More Interesting Cars I've known …
by Anno Nymus
Our extended family has had some wonderful cars over, lo – these many years ! Let's take a trip down nostalgia lane here, and revisit some of these mechanical marvels, and style wonders !
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Growing up in Hollywood, California in the 1950's was a wonderland of exploration and excitement every day – cars were the centerpiece of our daily doings. Car culture a-borning !
A car was mandatory – distances were far – time becoming too precious … Time saving tips every where – freeways were being invented – get there faster – get more work done – to have more free time ! … quicker and easier cooking .. TV dinners … drive thru fast food was coming into the scene ... The weekend getaway was a ritual ! Tourism, and of course 'profiling ourselves and strutting' … displaying your status to the world by what make, model, year chariot you sported !
A car for everyone was the goal ! Gas was cheap, and the the wide open spaces beckoned! We heard Dina Shore singing a catchy jingle, and urging us to “ See the USA in your Chevrolet !” (did you hum it mentally just now ?? .. giving your age away ! ). In the 1950's we were on the move! .. and it was steadily getting faster and faster every year.
Our family returned from Europe in 1950 … and after time with family in the east … and a side trip to Kentucky for a few years .. the trek to California was made … in a Woody Station wagon. We traveled … “on the highway that’s the best … Route Sixty-Six..” California here we come !
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The land of Milk and Honey .. but ya need to have a car !
After rambles and stops in various towns and places .. we landed in Northern California.. San Francisco and the Bay Area. Redwoods - Stanford !
I have vivid memories of Uncle Chuck's Mercury .. I wrote a ditty about it here** … it was a car to remember and all my uncles envied it .. and borrowed it any chance they could .. it was a hot fast ride .. and about the most envied car in the area .. my uncles were very into cars and did a lot of engine and mechanical work .. Grandad had several Gas Stations – the Flying A notably – but they guys were all into tinkering and 'souping-up' – y'know … just to go a bit faster .. :D
Hot 'n Fast Mercury
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Los Angeles ! City of Angels ! “Hollywood!”
We finally landed in Southern California .. and wound up in the movie capital of the world: “HOLLYWOOD” … we lived almost in the shadow of the big sign – it hovered over us like a benediction … me 'n my buddies climbed up to it a few times – badge of honor to 11 year olds .. we were in West Hollywood awhile , and then moved a block away from Sunset and La Brea !! – The Heart of Hollywood !
I walked past the old Charlie Chaplin movie studios on my way to the bus stop (or nearby Fosters Freeze -for a cone or banana split :D ) - seems we ate a million times at the Tiny Naylors drive in – right across from the movie studio!
Tiny Naylor's was a great and famous place – directly across from the Chaplin Studios, it was one of the original car hop drive-in's .. you could show off, and talk with other cars whilst eating from a tray in the window – you could actually eat in your car... with the radio playing your favorites stations .. mostly KFWB – channel 98.. the original LA rock station with Kasey Kasem - Rock 'n Roll baby !
Stars would pop in for a burger and shake – show off and profile for us. Rumors abound, that it was the model for the Happy Days car hop set :D
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Imported English cars and California !?
We had a Hillman-Minx for a while – and this one was 'special' <wink nudge> .. designed for the UK, it did not like the heat of Southern California nor driving on the LA freeway ! It would overheat at the slightest excuse; stuck in a traffic jam, or on small hill.
The radiator was tiny –made for English weather. On I-10 ..going east from LA – the hill from West Covina up and over – past Forest Lawn – and down into Pomona was just too steep for the Hillman-Minx. That hill was a mountain to that car! My 12 year old memories are vivid: Sitting on the verge of I-10 with Semi- Trucks blowing us almost off the road, whilst Volkswagen's passed us like we were snails – which we were -- barely creeping along under the required speed - trying not to overheat ... chanting “... I know you can! I know you can! I know you can! …
Alas, it did always overheat and boil over .. or, we got stuck with 'vapor lock'. All we could do is pull over - open the hood (bonnet?) , wait for the engine to cool enough so it could start again. Once a sympathetic trucker stopped to help, and showed us how to pour water carefully on the carburetor to cool it down! Thank you Mr Truck Driver!!
This was a unique car, and since I was the one to do all the cooling and engine bits .. I was quite happy when it went away .. as I recall ;-)
.. The history of the Hillman-Minx is interesting in the car nerd sense .. but the car was a lemon by California standards of the time .. it could not beat the heat or tiny hills ! Buh-bye!
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Next up - we acquired a 1957 Plymouth - Belvedere – with the big fin tail lights ! My folks bought it from a friend that had won it in a contest: “Describe an earthquake in one word”. Dad's friend won the car using the word “Tumultuous!” .. and I have loved, and used that word as often as I could find a place to put it - ever since !! hahaha !
Note the novel and Avant-garde Push Button Transmission .. just left of the steering wheel!
Speaking of style and fins in the 50's … The Arizona bunch had kewl cars that were all top of the line .. snazzy and futuristic … check out those tail lights ! This was the height of luxury and style!
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Later on .. we came into a tank of a vehicle .. a virtually indestructible 1950 Plymouth Station Wagon, that ultimately got nicknamed “Bonaparte” .. because no matter how things went, it never met it's 'Waterloo' :D … It was an ever stalwart, 1950's Plymouth Station Wagon – (car nerd note: the original 'Suburban')
Reliable but needy for constant attention .. it always needed tinkering or fussing. It once notably had 4 blow-outs simultaneously .. but that’s a story for another time ;) .. and I digress.
Ol' Bonaparte was indestructible! Anyone could fix it with bailing wire and chewing gum! .. sometimes just a good “word” would do it – trying not to be late for work - hoping it would kick over nicely, you would repeat whilst petting the dashboard gently – “ OK .. now pleease … start... THIS time .. can't be late !!” ..
I found this photo online in vintage car ads – for sale – and appears to be a clone of our dear Ol' Bonaparte ..!? who knows, that car was a TANK .. this might even BE .. Bonaparte !?!
1950 Plymouth Suburban
More tales soon - from the family annals of car culture madness ...and some nifty vintage vehicles that I have enjoyed over the years .. the 1965 Corvair Van tale is worthy of tuning back in to catch...
it will be tumultuous !
More tales to follow .. stay tuned !!
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Footnotes
photos by permission – and/or public domain
** Kings Mountain Wild Ride -
https://mrsbizzybsayshello.blogspot.com/2020/01/kings-mountain-wild-ride-true-story-by.html
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