by, James W. Martin
1947 Cushman Model 52 My first motorized vehicle was a used 1947 Cushman Model 52 motor scooter. Single cylinder 4HP air cooled engine, centrifugal clutch, and a 2-speed manual transmission. It needed an engine overhaul, so I took the engine apart and spread it out to clean it up and begin the reassembly. My Dad asked me if I had marked the parts (especially the timing gears) so I could get them back exactly as they were. Of course, I had not, so he showed me the factory marks on the gear teeth and the re-assembly went well. I learned later that not all engines were factory marked, so this was a good lesson from Dad. The exhaust port was oriented straight ahead and was threaded with standard pipe thread, so I decided to have “dual exhausts” on this single cylinder engine. A short nipple, a tee, 2 more short nipples, a pair of 90 deg. elbows, and 2 pipes bent in a curve accomplished this, and of course there was no muffler. I painted the scooter black and two-toned the body front with cream scallops from the top angling to the bottom. Silver paint for the bump rails along the bottom of the body, painted on white sidewall front tire, and a chrome “Swan” car hood ornament on the front fender completed the customizing.
What’s in a name?
BIRDIE My Cushman motor scooter was my first vehicle, but it had no name. Why? I don’t know. In retrospect, I might have named it “Birdie”. I had installed a Swan ornament on the front fender, so Birdie would have been appropriate. Also, riding a scooter or cycle gives the feeling of flying, so in the absence of a name at the time, Birdie will do.
“ . . . I I NSTA L LED A C ABLE RELE ASE FOR THE T RU NK L I D AN D MOV ED THE L ICENSE P L A T E DOWN TO COV E R THE DEN T. ”
1941 Ford Standard Two Door Sedan My first car was a used 1941 Ford standard two door sedan with a 3-speed column shift transmission and a flat head V-8 engine. Factory painted black with a single tail light on the driver’s side, painted side grilles, and very little chrome anywhere. There was a dent around the trunk handle, so I installed a cable release for the trunk lid and moved the license plate down to cover the dent. Next came a right-side tail light and “Blue Dots” for both lights. Dual exhausts with Porter mufflers made it sound really good. A set of chromed steel wheels from Croft Trailer Rental, new Ford center caps and Porta-Wall whitewalls on the tires dressed up the rolling stock. A new pair of chrome side grilles, Western Auto seat covers, and a Simonize Wax job finished the project. and a Simonize Wax job finished the project.
What’s in a name?
ORNERY This was a play on the name Henry (as in Henry Ford). Luckily this car was not as it’s name implied, balky or persnickity.
Next was a used 1953 Studebaker Commander Starlight hardtop Coupe. 289 cid overhead valve 120 hp V-8 engine with a Borg Warner 3 speed automatic column select transmission (the Borg-Warner transmission was un-usual in that it had a “hill holder' feature plus it bypassed the torque converter with a clutch in high gear for economy). It came factory painted a tomato red with a cream roof. It had a red vinyl interior with a bench seat for three in front and semi-bucket rear seats for two. The car sat so low that the drive shaft “hump” required that the rear seats be separated by an armrest. I replaced the armrest with a foam rubber pillow because my buddies refused to double date in it with the armrest separating them from their dates. Another change was to remove the rear view mirror because the windshield was sloped so much it was hard to see around it and it would get in the way of the center passenger. Side view mirrors on both doors
1953 Studebaker Commander Starlight Hardtop Coupe solved the problem nicely. Dual exhausts with Porter mufflers were installed by Duke & Bob's in Kansas City. Two inch lowering blocks on the rear springs made it sit level. Due to an accident I took the car to Ray Farner's Body Shop where he replaced the right rear fender and rear bumper. I had him also remove the chrome trim from the hood and trunk lid, leaving only the trunk release latch in place (22 holes in all were filled). Not being happy with the color of this car, I took it to a paint shop and had it re-painted. The fellow heated the black enamel and when he sprayed it on, it flowed together and was as slick and smooth as hand rubbed paint. Next, the stock wheel covers (although attractive) were replaced with 1956 Mercury 4 bar flippers. To be different, I removed the horizontal grille bars with the parking lights on the ends, purchased two more parking light lenses and screwed them together
making the lights free floating and installed behind them a mesh grill from a damaged 1955 Chevy. Studebaker had a '56 model called Golden Hawk which featured fins set atop the rear fenders. I liked the effect and purchased a pair and had them installed and painted to match. Also at that time I had the trunk latch removed in favor of a remote cable release. I also installed a set of fender skirts, but used them only occasionally as I preferred the look without them. The result of all these changes was dramatic. Many times I was stopped and asked what kind of a car is this? Most refused to believe it was a Studebaker. Although not very powerful nor very fast, this thing looked like it was. It did however handle very well because of its low stance. If Studebaker had built this car with a stronger frame, I might have kept it much longer....it was that beautiful!
What’s in a name?
PIERRE A passing fascination with the French language prompted this name. In full it was “Pierre La Studebakair�.
‘ “ THIS WAS A VERY POWER F U L C AR , BU T WAS NOT AS QUICK AS THE 2 83 CHEV Y S ” .
1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Two Door Hardtop Then came my first new car, ordered from the factory through Engstrom Ford in Lee’s Summit, MO equipped the way I wanted was a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 two door hardtop. It had a 3-speed column shift transmission with overdrive and a 292 cid overhead valve engine, 4 barrel Holley carburetor, dual exhausts and was rated at 245 hp. The all black exterior trimmed with chrome and a gold aluminum accent strip that was complemented by a red and white all vinyl interior. I removed the painted bug-eye headlight surrounds and recessed them with chrome rings from a 1956 Ford pickup. Oldsmobile three bar flippers added to the wheel covers gave it flash. Porter steel pack mufflers from Duke & Bobs for efficiency and sound. This was a very powerful car but was as not quick as the 283 Chevys. It would however beat them easily 40 to 90 mph.
What’s in a name?
MARIAH Two things gave me this name. The wind is often called Mariah. And, police paddywagon’s were called Black Mariahs. This car was black and swift, therefor...
1949 Ford Two Door Sedan My first “second car” was a used 1949 Ford two door sedan with a 3-speed column shift transmission and a flat head 239 cid, 100 hp V-8 engine. It had been brush painted a baby blue and looked awful, but ran well. It became my only car when Eleanor and I divorced. I did a semi-gloss gray paint job to cover the ugly blue, then removed the “bullet” in the center of the grille and replaced it with screen wire and added a chrome knob from the dash to make it different. Red wheels, chrome trim rings, and white Porta-Walls on the tires gave it an acceptable look.
December of 1961 I ordered from the Buick dealer in Richmond, MO a 1962 Buick Special Convertible. It was to be black with a white top and red vinyl interior powered by an all aluminum 215 cu.in. 155 hp V8 with a 4-speed floor shift transmission. I had to cancel the order due to receiving a draft notice from President Kennedy. I appealed the notice and was granted relief if I would join the MO Army National Guard which I did. The dealer accepted the cancellation without penalty and I missed out on owning an interesting car. I made the sketch shortly after ordering the beauty.
What’s in a name?
HERBY No real reason for this one, it just felt like a Herby.
“ I ADDED A BOLDE R EGG CR A T E GRIL LE TO SE T I T APAR T F ROM OTHE R FA L CONS . ”
1960 Ford Falcon Two Door Sedan I traded the ’49 for a used black 1960 Ford Falcon two door sedan. It was powered by an overhead valve 144 cid inline 90 hp inline 6 with a 3-speed column shift transmission. I added a bolder egg crate grille to set it apart from other Falcons. I drove this car to Ft. Belvoir, VA where I completed my 8 weeks military training in construction drafting. On the return trip, the rocker arm shaft failed and it limped home from Oak Grove, MO to Raytown. The failure was due to a common defect in these engines. Too many threads on the rear rocker arm shaft support bolt preventing sufficient flow of oil to the shaft at highway speeds. Once repaired it ran fine again. What’s in a name?
MAYNARD A character (on the TV show Dobie Gillis) played by Bob Denver “Maynard G. Krebs” was the inspiration here.
1963 Falcon Futura Two Door Fastback I ordered my second new car from James Campbell Ford in Blue Springs, Missouri. It was a 1963 Falcon Futura two door Fastback hardtop. This one was powered by an overhead valve 260 cid 160 hp V-8 and had a floor shift 4 speed Borg Warner transmission. All black outside and all red vinyl inside ordered just the way I wanted it from the factory. This car was very quick, having added only dual exhausts with Porter mufflers it was quicker than ‘65 & ‘66 289 Mustangs. With the red interior came red insets in the side & trunk trim, these I painted black. I added a Stewart Warner tachometer to help with shift points, baby moon hubcaps and dual rear mounted antennas completed the look. I really liked this one. What’s in a name?
WALLY Another TV character’s name: Wally Cleaver of “Leave It To Beaver” seemed to fit.
1967 Ford Fairlane 500 Two Door Hardtop My third new car was a 1967 Ford Fairlane 500 two door hardtop with a 3-speed column select automatic transmission and had a 289 cid overhead valve 200 hp V-8 engine. I went to purchase some touch-up paint for the Falcon and saw this beauty sitting on the Ray Smith Ford showroom floor in Raytown, MO. I made a deal for it and left on vacation, when I returned the price had gone up considerably. A call to James Campbell Ford resulted in them trading a Mustang for it and selling me the Fairlane for the original Ray Smith price of $3,480.00. Black with a white vinyl roof and an all-black vinyl interior. Big enough for a growing family and being automatic with air conditioning completed the temptation. The only changes to this one were after-market gauges, cruise control and rear mounted antennas. In 24 years and 124,000 miles the only failure other than tires, batteries, mufflers, etc. was the air conditioning compressor. Comfortable and reliable it looked as good in ‘91 as it did when new. Sold to a young man who made it into a drag racer. Installed a big block 427 cid Ford engine, painted it yellow, and raced it locally for several years.
What’s in a name?
VOLLEY BALL A pure white vinyl covered roof with seams down the edges over a solid black car just yelled: you guessed it “Volley Ball”.
“ F U N TO DRI VE, E CONOMIC AL , BU T S LOW. I T WAS A GOO D C AR TO DRI VE TO WORK . . . ”
1962 Volkswagen Beetle My next car was a 1962 Volkswagen Beetle. Powered by a 1192 cc overhead valve “flat” air cooled rear mounted 4-cylinder engine coupled to a 4-speed floor shift transaxle. Red with a gray interior and a huge fabric sunroof. Fun to drive, economical, but slow, it was a good car to drive to work from South K.C to downtown. With an “air cooled” engine, you get very little heat to the interior (much less to the defrosters) in the winter. I carried an ice scraper on a long stick so I could keep the windshield clear on the inside as well as the outside. It was however nearly unstoppable in the snow.
What’s in a name?
SCHICKELGRUBER I gave this little German car a German name.
1966 Ford Mustang Convertible Traded the VW for a used 1966 Ford Mustang convertible with a 3-speed floor shift transmission and an overhead valve 200 cid inline 6 rated at 120 hp. Light beige in color with a tan interior and a black manually raised top. The lighter weight 6 made this car handle very well and its lower power made it go in the snow better than the eight cylinder models. I replaced the top myself (purchased from J.C. Whitney) a job I will never do again. I added a black stripe across the trunk lid and painted the wheels black to accent the beige body. I would have kept this one much longer, but daughter Lisa was now 16 so I felt she should learn to drive with a gear shift. I sold it for more than I paid for it and purchased another one from a friend and co-worker for less than that. What’s in a name?
MARVEL A “marvelous” car that I wanted from the first time I saw one at Berle Berry’s Independence, MO Ford dealership in 1964.
(another) 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible This one had a floor select 3-speed automatic transmission and the same overhead valve 200 cid inline 6-cylinder engine. Metallic Bronze body, beige interior with a black powered top and wire hubcaps with knock-off spinners, a flashier car than the previous one. As it happened, Lisa left home and never drove this car, that was purchased especially for her, so I drove it until it became evident that the unit body was rusting underneath and was becoming unsafe to drive. I advertised it and a young lady whose grandfather was a retired welder bought it knowing the problem it had, it still brought the same money I paid for it as the value of these 65’s & 66’s was now rising. She brought it back to show me after grandpa finished with it, he did a great job and she drove it proudly away.
What’s in a name?
MANDRAKE Mandrake the Magician was a comic book character, so I called this one “Mandrake the magical Mustang” whose top would disappear at the touch of a button.
Aug. 1977 to June 2016
“ D U RI NG THE E AR LY E IGH T IES G ASOL I NE SHOR TAG ES, I RO DE I T TO WORK REGU L AR LY G E T T I NG 90-1 00 M P G. ”
1971 Honda Ct90 Motorcycle I acquired a canary yellow 1971 Honda CT90 motorcycle as a gift from my then father-in-law Red Foley. He had purchased it new to monitor his irrigation system in Goodyear, AZ but could not ride anymore with failing eyesight. Powered by a single cylinder 90 cc overhead valve air cooled engine and having a 4-speed foot shift transmission and a dual range final drive, it was made for either highway or off-road use. Top speed in high range of 45 mph and 25 mph in low range. Forestry approved exhaust, selectable high altitude carburetor jets, headlight, taillight, brake light, and turn signals gave it complete versatility. During the early eighties gasoline shortages, I rode it to work regularly getting 90-100 mpg. I quit riding it on city streets when gasoline became readily available again and due to several close calls with cars and other motorcycles. Sold to nephew Neal Martin ...keepin’ it in the family!
What’s in a name?
GRASSHOPPER Named for it’s unusual looks, yellow with high mounted rear view mirrors it reminded me of a grasshopper. As a sidenote, I used grasshopper as my CB radio “handle”.
1974 Ford Pinto Two Door Hatchback Replaced the second Mustang with a 1974 Ford Pinto two door hatchback. It had a 4-speed floor shift transmission and a 2000cc overhead cam inline 4 cylinder 80 hp engine. Purchased from a friend whose wife had driven it until they divorced, it had been sitting for 2 years. Yellow with a black interior and a manually cranked sun roof, it required new brakes as they had frozen due to long storage therefor a good price was arrived at. A nice little car that drove well and got excellent mileage. I was talked out of it by a neighbor whose wife needed such a car.
What’s in a name?
TWEETY The cartoon character Tweety Bird, was small and all yellow.
“ THE DASH LOOKED L I KE AN A I R P L ANE I NST RUMEN T PANEL WI TH LOT S O F ROU N D DI ALS WI TH BL ACK FACES AN D WHI T E N UME R ALS. ”
1978 Pontiac Grand Prix Two Door A 1978 Pontiac Grand Prix two door sedan with a column select automatic transmission and a 301 cid overhead valve 140 hp V-8 engine. Metallic Brown with a beige all vinyl interior this low mileage car was comfortable and a good handler, easy to steer and stable in the wind. The dash looked like an airplane instrument panel with lots of round dials with black faces and white numerals. An odd thing with this car was that you couldn’t drive without either the heater or the A/C on or it would overheat. It seems the heater core needed to be in use to keep the engine cool. I gave this one up to my daughter Tracey to drive to college before selling it to a co-worker whose son commuted to college in Warrensburg, MO from Lee’s Summit MO. The last I heard it had over 150,000 miles on it and was still going strong.
What’s in a name?
CHIEF In the years prior to 1978, the Pontiac brand used an Indian as it’s logo and even called some models Star Chief, Chieftan, and so on.
1972 Volkswagen Beetle My second Volkswagen Beetle. It had a 4-speed floor shift transaxle and a rear mounted 1500 cc horizontally opposed air cooled 4-cylinder engine. Also, red with a grey vinyl interior. Purchased from a friend’s father for $50.00, it’s engine was locked up and had been stored outside for several years. I towed it home and re-built the engine myself except for having the crankshaft bearings line bored and fitted. It ran really well for a while, then the crank bearings failed as the locating pins had been left out and spun out the aluminum block. The shop responsible would not own up to it so the engine was junked and replaced with one from scrapped VW. Fortunately, this engine was a good one and gave me very good service. I removed the running boards and fabricated metal covers for the lower body, I repainted the car with 4 coats of red lacquer. I didn’t know you should wet sand between each coat, so when I rubbed it out, it took forever to get a slick finish. It looked good, until 2 weeks later when an idiot in front of me at a stop light got impatient with the car in front of him and backed into me destroying the hood. I learned a lot from this one and it got me through a very difficult time in my life.
What’s in a name?
LADY My daughter Tracey learned to drive in this VW “Bug”. She put a little magnetic red lady bug on the dash thus christening the car Lady.
1975 Ford Courier My first truck. A 1975 Ford Courier. It had a 4-speed floor shift transmission and a 1600cc in line 4-cylinder OHV engine. YellowOrange with Black trim. This little `made by Mazda` dandy sold me on the value of a truck. It wasn’t pretty, but it was rugged, except for the cab floor which rusted through. Perhaps the best shifting transmission I’ve had, could not beat the synchros with a hard shift! The only troubles this one gave me was a blown head gasket, a temperamental electric fuel pump and a rusty fuel tank.
What’s in a name?
JACK While not quite Pumkin in color, the yellow orange body with black trim and somewhat comical looks did remind me of a Jack-O-Lantern.
1988 Dodge Ram 50 My first new truck. A 1988 Dodge Ram 50. It had an inline 2.6L 4-cylinder overhead cam engine and a 5-speed floor shift transmission. Purchased from John Wallace Dodge in Overland Park, KS. Bright red with a grey interior in its extended cab gave extra room for things behind the front bucket seats. I added a chrome and black rub strip down both sides for protection and looks. A Leer shell over the bed was added to keep stuff out of the weather. Painted to match, with ladder racks on top for carrying long things (lumber etc.). Having purchased a 17’ Cajun Fish & Ski boat in the Spring of 1990, this truck was the tow vehicle. It pulled the boat well enough, but stopping was at times exciting. We did tow the boat to The Ohio River to visit brother Larry and while there his son Neal donated a set of stainless steel hub caps from an older Dodge, a nice finish for this good looking little truck.
What’s in a name?
ACE Dealers often put their names on the vehicles they sell. This one had John Wallace Dodge in vinyl letters stuck on the tailgate. During the process of removing the letters, oneby-one, the name “ace” was revealed and left in place.
Approx. 1986 to July 1989
“ . . . I T W AS A N A T T R A C T I V E , E C ON OM I C A L A N D RE L I AB L E L I T T L E C A R . ”
1981 Plymouth Reliant K Two Door Coupe A 1981 Plymouth Reliant K two door coupe. It had a column select automatic transmission, front wheel drive and a 2.2 L, 4-cylinder overhead cam engine. Although technically not my car, I did help Madalene pick it out to replace her 1975 Chevy Caprice convertible. Metallic brown with a tan vinyl “half roof”, it was an attractive, economical and reliable little car.
What’s in a name?
ELVIS Madalene is a big fan of Elvis Presley. She would always have a tape of his playing as she drove. I teased her by saying “You and Elvis drive safely!”. Consequently, Elvis became the car’s name.
1987 Chrysler Lebaron Two Door A 1987 Chrysler LeBaron two door coupe. It had a column select automatic transmission, front wheel drive and a 2.6 L overhead cam 4-cylinder engine. All black with 5 spoke aluminum wheels, hidden headlights, a maroon interior with power windows, power seats, and a trip computer. It was a really good looker. I inherited this one when Madalene and I married Feb. 20, 1992.
What’s in a name?
ELVIS II Madalene could not have it any other way but to call her car Elvis, so Elvis II it was.
1993 Dodge Dakota Sport Club Cab A brand new pickup truck purchased from Crawford’s Raytown Dodge. It had a column select automatic transmission and a 3.9 L Magnum OHV V 6 engine. Bright red with a reflective silver “zig-zag” side graphic and aluminum wheels. Purchased mostly to tow the boat (and to stop it), it was bigger than I liked. But, it was comfortable and rather quick for a V6. I added an ARE fiberglass lid to the bed, rubber side moldings and painted every other wheel spoke black to improve the look. A couple of burnt valves were the only unusual maintenance. We believe the strength of this truck’s frame and body saved our lives. We were the last vehicle in line on a freeway traffic jam. We were struck from behind by a large Chevy station wagon traveling 60-65 mph (the driver was asleep and slumped over the wheel). The impact hurtled us ahead into a pickup and a minivan pushing them aside and then into another minivan turning it upside down. We ended up with our driver’s side on the pavement. We suffered only cuts and bruises and a minor concussion. The truck’s frame bent upwards over the rear axle absorbing most of the impact. The only window broken was the driver’s door and that was from the side view mirror when we struck the pavement. No other glass was broken and we received only minor injuries. Note the bed floor showing where the frame buckled at the arches over the rear axle. September 3, 1999, A sad end for a good truck.
What’s in a name?
ZIGGY The reflective graphic stripes on the side of this truck had a zig-zag effect on the front ends. So, what else would you name it? After the accident, we would also referred to it as the “Life Saver”.
1994 Ford Mustang A 1994 Ford Mustang convertible. Powered by a 3.8 L OHV V6 engine with 4-speed floor select automatic transmission. Madalene rode in a friend’s rental and vowed to own one, specifically a red one with a red interior and a black top. After a long search then ordering a ‘95, this one showed up at a Warrensburg, MO dealer. A low mileage rental, it was just what she wanted (we cancelled the ‘95). With only 165 hp. it performed well, handled nicely, and with 4-wheel disc brakes that stopped quickly. The transmission initially shuddered under load. Our local dealer had no clue, wouldn’t do a thing, so I talked with my nephew who worked for a Ford dealer in Ohio and he gave me the service bulletin on this problem. My dealer now had no choice. He replaced the transmission fluid with the proper viscosity and the problem was solved. A new top in 2004 and new head gaskets in 2005 were the only major maintenance issues. It has proudly transported many beautiful young ladies in Homecoming Parades through the years. Itself a real beauty. It gets smiles & comments everywhere it goes. The addition of black letters on the rear bumper and some black tape on the headlights to match the black lines on the parking lamps are the only changes to an already gorgeous car.
What’s in a name?
ELVIS III Madalene’s Mustang...need I say anything more?
“ WHI LE SI M I L AR TO THE ‘ 93, THI S ONE WAS ‘ FANC Y ’ AS OPPOSED TO ‘ S POR T Y ’ . ”
1996 Dodge Dakota SLT Club Cab 1996 Dodge Dakota SLT Club Cab pickup truck. 3.8 L OHV V6 engine and a 4-speed column select automatic transmission. The replacement for the lost ‘93 Dakota was found in a parking lot with a for sale sign on it. The owner’s family was growing too fast and required a 4-door vehicle. While similar to the ‘93, this one was “fancy” as opposed to “sporty”. Red with silver two tone under the side moldings and machined aluminum wheels gave it a “classy” look. A black soft vinyl bed cover completed the effect. A good, reliable vehicle, but only 2 doors make it difficult to transport now aging parents and the wife’s cheerleaders. So, it got the for-sale sign again after only a year. What’s in a name?
TAZ Our next door neighbors offered us a new set of floor mats for this truck. The mats featured the cartoon character: “The Tazmanian Devil”. Enough said.
2000 Dodge Dakota Sport Quad Cab A new 2000 Dodge Dakota Sport Quad Cab 4-door) pickup truck with a 4.7L V8 engine and a 4-speed column select automatic transmission. From Steve Oliver Dodge in Overland Park KS all red (what else?) with a grey interior it was the largest and heaviest vehicle I ever owned, hence the V8. It was smooth and quiet, a real highway cruiser, making for very pleasant trips to the lake, Joplin, & Springfield. Because of the extra-long cab, short bed and the added ARE fiberglass bed cover, it was well balanced for a pickup and did not require extra weight for snow travel. I kept the wheels from the ‘96, added black side moldings and removed the Dodge letters from the tail gate making this red truck better looking than most. Would have liked to have kept this one much longer except for only 17 mpg max. and the price of regular gas now near $3 per gallon. Being nearly 70 years old I needed to minimize the things that a pickup is used for. Even though only 55k on the odometer it’s days were numbered. The boat went too.
What’s in a name?
DOUBLE - D Dennis Dischinger (a friend of mine) called himself Double D. Since this truck was a Dodge Dakota I felt Double D worked for me.
Nov. 2006 to May 2016
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited Edition A used (Alamo Car Rental with 9K miles) 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited Edition with an inline 4-cylinder, 148.2 cu in (2.4 L), DOHC, 16-valve engine and floor shift 4-speed Automatic FWD transaxle. Magnesium Pearl (gray-green) paint, power moon roof, nine spoke aluminum wheels, power seats, locks, etc.. Four doors and a very versatile interior... folding and/or removable rear seats and a fold flat front passenger seat allows for hauling up 8’ things made it really useful. Retro styling, good fuel mileage, excellent handling and good brakes convinced me to buy it. Replaced the awful Goodyear OEM tires @ 30K with Michelins, the change was astounding, so much smoother and quieter. I added a black pin stripe around the beltline matching the hood to fender gap, window tint to the front side windows matching the factory ones on the rear doors and hatch window, and red pin stripes on the wheel spokes just to make it look different from stock. With 99,139 miles on the odometer, and me unable to drive any more, we felt it was time to let this good little car go in favor of one with less than 20,00 miles.
What’s in a name?
KERMIT Inspired by the Muppet Show’s Kermit the Frog. Who said “It’s not easy being green!”
May 2016 to...
2016 Ford Focus SE A brand new Ruby Red 2016 Ford Focus SE with 51 miles! Front wheel drive, 2.0 Liter I4 GDI Dbl OHC 16 valve 160 hp engine with variable valve timing, and a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. It came equipped with all the bells and whistles including a back up camera, heated seats, heated side mirrors, heated steering wheel, pass through trunk, folding rear seats, and (Oh yes!) a hands free telephone.
What’s in a name?
PRISCILLA Since I no longer can drive, this one is also Madalene’s. With Elvis III sitting adjacent to it in the garage, E.A.P.’s wife’s name it is....
October 2016 to...
“. . . ME AN T FOR DRI V I NG ON THE GRASS, THIS GREEN BUGGY’S NAME HAD TO BE GRASSHOPPER!”
2002 EZ-GO TXT Golf Cart With six 6 Volt lead acid batteries powering a 32 volt electric motor. It has a single forward speed rear wheel drive with a polarity switch for reverse. I added a volt meter, wheel covers, headlights, taillights, and a trailer hitch.
What’s in a name?
GRASSHOPPER II A golf cart meant for driving on grass, this green buggy’s name had to be Grasshopper!