Although I’m not a collector (would be, maybe, if I
had the means) I’ve always been interested in beautiful cars. My family actually owned one once. Back in the 60s, my dad had bought a
secondhand 1958 Mercedes Benz 220 SE. He
didn’t pay an arm and a leg for it -- it wasn’t a classic, it was just a second
hand car in a used car lot. But my dad
knew better. He knew beauty and quality
when he saw it and knew it had far more class than a Ford or Chevy. It was cream colored
with a wooden dashboard and red leather interior and looked just like the one in this photo. Maybe that’s when my interest in beautiful
cars began, although I’m embarrassed to say, I managed to destroy that car
on a cross-country trip.
If there’s a classic car show nearby, I’ll
go. When I see an interesting car parked
or driving by, if I can, I’ll snap a photo. I
didn’t have my camera with me when I recently went to an art fair on the Rambla
in Figueres. I’m not much interested in
contemporary painting and only went because I
had nothing better to do. But I found,
besides the art stands, several classic cars, causing me to run home and grab my camera. (The Mercedes photo was taken off the internet. It's for sale!)
Drove cross country in that Mercedes with you and Irene. Great car...... Oh and great company ;)
ReplyDeleteFond memories!!
If you're going to drive cross-country in three days and three nights, you might as well do it in style.
DeleteI don't go to car shows etc but a nice car on the road will always turn my head. My family had one nice car once too - a Triumph 2000 Mk II I think. Early 70s, also bought second hand and much loved.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about people's old cars, the ones they loved. Some Facebook friends posted photos of theirs. Good fun.
ReplyDeleteOk, this is too fun. Dad was a car fan too, as am I.
ReplyDeleteBut here’s the fun part: Mom's car for years was a '58 220 S convertible (2-door). It had an electric clutch--no clutch pedal, when you moved the gear shift on the steering column a little, the electric clutch would go in. It was very cool. Dad found it in the parking lot of a small garage in about '64, and brought it home for Mom. It was black with a white top when we got it, but the original color was pea soup green. When they got it restored yrs later it ended up navy blue with a tan top. Lovely birdseye maple dash. I loved that car!
And I drove a '61 baby blue MGA for years...I loved that one too! Dad bought it in ‘63 from Mom’s short-lived step-father. I mean they weren’t married all that long. Dad drove it for a bit, sold it to his cousin a few yrs later for his cousin’s kids to use, then bought it back in ‘72 so I could drive it when I got my license. All us kids drove it for yrs, it was totalled 2x and rebuilt, and finally it was sold about 3 yrs ago, it was too low to gracefully get in and out of, and needed work. Someone bought it to restore it. Again.
Finally, for awhile Dad drove a Rolls Silver Cloud—74 I think? British racing green. Smooth ride. Expensive to maintain. That was a spectacular car to drive around in, and watch peoples’ reactions: That effing GIRL is driving a Rolls!--you could see it on their faces. We kept a jar of Grey Poupon in the glove box just in case. :D
Jill, I think your dad's Rolls Silver Cloud wins the prize!
Delete