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Topic starter
10/03/2022 9:12 am
A ROCKETSHIP BY ANY OTHER NAME, IS STILL A ROCKETSHIP
As I wandered in to my Car Room about a half hour ago, my second cup of coffee in my hand, as is usually the case, a certain car (or cars) catches my eye. This morning it was my TEN '59 Cadillac's from Danbury and Franklin Mints.
My mind floated back to my annual visits to dealerships with my Dad. There I was at Quantrell Cadillac seeing the '59 Cadillacs. It was the car that year that I was most in awe of. Being just 7 years old, you can imagine how big those cars were to my little eyes. I told my Dad, "The look like ROCKETSHIPS".
The Fins were taller than I was and I'd not seen any other car to that point in time with Fins of that size. Not to mention the price tags (that's what I called the stickers on the windows) revealing the longest numbers I ever remember seeing. I said to my Dad, "This car costs more than all the money in the world". I certainly couldn't imagine cars getting any bigger, fins being any higher, or costing more. Those "stickers" on the windows revealed prices like $5,900, $6,700, and there was even one over $7,600.
Now as much fun as visiting this dealer was, it was what happened next that is one of my precious memories with my Dad. Across the street from Quantrell Cadillac was a hamburger place called White Castle, and this was my first time going there. We ordered the food from our car, and it was delivered to us by a girl on Roller Skates! It was so cool!
Each little hamburger was in its own box and they were mushy soft and to my taste buds, good beyond imagination. When I call them "little hamburgers", it's because they were little...three bites (or less) and they were gone. They cost only a dime each! Now for those of you that have had White Castle's, you know that you either like them or hate them, there is no in-between. It's an acquired taste.
As I sipped my coffee this morning with this memory overloading my senses, I could actually taste that hamburger. Does a day get any better than seeing a Rocketship, a girl on Roller Skates bringing food to us, and most of all...being with my Dad.
I'm going for a third cup of coffee, I want to stay in this memory a little longer.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/03/2022 9:36 am
Wonderful childhood memories hey George? Sounds like you had a great Dad. It's interesting how many Forum members did the rounds of dealership showrooms as kids every September and have such vivid memories; I sure do.
Topic starter
10/03/2022 10:18 am
Wonderful childhood memories hey George? Sounds like you had a great Dad. It's interesting how many Forum members did the rounds of dealership showrooms as kids every September and have such vivid memories; I sure do.
Wonderful memories indeed Jack. Those yearly visits to see the new cars forever make me smile when I recall them. As for my Dad, he was the best!
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
10/03/2022 10:19 am
Yes, my father also took me to dealers to see the new cars, only we visited the Hudson, Ford, Mercury, Dodge, PLymouth, Chevy, Pontiac dealers. We did not visit Caddy or other luxury car dealers though. The first year I remember was the '54 model year [Oct. '53]; my father drove a '46 Hudson at the time..
My first memory of eating out was in a New York City Horn & Hardart Automat. A wall of glass with food behind and a nickel would make the glass door open and you take what you wanted. What fun looking at all the things available behind the glass doors. My mother would give me a few nickles and let me buy my lunch AND dessert, they had dozens of things, yum.
Jack Dodds and Jack Dodds reacted
Topic starter
10/03/2022 1:25 pm
@brush, imagine how many nickels your mother would have to give you today. Fun memories for sure!
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Jack Dodds and Jack Dodds reacted
10/03/2022 3:33 pm
Just a reminder how big the fins on a 1959 Cadillac were; here are some photos from the 2019 Chicago Auto Show.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
Topic starter
10/03/2022 4:01 pm
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
11/03/2022 12:41 am
Nice story George. The 59 Cadillac is such an iconic car design. Its hard to have just one of them. Your lineup of 10 would be a spectacular sight I'd imagine George.
John Kuvakas and John Kuvakas reacted