface.

Lastly, I detail the tires with a product that gives a slight gloss to the tires. Not only does this add the final touch to a clean car it also helps protect your tires from the sun's UV rays that could lead to cracking.

Now after all that hard work, shower up then go show off your car.

Spring Awakening

The other morning while leaving for work, I heard a sound I hadn’t heard since last fall…the sound of birds singing. After a somewhat mild and relatively snow free winter here in my corner of the world (Cape Cod, Mass.), I’m looking forward to spring’s arrival. Not only for the warm weather it brings, but also for opportunity it affords me to prepare my collectible cars for another driving season.

My 1965 Thunderbird was built in March of 1966, 42 years ago this month, while my 1991 Coupe De Ville is experiencing its 17^th spring. Both cars spent the winter in my garage after being “winter prepped’ (see my December 2007 article) and were started periodically. I am now anxious to clean and wax them, but first I must prepare them for another driving season.

Before storing them last November I topped off their gas tanks and added a fuel preservative called Stabil. Now…some people recommend that you flush out your fuel system and replace all the gas in the spring. Considering that regular gas is approaching $ 3.50 a gallon as of this writing, I find that wasteful. If you added a fuel stabilizer last fall there is no reason to do that. However, if you feel the need to replace the gas anyway, don’t dispose of it as is recommended, use it for your lawn mower, tractor or chain saw.

The next thing I do is flush the cooling system. Even though they have rust inhibitors, antifreeze products can use those same rust inhibitors to spread the very rust they’ve removed, through your engine after a long winter’s sleep. Aside from the fact that I run both my cars to normal operating temperature several times during the winter, I feel it’s just safer to just replace the coolant…for peace of mind.

Changing the oil and filter in both my cars is the next step I undertake. Even though both cars received fresh oil and filters last fall before going into winter storage, oil will absorb moisture over time and become acidic, especially with an engine in storage. This will cause corrosion if not changed.

Next is the battery. I keep a “trickle” charger on both my car batteries during the winter which allow the battery to maintain its charge. For those of you who may not know how a trickle charger works, what it does is charge a battery at the same rate as its discharging, which is something car batteries do when they’re not being used. This maintains the battery with a constant full charge. Cold weather especially robs an unused battery of its power and constant recharging of a dead battery with a regular battery charger can shorten its life.

Check under your car for any leaks. While every older car has some leaks, a good size puddle or stain is a warning sign that all is not well and this matter should be addressed promptly. You wouldn’t want your transmission to disintegrate as you cruised down the street. Or even worse, find out you have no braking ability.

Also check that all tires are properly inflated.

If you’ve left the air cleaner on your carburetor all winter, be sure to first check them to see if mice have used them for nesting. You don’t want any nesting material getting down in the carb when you start the car. Be sure to unblock your exhaust pipe(s) if you covered them to prevent mice.

When starting you car for the first time in the spring, don’t rev the engine. Give it a chance to slowly warm up. Make your first cruise a short and slow one. After 20 minutes or so return home and check under the hood and once again under the car.

Then hook up the hose, get the soap and thoroughly clean her up. Apply a good quality wax after drying and be sure to detail the tires also. Then tackle the interior using a good quality vinyl or leather cleaner and preservative, remembering to also thoroughly vacuum the carpeting.

In a future installment, I will discuss how to properly detail your collectible car.

The Mysterious Building

There is a building on Rt. 28 in Harwichport, Massachusetts that has been abandoned for as far back as I can remember. In all the years I’ve gone by it, the windows were always boarded up and there was no activity of any sort going on. It was, for lack of a better explanation, a dead building with no apparent maintenance ever being done on it...allowing it to slowly deteriorate as the years went by.

I remember my Uncle Billy telling me, many, many years ago, that this building, built in 1935, once housed a Packard Dealership. Later inquiries seemed to confirm this. It was also later owned by a chemist who did research within its walls. That’s all that was really known about this building, that is …until February of this year.

Several Saturdays ago I was driving to Harwichport to visit my Mom. As I drove by this abandoned relic, I noticed something unusual…activity. I immediately turned around and boldly drove onto the property. There I found a guy with a pickup truck and an attached trailer, parked near the garage door of this building. What sat directly behind this trailer was a relic from motoring’s past, seeing its first glimpse of sunlight in many years. It was a 1930 Ford Model A. Aside from the car itself, what also caught my eye was that one of the tires on this vehicle was a (non appropriate) 1950’s vintage Firestone white wall tire, whose white wall belt still remained very much white.

When I questioned the "pick up truck" guy about the Model A, he told me it was one of three vehicles that sat in that building for at least 52 years. All three of those vehicles were last registered in 1956 as was evident by their 1956 Massachusetts license plates. The other vehicles sharing the darkness for all those years with the Model A included another Ford Model A and the remnants of a 1930's Ford hot rod conversion. The car he was getting ready to trailer to his house (shown in the above picture) was the last car out of the building. The other two vehicles had been removed earlier in the week. Unfortunately, I was unable to venture into this building as another gentleman with the key had just left.

It’s amazing that this building remained undisturbed all this time. It was in a sense a time capsule which held three vehicles in its grasp until February of 2008.
The building is now for sale and will most likely be torn down, which is a shame as it has become a bit of a landmark here. Every time I drive by that building I always glance over at it and it's as if I can almost hear it saying, 'I’m still here.'

Collectible Car Insurance

With spring right around the corner, many of us are getting anxious to start cruising in our collectible cars once again.

Of course before you take that car out on the road, you’ll have to give it the once over in order to see how it fared through the winter and make any necessary repairs to insure care free driving. Speaking of insuring, lets talk about insuring your collectible car.

Some collectible car owners think the easiest way to insure their classic car is to add it to their family auto insurance policy…this could be a very costly mistake. Your average auto insurance agent doesn't have a clue about what your classic car is really worth and will attempt to offer you the lowest possible value if the vehicle is totaled. An insurance agent needs to know enough about the classic car market to help you secure a reasonable limit of insurance, guaranteeing what you'll be paid in the event of a total loss.

Before you go out and look for the best collectible car insurance quote, there are several factors that you have to determine. Will you be driving the car year-round, or is it a vehicle that only is out on warm summer weekends ? Another important consideration is the amount of miles you intend to drive. Some insurance companies will limit your driving miles in order to get special insurance rates. Others will restrict you from driving your collectible car as basic transportation. So decide ahead of time what your planned usage will be. Once you’ve made these determinations, your next step is to have your car appraised by a professional appraiser to determine its true value. You can find a reputable appraiser through the International Automotive Appraisers Association. (http://www.auto-appraisers.com/ )

There are three types of automobile insurance coverage offered for the total loss of your vehicle. Actual Cash Value, Stated Value, and Agreed Value. Actual Cash Value coverage is what insures most everyday cars and pays out a depreciated “book value” in the event of a claim. The older a car is with an Actual Cash Value policy, the less value it has. Some insurance companies offer Stated Value policies for collectibles. These policies are better than Actual Cash Value because they allow you to state a value for your vehicle that is greater than its depreciated "book value." However, Stated Value can still depreciate vehicles because the policies generally require the insurance company only to pay up to the stated amount. Only Agreed Value insurance policies guarantee you will get all of your money back in the event of a total loss. This is the coverage you should choose for your collectible car. Get the Agreed Value in writing, and keep pictures of the car as evidence in case you ever need to file a claim.

You can find reputable insurers for your collectible car through such magazines as:

Hemmings (http://www.hemmings.com/)

Old Cars Weekly (http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/GeneralMenu/)

If you drive more than occasionally, ask for a policy with no mileage limit. If you drive less frequently, ask for a lower-priced policy with a sufficient limit. Find out what restrictions your insurance company places on your policy and be sure to follow them. You'll lessen your risk of rejected claims and keep your classic car covered.

You may also qualify for discounts if you belong to car or travel clubs. Check with your agent to see if your membership in one or more of these organizations entitles you to an additional rate reduction

Mom's First Car

Early spring of 1951 found my mother in her second year of teaching grammar school at Calvin Coolidge Elementary School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. It was a job she would keep until she married in April of 1955.
Not having a car of her own at this time, she would get a ride to and from work with a co-worker who lived up the street. This went on for several years until she decided that spring of ’51, that she had saved up enough money and that it was time for her to finally get her own car.

Worcester’s big Ford dealer back then (and still today) Harr Ford, had a car that caught her eye…a 1951 Ford Custom convertible. The car was not the lot and would have to be ordered. So after haggling on a price, she signed the required paperwork. Mom remembers that the purchase price was around $3000.00. She also remembers that she had to make two colors choices when she ordered. Her first choice of color, was turquoise exterior with a black interior. Her second choice was just the opposite…a black exterior with a turquoise interior. The salesman told her it would be several weeks before a new shipment of cars arrived and he would call her. The call from Harr Ford came two weeks later, her car had arrived. Unfortunately it was her second color choice, but that didn't matter, she was anxious to get her new car. The next day after being "dealer prepped" Mom drove off the Harr Ford lot in her shiny new Ford.

The passage of time has dimmed some of my mom’s memories of that car, but she did remember that it was V-8 with manual transmission (three on the tree). It also had a radio, heater and white wall tires, all of which were options back then.

Mom also remembers that the first weekend she had the car she drove to Cape Cod, where her parents had a cottage. She said the most lasting memory she has of that car is of driving with the top down and the wind blowing through her hair. She recently stated, “it really was a beautiful car, I loved driving it”
My Mom kept that car until just before she married. My (future) Dad suggested they sell it as his car was newer and bigger...he had a 1954 Ford.
I would like to think that Mom's car is still around, but the law of averages goes against that. She sold it to the police chief of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts who just happened to be her friend's father.

Through the years she told me she had taken pictures of that car, but didn’t know what became of them. Then several years ago while going thru some long forgotten color slides there it was…the very car…her ’51 Ford in glorious Kodachrome color. Those slides probably hadn’t seen the light of day since Eisenhower was president, but now I had before my eyes, pictures of my Mom and her brand new 1951 Ford taken on an early spring day in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Two of those pictures can be seen at the top of this posting.

She is right...it was a beautiful car.

Future Collectibles

Over the years, I’ve had many of my friends ask me what late model cars I thought might be the future collectibles. I tell them that there are several factors that go into such a determination.

First of all, a car doesn’t necessarily have to have been a popular car in its day to be a collectible…look at the Edsel.

Almost any car will appreciate in value as time goes on, if it’s well cared for. However, vehicles like early Thunderbirds and Corvettes, appreciated faster because of their popularity and the mystique surrounding them.

Production numbers and the passage of time, also have a hand in a collectible car’s value. A general rule of thumb dictates that, like anything else, the fewer there are…the more they’re worth. After all, when was the last time you saw an AMC Pacer ??

As is the case with all collectible cars, the ones that look their best, have the most options, are as original as possible and have low miles, will appreciate faster.

If I had the money and the garage space, these are some cars I would seriously consider purchasing right now:

2002 – 2005 Thunderbird - Production numbers were low for all years of this model with only 9,548 vehicles being sold in 2005.

1988 Pontiac Fiero GT - The 1988 Fiero is considered by many to be the best model produced. Earlier models were plagued with mechanical issues and were underpowered. I also feel this was the best looking version of Fiero's 4 year run.

1962 Cadillac Eldorado – IMHO…the best looking of the ’61 to ‘64 year model run. Although these cars are already fetching high prices in mint condition, there are still some bargains to be found.

1960 - 1967 Ford Country Squire - This is a good looking and reliable vehicle that’s appreciating as the collectible station wagon market grows. The 1960 model is very rare and in mint condition, commands the highest prices of any year.

In a future installment I will give tips on how to purchase a collectible car.

Our First Station Wagon

If you’re like me, cars played a big part of your “growing up years.”

One of my earliest childhood memories was car related and goes back to when I was just three years old. My parents were trading in their 1955 Ford Victoria for a brand new 1960 Dodge Dart Pioneer wagon. Our family was growing and Mom and Dad surmised that with child number four on the way, fitting the four of us plus themselves comfortably into that Ford sedan, was no longer possible.

My earliest memory involves peering over the front seat as a mechanic with slightly greasy fingers showed my Mom how to operate our new Dodge’s push button transmission. As we pulled away from Nanuet Dodge, on that rainy November evening in 1959, I spotted, our ’55 Ford over in the corner of the lot minus its license plates, looking forlorn and abandoned.

The Dodge was our first family station wagon and was by all accounts, a pretty basic, no frills wagon. The exterior was light blue with a white roof. The interior was dark gray and the upholstery was white and black vinyl. There was no carpet, but instead heavy duty rubber. There were two things that I distinctly remember about that car. One was a red bowtie type badge in the center of the steering wheel that indicated that this car was equipped with power steering. The other was the radio dial that had a red ball as a tuning indicator instead of the usual red bar.

That Dodge was with us for seven years and really earned its keep. It also became in a way, a member of the family. It took us to Cape Cod in the summer, hauling not only 6 kids, a dog, my parents and our luggage, but also a 15 foot boat and trailer on that four and a half hour trek. It also took us to visit our grandparents during the Thanksgiving and Easter holidays and was the vehicle chosen to bring home two more new members of the family from the hospital after their birth.

Our trustworthy Dodge was also there in the spring of 1964 when we picked up our first family dog, a playful beagle puppy we named Princess. Two years later it was the Dodge that transported Princess on her final ride to the veterinarian after she was hit by a car. In the fall of 1967 that same Dodge would help us bring a new puppy home.

By the fall of 1967, our faithful wagon was starting to show its age both physically and mechanically and my Dad didn’t feel as secure as he once did about us arriving to our appointed destinations.

So, almost eight years to the day it left Nanuet Dodge, our reliable friend left our driveway for the last time. My Dad had sold it for $350.00 to a house painter who appreciated its cavernous interior. The Dodge was replaced with another Chrysler product, a brand new 1968 Plymouth Custom Suburban station wagon.

I saw the Dodge one more time several years later in a junkyard atop several other cars. It was truly a sad sight and a less then befitting ending for such a loyal friend