Lying to old ladies about my cars.

I have lived next door to mother-in-law for 37 years. For the past 3 years I have been her chauffeur and I do what ever is needed to help her stay independent and in her home. Occasionally we get to talking about when she was young. One time she was telling me how much fun it was when she was first married and starting a family, she didn't have to tell me what kind of fun she was talking about, I could see it in her eyes. My father-in-law must have rocked her world pretty good! It was rather funny because she has always been such a straight laced lady around me.
I've gotten a lot of the "I/We had one just like that questions, but the one that always gets me is when asked how long I've been married a guy will invariably say "40 years all to one woman?" "Yeah, it ain't a cumulative thing, I wasn't married to 10 different women for 4 years each!"
Congratulations on 60 years! I've got to ask though, what did that beautiful young woman see in you? (I know, women love a man in uniform)

 

I had my hemi T with six leaky old 94s on top and the spark plug covers on the valve covers.I took it to the local show and shine. For a joke I put a sign on the wind shield, it read,"Clean air machine, no spark plugs, six air filters and only two tail pipes." After walking around for a while looking at all the other rides I went back to my own car and there was an elderly lady standing in front of my T reading the sign.When she saw me she asked ,How does it run without sparkplugs? I fessed up.

 

We were on a rod run in Walla Walla, WA. some years ago which led us by the prison there in our '31 Ford 2dr. phaeton resto rod. Raked, chrome wires, candy apple root beer over a burgendy base, some outstanding striping on the fenders which were several shades darker than the body and a 2.5" chopped tan canvas top. As we crossed the railroad tracks, a kind of down & outer hollered out at us " Drove one just like over the Rockies" So there you Go! DYNO DAVE

 

Amazes me that so many folks call any hot rod a "roadster" including mine. I politely tell them the difference or say nothing at all, depending on the situation.

 

I love the stories so I thought I would through out one that happened to me. One day about 20 years ago my friend and I were down town in Colorado Springs running errands in his 37 olds 4dr. We came out of the building we were stopping at to find an elderly lady looking at the car. As we walked up to it she turns and asks if the car belonged to us and Frank said that yes it was his. She proceeded to tell us she had a lot of memories in a car similar to Franks. Frank asked her if she would like to sit in it for a minute or so and she said yes. Frank then opened the passenger side door. Just then she opened the passenger side rear door and jumped in. Frank says to her "you don't have to sit in the back" to which she replied, "Oh honey, most of my memories were here in the back!". Frank and I turned beet red as she got out and thanked Frank for his indulgence. That has to be one of my favorite memories of time spent with my friend. He''s gone now but that will always be with me.

 

For me The BEST comments are not comments at all.
When your sitting in a parking lot, gas station, store or whatever and you spot a child eyeballing your car, ask them if they want to sit in it and have mom or Dad take their picture. Then watch their eyes light up. Dont forget to get Mommy or Daddys permission first.

 

Absolutely,I have done this more times than I can remember,I have even given kids & adults a ride around the block.

I posted this in the past but it is appropriate to the thread.

I was talking to a friend I have known for a few years and after the conversation a man walks up to me and ask if I remember who he is?

I say,," I'm sorry,I can't say that I do",,,He introduced himself to me and my wife and said that I took him for a ride in my Model A pickup and that he was a kid at that time,,,,and that ride was something that he still remembers to this day.

He remembered more about that truck than I do,,he also said that was the reason he is building a 31 roadster pickup,,,

He never said how many years ago that was but I kinda figure it was at least 23 years ago and the last time I saw him,,to be honest I really didn't remember taking him for a ride in the truck but I have always offered rides trying to light a flame if someone shows an interest,,,young or old.

I have done a lot of things that people remember me for,,,some regretfully not good,,,,,but meeting a guy who said he has a love for old cars because I took the time to take him for a ride in a hot rod and tell him about my truck made me feel a little uneasy and happy at the same time.

Just goes to show ya,,,what goes around comes around,,,,HRP __________________

 

This.

 

You are car???

 

Ok, let me add my story to this thread. Happened about 5 years ago. I drove my newly finished OT '76 Porsche 911 into the little village of Sierra Madre for lunch. It was looking good. A very old man in his 90's being helped to walk by his son who was probably in his 70's came up and complimented the car then said, "I had an early Carrera, do you know what those are? Not the things they call that now?" I said thanks and yes I DO know what an original 356 Carrera dual cam is, they're wonderful cars.

He asked me if it knew what one was worth today and I said not really but they're basically priceless to the average person. He stood there for a minute then blurted out, "Goddamit, I get SO PISSED OFF every time I think of that car and you mother making me sell it! Sonovab!tch"

 

I had a first this year. While at a big Midwest Car Show a complete "Car Idiot" (you know the kind) asked me what kind of gas mileage the Model "A" Sedan got? I told him it depended on how you drove it but I averaged around 35 mpg. He said that's better then my Taurus! I just let him walk away...

A while later he was back with his wife trying to sell her on letting him build a hot rod because they weren't as bad on gas as she thought they were. I saw him start looking for me to confirm this amazing fact so I quickly ducked into the crowd.

 

Hah, some good ones here.

Kind of odd but I love taking my old cars to the grocery store. I'm sure it's from growing up in a small town and it more or less being a social hub, well anyways I still love taking them to the grocery store and have yet to come home with out some old older then my parents commenting.

However the stories that stick out to me the most are the hand full of times I've picked up old men hitch hiking while I'm in something old. I picked a guy up in a. 63 covair monza, was a fun car , he threw his bag in back and after e settled in said to me "a covair? Aren't these suppose to be super dangerous?!" I laughed and told him less dangerous than hitch hiking haha


Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

Back in the 70's and 80's, I had a '46 Ford heavy 1/2 ton, 100hp flathead with granny 4 speed. I was the fourth owner, and it was in really great shape. I used it for a truck for a few years, helping to build the house in '75. In the 80's, I repainted it, and took it for a ride to show to the original owner, who still lived her farmhouse. She came out and looked at it and smiled.

I showed her the original owner's manual in the glovebox, with the shopping list written in pencil inside the rear cover. I told her the speedometer showed just over 36,000 miles, and asked her if she thought that was original. She laughed out loud, and said that they drove the hell out of that truck on the farm. She said that when they ordered it at the local Ford dealer, it came in with wooden planks for bumpers, and had to install metal ones later on. It's too bad that her husband couldn't be there to see it.

 

I come back and read this thread from time to time...Makes me smile.. Love the stories .

 

When parked out somewhere, always...a little old gram would glance toward the back of the car and ask;
is that a rumble seat? With a tee-hee on her lips.

 

My wife and I were sitting in our Victoria, in a line waiting for a car ferry. An old lady came up to the window on the passenger side, and said, "I don't even like cars, but I love yours." Made my day.

 

I have a great next door neighbor. A few years back, when his Mom was still alive, she and her 80 something boyfriend would come over for visits. We got to know them and enjoyed talking to them. One day, my garage was open, and Lonnie(the boyfriend) came over to the fence and said how beautiful my 56 Chevy was. I said it was a 55 (see avitar). He told me he worked for Chevrolet for over 40 years, and he knew a 56 when he saw one. I never corrected him after that. We got along fine during his visits.

 

What's with all the little old ladies and back seats? Truth is, I took my Mom to her weekly volunteer job at the City of Commerce in my 56 Sedan Delivery one day. I'd quit letting her drive her car after she turned 90 (she passed at 93), and would go over to her place, and drive her in her car. Anyway, as I'm driving her in the Delivery, she keeps looking in the "back". I finally asked her what she was looking at back there, and she asked me if my wife and I ever "messed around" back there. MOM!!!!! I asked her why she wanted to know that.........................just a smile on her face said enough. So again; what's with all these little old ladies and back seats? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

In my Studebaker club are a couple old farts who never pass up a chance to let pretty women or kids sit behind the wheel. Once I got my station wagon done, I followed suit. Great fun, and great memories. We should all follow suit.

 

C'mon Carl, no one accuses us of grammarian enlightenment!
He was distracted by his Avatar.

 

My mother in law was in town a couple of years ago. She said she wanted to take a ride in the " kit car ". Listen to her explain that her car is so old it doesn't have cup holders ( 86 Mercedes ). My cup holder is a roll of masking tape. Anyway, enjoy Pat takes a ride !!

 

Still doing it... Lying to old ladies!

 

When I was selling my 53 buick special I got a call from a fellow who said he was interested in it. I met him down at the local lowes where I had it parked. This guy had to be at least 80 and had his daughter with him helping him walk.I said are you sure you want to drive this car? His daughter gave me a nod. Well he climbed in and said he used to have one just like it. He took it around the lowes parking lot about 10 times and there were some close calls with parked car there.LOL. I was really sweating bullets but we finally stopped and he got out and thanked me. Then his daughter thanked me .She said this may be the last time he can drive. That gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling in side, just to see him hanging on to that big old steering wheel. LOL. Bruce.

 

I was returning from a wrecking yard in Portland ore. and not being from Portland, I missed the freeway on ramp and ended up on 82nd Ave. I was driving my old 46 Chevy PU and usually get several looks from the people walking by. I passed this fairly good looking girl standing on the corner and she waved and smiled and I kind of waved as passing. About a block future up the road, I had a red light in the rear view mirror and the police wanted to know why I waved at the working girl on the corner. I don't wave anymore.

 

LOL Too Funny ..Great story!

 

My Dad and his 31 Ford Roadster were invited to a Local Shopping Mall for a weekend display , He and I were setting up the Car inside the Mall , and a Little Ol Lady passing by , Stood and stared at the Car with a faraway look in her eyes , My Dad asked if she remembered cars like his ? She nodded her head and answered " If That Rumble Seat could Talk "

 

When I read the title to this thread I passed it up several times as I thought you were talking about lying to OUR old ladies as in wives, about buying or having our cars. My ass puckered so much it hurt and I was terrified of even hearing what prices some guys have paid for that one !

 

I recall a story about a HAMBer and an old gent neighbor. The elder man had run the dry lakes for a few years ('40s) then joined the Army, did a hitch, came home and got married, worked in the Aircraft industry, Northrup, I think...Culver City?) He went blind in the '80s. His wife passed away, and he was all alone...a son would look in on him, but the HAMBer would visit several times a week.
Our HAMB friend heard many stories about the how it was to run the lakes in the early days. The elder gent would strip his Model A roadster, drive to Muroc, meet with the guys and they'd run for 2 days...then the drive home, and back on with the fenders and all.

One morning the HAMBer took the gent for a ride, out to the lakes...they got out a ways, and he stopped. "You drive," he said. The elder took the wheel ('34 roadster? Can't remember)
He drove, the HAMBer telling him when to 'adjust direction', went up the gears, they were hauling. Lucky fella never thought he'd get to do THIS again...and told our friend how he appreciated it. Drove back and forth more than a few times. Imagine!
I had tears in my eyes reading it, anyone remember this story?

 

I had to laugh at @striper's post (#54) and the 'Offenhauser' comment.
When I was 17, I had 'finished' my hiboy '32 5 window. RED and chrome, 304" flathead Merv Furtado helped me build. Car was clean, and I was after this 16 year old beauty that worked at Wade's drug store, in Santa Clara. (when it was a town)
Pulled up, parked it, waved to the old 'duffers' (as my Mom referred to the old retirees across the street that hung out at the bus stop)
I went inside, made up some excuse to buy something, told her "It's running, take a look" and she glanced out the window, rolled those big eyes, and said, "And it's red..."
I walked out, and one of the elder gents was standing there on the sidewalk, looking at the engine..."That's an Offenhauser Racing engine! Ran 'em at Indianapolis, many years before they even thought of different engines! Four carburetors!"
I didn't dare correct him, but asked if he'd like to take a little ride. He opened the door, got in, and I got behind the 17" Bell. He remarked about the big Moon pedal...
I fired it up, light flywheel made it rev fast...sounded impressive...

We left the curb, turned right on Washington St. Easy does it, past the bowling alley, then my Aunt Lula's house...she was sitting on the porch, had made MUCH about the car while I was working on it. Lula was a car lover herself, asked many questions...but was adamant about my turning into some yayhoo juvenile delinquent. So I cooled it past her house, she was on her porch, waved, and I snuck by...
We went all the way to Bellomy St. where I turned, got straight, and said, "Hold on to your hat..." and nailed it. First gear was up in 120 feet...Banged second, and was going to shift to third...but thought better of it.
My co-pilot said, "Holy Chuh-Ristopher, this thing's a rocket! No wonder they always won Indy!"
I turned some corners, then made another blast thru first and second, then around the Lafayette St. at Santa Clara U., and pulled up on Franklin St. where his buddies were hangin'.
He got out, adjusted his Stetson Fedora, and said, "You mugs don't know what a fast car is, this hot rod's a rocket!"
He said "Thanks, young fella," and I said, "Thank YOU for the information...I just thought I had a shiny old motor..." His friends looked dazed...he was chattering like a monkey. I felt like a 'hero', never forgot it.
God bless the older folks...They are us...

 

June 1990 I had a 60 Impala Sport Sedan. I had just bought a house and next door lived an older gent. He was in his 80s and was born and grew up in the house next door. The car was in the driveway and he came over to have a look. Staring at the hood of the car he reads (very slowly) "C - H - E - V - R - O - L - E - T --- Chrysler, man they made good cars." I chuckled and agreed that Chryslers were the best and asked him if he wanted to go for a ride. He said "Hell yeah". We did and he was grinnin like a butcher's dog when we returned. Sadly he passed away the following spring but he did leave me with a fond memory.