Things to Ponder
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 615
Likes: 1
From: Smithville TX.
Things to Ponder
Growing up as a kid in the fifties there are things that you think back on and wonder about. Example, every time my dad would buy a new car, or anyone else for that matter he would drive straight from the dealer to the nearest seat cover shop and have a set of seat covers put on his new car. Why? The ones on the car certainly were not worn out. Then two years later before the car was considered high miles probably about 20 to 25,000 miles he would remove the seat covers and trade the car off. Now the new owner of this used car would enjoy the brand new seats that my dad or the rest of us never even got to see, or if we did see them we couldn't remember what they looked like, much less enjoy sitting on them. Ah, but then some time about the mid to late fifties someone with a bright idea came along and started putting the clear plastic seat covers on cars. Now we could see the original fabric under the plastic and enjoy the colors of it, but there was still a longing to feel it. On a hundred degree day in Texas with no air conditioning when you got onto that car with shorts on you would do the St. Vita's dance for about the first ten minutes of the trip. Another thing that comes to mind about yesteryear is the excitement of buying a new car. It was a big event. While most families went to the various dealers to look at new cars for us it was only to the Ford dealers, as that was all that my dad would buy, which is not all bad by any means. Otherwise I might not be on this board today had it been different. I remember one time that my dad's brother bought a new Ford, If I remember correctly it was a 50 model. He brought it by our house for a look at his new car and we were all excited and gathered around looking it over (it was as exciting for us kids as the adults) I remember my dad asking him how it was optioned, his reply was it is loaded, it has radio clock and heater. How simple things were back then, a car with a radio, clock and heater was considered an optioned out car. Enough of my ramblings today, but sometimes is a good to reflect on our past and how simple our lives were then. Michelle
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Milltown, NJ
My father ALWAYS bought the springy woven seat pads. We had a '60 then a '64 Country Sedan wagon. I learned to drive on the '64.
Man, you thought your skin was gonna peel off in the summer when you moved!
I also remember my father going to the dealer to buy the '64. We looked through the lot and my brother, mother and myself IMMEDIATELY ran over to the neet Country Squire (390 motor, White w/wood panels and metalic blue interior) and declared our LOVE for this machine.
The "Old Man" came over, went right to the window sticker and exclaimed "I'll NEVER pay more than $3,000.00 far ANY car!!
He walked over to the only other station wagon there (Country Sedan, 289 motor, plain black, red interior) price $2,800.00. Without another word he walked into the dealer, his family in tow and bought that car.
Those were the days!
Man, you thought your skin was gonna peel off in the summer when you moved!
I also remember my father going to the dealer to buy the '64. We looked through the lot and my brother, mother and myself IMMEDIATELY ran over to the neet Country Squire (390 motor, White w/wood panels and metalic blue interior) and declared our LOVE for this machine.
The "Old Man" came over, went right to the window sticker and exclaimed "I'll NEVER pay more than $3,000.00 far ANY car!!
He walked over to the only other station wagon there (Country Sedan, 289 motor, plain black, red interior) price $2,800.00. Without another word he walked into the dealer, his family in tow and bought that car.
Those were the days!
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 615
Likes: 1
From: Smithville TX.
Indeed those were the days. The dimpled plastic seat covers you mentioned Dennis came along after the clear flat plastic covers. There were so many complaints about the clear seat covers being so hot to sit on they later came out with a dimpled version of the plastic covers to make them a little more comfortable. It may have helped some but not a lot.
Michelle
Michelle
