In April of 1959 this was my very first car, a 2-Door Hardtop, cost me $900 and was only 6 years old.
Mine had a Pea green body with a dark green roof. Straight 8 engine, with Overdrive - stick shift. The push button radio had a rear speaker and a fader control. No A/C nor Power Steering - was a Bitch to park ! Rolled and pleated leather seats. It was a girl magnet !
Just remembered - bought a “Suicide Knob” with a “Hoochy-Koochy” gal on it at Western Auto and mounted it on steering wheel. It had a button though to swing it down out of the way.
I used to cruise through Gino’s restaurant on Patapsco Avenue in Brooklyn, and Ameche’s in both Glen Burnie and Route 40 West . Ingleside Avenue. Had to let all the other guys eat their hearts out, seeing the cute chick in My Car !
From September 1960 to March 1961 - for 6 months I was on Active Duty in U. S. Army Reserves it was jacked up and sitting on blocks in Dad’s garage. This kept pressure off the tires so they would not dry rot !
When I returned in March, my Buddy, Wayne Knell, a good mechanic, did a major tune-up on her in exchange for the Title to Dad’s 1946 Chevrolet. It had belonged to Uncle Ben Tully and Aunt Honey gave it to Dad when Ben passed on. Dad never drove it !
It was parked in the garage for many years. The battery was under the driver’s seat, It had a long metal Crank that you inserted in a hole in the front grill, and after several attempts that old gal would kick over !
Several times my Buddies and I tuned her up, after making sure she had gas and an oil change, and points and condenser in the distributor, and 6 new spark plugs. She purred like a kitten then. Never ever left the garage though until Wayne took her home. He lived up on Johnson Street, directly across from Riverside Park.
After he tuned her and drove her awhile, he sold her for a nice price. Wayne had a knack for making extra money by buying old Clunkers, and then scavenging them by selling parts - engine, transmission, tires, seats, whatever - then selling the chassis to a Junk Yard - they towed away !
Years before, when I was only 16, he had a 1946 Ford Coupe ( 49 Merc engine ) with a Rumble Seat in the back, and a door panel to the rear seat. He used to put a tapped quarter keg of beer, all iced down in the rear. It had a rubber hose Tap for access from the rear seat. Really convenient and concealed for summer beach parties !
Many many double dates with Wayne and two gals. Drive-In Movies at both Governor Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie and Carlins Park in Woodlawn. Speakers mounted on poles that were hung on your window, and electric heaters in the wintertime. Back then, they were known as “Passion Pits” !
I fondly remember now that in the summer of 1959 going to see “Ben Hur” in Glen Burnie. A double date, with a case of cold beer in the trunk.
My date that night was a cute Blonde, Joyce Thompson, who lived a block away, up on Byrd Street.
I ran into her 42 years later, in 2001 at Maynard’s Sports Bar in Brooklyn, she was a D. J. then, and looking great ! She was walking up on top of the bar, singing Karaoke !
Ah - the true stories I could tell ! Happy times with camaraderie and good clean Fun !
“Fun to wander through sweet memories with you..”
Pax Tecum ✌️
