Bob's Chapter · Early Fifties and later
From Dad's Rebuilt Chevy to Beloved Station Wagons
told by Robert Ray Guild
Robert recalls starting to drive at thirteen around the 39th Street neighborhood and earning his license in a stick-shift car his father built from two junk Chevys for taking the children to school. He thinks Bernie and Carol also drove it. His own cars began with a black ’48 Ford he washed daily, followed by a succession of Mercurys, Oldsmobiles, Chevys, Pontiacs, and Dodges. His yellow ’57 Olds saw plenty of drive-in movie outings, and his ’69 Pontiac wagon was his first brand new car. Friends teased him about his station wagons, but he prized their hauling capacity. He always wanted a red Corvette convertible and says the red Mustang convertible comes close.
In the family's own words
I started driving at thirteen around the 39th Street neighborhood. In the early the Fifties, Dad built a car out of two cars to be used to take us kids to school. He took a junker 1936 Chevy and a junker 1937 Chevy and made one good car out of them. I got my driver’s license in that car. I think Bernie, Carol, and I all drove it. (It was a stick shift, of course.)
My first car was a black ’48 Ford. It was a beauty with a bathtub- like body style. Washed it every day. Next cars were: ’52 Mercury in green, a yellow ’57 Olds, (sharp car that also saw a lot of drive-in movie action) a ’62 Chevy, a ’69 Pontiac wagon, (my first brand new car) a ’73 Pontiac wagon, an ’80 Dodge, an ’85 Dodge, a ’93 Dodge, ’93 Chevy Blazer, and the ’96 Chevy Blazer. My friends all made fun of me, but I loved those station wagons. You could haul lots of stuff. I have always wanted to own a red Corvette convertible. The red Mustang convertible comes pretty close.
Referenced in
Bob's Chapter, told by Robert Ray GuildRelated stories
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