Parade cruising in Westport, CT
I too have been inspired by JPC’s father’s day tribute, and then seeing that PN had posted his father-in-law’s cars, I decided to add to the festivities.
After my mother died in 1994 I guess my father lacked the stern midwestern discipline that had guided our family. So he did what any rational man would do, he bought a restored 1955 Buick Special convertible. Ivory with a red/black interior, Dayton chrome wire wheels, big chrome tits, and the legendary nailhead V8. Being a Special it was the smaller of the two engines Buick offered that year, but more than enough grunt for my father’s purpose-he just wanted a parade car so his massive ego could be displayed accordingly.
I was appalled the first time I drove the car-the front end seemed to have a mind of its own, not a desirable characteristic on the winding back roads of Connecticut. So I did what I had done to the ‘50s and ‘60s cars that I had owned-jacked the tire pressures up as high as I could get them, which at the particular gas station that I went to was about 36 psi. I had wanted 40 but 36 was in the ballpark. What a difference! You wouldn’t confuse the Buicks road manners with even the least expensive cars available today, but it made gripping that huge 17” steering wheel a less death defying action.
Gramps at the wheel with my family along for the ride.
My father had a couple of years enjoyment of the Special, and then sold it back to the dealer he had bought it from, for a profit! Not much, but many people loose their asses on transactions of this nature. It wasn’t much fun to drive but what a looker!
Dad died a little over 13 years ago after having a bowl of ice cream while taking in a Red Sox game at my sister’s house. We didn’t have a wake, just one hell of a party after the funeral.
Great story about a great man. Hey, if he wanted a parade car, let him have a parade car. Sure, it cost a few bucks, but as my late mother said, “The Brinks truck doesn’t follow the hearse.”
Every kid ought to have a Grandpa with a big white convertible for parades! I say we pass a law. I know, it will apply to me before too many years go by, but I am prepared to do my patriotic duty. 🙂
Another great one! I am loving these Father’s Day stories.
Nice story, nice car, looks like a nice man, I need a bigger garage to hold my imagination.
Beautiful Buick. I like your Dad’s taste in cars.
I guess I’m starting early. Already got the big old white convertible, but I’m a long way from being a grandfather. 🙂 Tonight at the inlaws, my son was playing with some toy cars and said. “Hey this looks like your white car!” I told him that was Boss Hogg’s Cadillac. (Yes, I have introduced him to the Dukes.) He seemed impressed.
Thank you Kevin,a great read and a great car.
Attached is a pic of my Dad’s favorite car that he bought upon returning from WWII in the Pacific. A 1940 DeSoto convertible, I think possibly the only convertible he ever owned. Beautiful car from all angles. Not that I ever saw it as he sold the DeSoto in 1948, the year before I was born, and kept his 39 Ford V8 coupe. I think the DeSoto – a car that could command a good price during the immediate postwar years when production hadn’t caught up with pent up demand – went toward a good down payment on our house