Cars - Past and Present

DH's car was back in the shop all day yesterday. It was stuttering when he was starting it and he thought the engine might not turn over, so we wanted it checked out. We picked it up last night - new battery and a new starter. More money flying out of the car window. OUCH! He really needs a new car, this one is 25+ years old, but he wants a small truck and is holding out for the new reissued Ford Ranger due in 2019. I have a feeling he'll be disappointed by that truck if it doesn't require the back seat in the cab. We only need the one seat, but everything I'm seeing on the new truck has the double row cab. Still, if we can nurse his car through, I guess we'll keep trying. As he said, the total of the two major repairs this year are still less than monthly car payments. 

Back to the 50's is one of the largest car shows in the nation and
happens every year around Father's Day at the Minnesota State
Fairgrounds. If you're into older cars, this is the place to be! 

It's Saturday, so I'm happy. There are piles of brush throughout my front and back yard, so I suspect my Sunday will be spent on several back and forth trips to the compost collection. That's not too bad, except the major annual car show is taking place between my home and the yard waste collection yard. That might pose some traffic problems. 

The Fairgrounds are packed with cars and spectators, all looking at
hundreds of older cars in various stages of refurbishing. Vendors of
all types - food, gifts and a variety of car fix-up and painting people -
populate stands throughout the Fairgrounds. It's a BIG deal. 

It's always fun to look at the old cars, though. The car show - "Back to the 50's" - is put on by the Minnesota Street Rod Association and is one of two major car shows held at the Fairgrounds each year. They take over the entire Fairgrounds area, all of the campgrounds on the grounds, and all of the hotels. Restaurants get increased numbers of customers and the cars cruise up and down Snelling Avenue. Yesterday, while driving home from work, I saw the usual groups of people in their lawn chairs lining the road, watching the various cars drive past. 

This was my car - except the roof was white and I didn't have
the very fancy tires. Still, the red is the right color and it's
the right model. That car took me through high school and
into college and had so many adventures in its' life. I think
my particular model went on into the demolition derby when
I sold it after it got too expensive to maintain it. 

It was fun driving to and from work yesterday, even though the morning traffic really sucked. I saw a two-tone 1964 Chevy Impala on my way to work yesterday. I don't see a lot of the 1964's, usually seeing either the 1963's or the 1965's. The difference is the back bumper design. I have a love for this car. It was a car that my Mom adored. We had one with a red body and white roof that she drove from Denver to Mexico City and back one summer, taking Dad and me on a wonderful trip of a lifetime. When I got old enough to drive, she sold the car to me and bought a more compact Chevy Nova. 

The 1964 Chevy Impala Station Wagon always looked very
ungainly and rather boat-like. It was overly large and
very blocky. The one I saw yesterday was painted in
a brilliant turquoise color, a color I usually associate
with a 1950's BelAire. Still, the wagon is rare and it
was a beauty. 

On my way home, I saw another 1964 Chevy Impala, and I also saw a Chevy Impala station wagon - an extremely rare car. There are a lot of cars from the 50's, and lots of older cars and hot rods, but the Impalas always ring my chimes. That first car love, you know? 

Have a great weekend. An hour from now will find me swimming in the outdoor pool, and I don't think I'll be driven out by thunderstorms today. I'm looking forward to stretching my wings a bit in the 50-meter pool instead of the much shorter laps of the indoor 25-yard pool. I'll be back on Monday.