Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Jackson: Tuesday, hotel, home)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My first car was a 1954 Chevrolet Belair. This is how it looked after a drunk rear-ended it.

Are you sure you didn't back into a speaker post at the Twin Drive In ?

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Ah, yes, the narrow whitewall tires. Here is my '58 Chevy in a picture taken either in 1962 or 1963. Loved this car.

Chevrolet made classics back then

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

My first car was a 1954 Chevrolet Belair. This is how it looked after a drunk rear-ended it.

Not a good way to have a car ruined. My brother owned a '54 Chevy at some point early in his driving days. My first car was a 1951 Chevy. The second one was the 1958. Then, while in the Army in Germany, I bought a 1959 Opel from a fellow soldier. I was taking two soldiers to Rhine Main AFB when I threw a rod through the block. It was only the second time I had driven the car.

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Chevrolet made classics back then

I wish the auto manufacturers made new styles every few years. They don't change that much anymore.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Ah, yes, the narrow whitewall tires. Here is my '58 Chevy in a picture taken either in 1962 or 1963. Loved this car.

My first car was a 1953 red Ford convertible with a fake continental rear end.

My friends never said they were envious I had a convertible but many said they were envious because it had turn signals.

This car turned out to be the absolute worst car that I ever owned. Everything seemed to go wrong with it.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

This photo was taken by me in the 1957 to 1959 timeframe.

If you were driving south on South Kiger during these years and you crossed the railroad tracks that are just south of Walnut, and if you looked to the left, this is what you would have seen.

Now, if you look to the left you would see the houses on the south side of Elm Street.

I went by there many times but guess I might not have paid attention. What is that? Is it water?

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Don't forget Latimer Motors which was on the SE corner of Main and Walnut.





Also, the dealer in Fairmount was Ross Chevrolet which later became Dahmer Chevrolet.

Here is a picture of Lund Studebaker. It was on Maple across from the Granada Theater.

AHA!! Chuckle. A couple times in the last two years I have opined that a Studebaker dealer was at this location across from the Granada. Never got confirmation though until now.

Right behind this Studebaker dealer was MRG's Diamond Bowl.

There was also a Dodge dealer at this location. Considering the Latimer Dodge location at Main and Walnut, I am believing it was Dodge trucks that were in here. I somehow have some RAM that remembers a pickup or two in the showroom.

This photo shows 1955. I am thinking Dodge in 1958 or 9.

Also, before Latimer occupied the location at Main at Walnut, it was a Kaiser-Fraser dealer.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Speaking of classics, WCHS'59, how long has it been since you were last in Independence. Are you aware of the car show every Saturday night during the summer on Jackson?

It has been 13 months, now since I was in Independence. I was not aware of the classic show.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Not a good way to have a car ruined. My brother owned a '54 Chevy at some point early in his driving days. My first car was a 1951 Chevy. The second one was the 1958. Then, while in the Army in Germany, I bought a 1959 Opel from a fellow soldier. I was taking two soldiers to Rhine Main AFB when I threw a rod through the block. It was only the second time I had driven the car.

I took a brand new '67 Ford Fairlane 500 XL to Germany. On the second day after I picked it up at the Bremerhaven port, I was sideswiped on the driver side by a truck. The Ford company in Heidelberg had to order the sheet metal parts from the states. In the meantime, still driving it with temporary USA plates, I had to enter the passenger side and crawl across the console and gear shift to get to the drivers seat.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

Ah, yes, the narrow whitewall tires. Here is my '58 Chevy in a picture taken either in 1962 or 1963. Loved this car.

Sometime in 1954, my Dad took the family over to Southtown Motors, a Ford dealer, in Kansas City with the intent of buying a new car. I cannot recall where it was but I recall coming home on 50 highway to Noland Road. After the purchase, it seemed like we were there forever waiting on the car to be driven to the door. When the dealer finally brought it up, the four door sky haze green Crestline had black wall tires. I can still remember my dad complaining. I dont know if he thought he was negotiating for a car with white walls or thought they came standard but we left there with white walls. I would say these whitewalls were the intermediate size. Not narrow and not really wide.

As options that car had AM radio, heater, the whitewalls, and Fordomatic drive. New cars back then were not supposed to be driven more than 45 or 50 miles per hour for the first 1,000 miles (as a break in) and then brought to the dealer for a checkup and oil change.