Tweeble

Bird Droppings are No Laughing Matter

You might find "Tweeble" a humorous, even innocent, cartoon. But bird droppings are one of the most serious setbacks to car-cleaning enthusiasts the world over. Here's why.

Bird poop is literally a chemical cocktail that can seriously damage automobile finishes. Composed of fruit acids, bacteria, urine condensed to white crystals, and intestinal parasites, this deadly combination can begin etching a clear coat finish in as little as 15 seconds! If not promptly dealt with, the harm can be permanent.

There are several suggestions that car-cleaning connoisseurs follow to minimize the catastrophic consequences of a bird dropping incident.

When returning from a drive, even a short jaunt, inspect the car completely for any evidence of "fowl" play. Birds can be quick and crafty. Pay particular attention to the center of the car's roof, as many novice inspectors, especially short ones, overlook this desirable target. A mirror attached to a pole, often sold to airport security for bomb-searching on the underside of trucks, is a perfect addition for the height-impaired. If you discover a dropping, apply copious amounts of cool water from a spray bottle. The object is to soften the stool and prepare it for removal. Follow with a gentle wipe of a lint-free cloth. Never use paper towels as they can scratch the surface of the finish. Saturate and repeat the process until all visible contaminants are removed. You are now prepared for Step Two, neutralization. Many amateurs believe that simply removing the stool is sufficient, but the Ph levels can remain destructively high. One of my favorite neutralization tools is Griot's Car Care "Speed Shine" in a spray bottle. Simply apply to the contaminated area and carefully wipe. Presto, you are good to go.

Even the most seasoned of us has had a bird dropping experience while driving. More terrifying than a high-speed tire blowout, this circumstance requires absolute composure and complete concentration. Just like any accident situation, immediately remove your foot from the accelerator and began to coast towards the right shoulder of the road, or if you are lucky, an immediate exit from an interstate. While time is of the essence, the welfare of passengers takes precedence. Once safely out of traffic's way, assess the situation. If the hit was to the windshield, a very common occurrence, DO NOT apply the wiper wash. That will only spread the contaminant. While the steps outlined above are the preferred antidote, I have witnessed situations where a bird dropping removal kit was absent from the trunk and you must innovate on your own. Purel anti-bacterial waterless hand sanitizer, sodas or beer, even you own urine or saliva will do in a pinch for the stool-softening procedure. Fast food napkins, newspaper, or a sock or t-shirt from your own person can substitute for a lint-free cloth. A thorough and immediate car wash is recommended following the incident.

Of course, there will always be the occasional carpet-bombing of a vehicle. This is a near purposeful vendetta against car owners and, while rare, is a reminder of nature's ferocity and awe. I would like to share with you a picture (above) taken shorty after such an attack. The owner of the Chrysler minivan, Mr. A. Douglas Allison, brought the van to me for an analysis.

I must say I was stumped at first, but The Bristol Stool Scale (a handy reference guide for any bird-dropping expert) identified the culprit as a Laughing Gull (inset). These intelligent birds have an aggressive side to their personality. Mr. Allison's vehicle is a testament to that, as well as to this bird's repeated assaults. Unfortunately, the damage done occurred 24 hours earlier and the minivan will remain forever disfigured. It is a lesson learned for all.

So remember, until we live in a bird-free world, get those droppings addressed as soon as possible... it's no laughing matter.

High Hopes for Higher Milage

In yet another remarkable undertaking for change, Obama announced this week stringent new fuel and emissions requirements that mandate a Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) of 36 mpg within the next 7 years. Just more cheery news for our beleaguered domestic automobile manufacturers of which 2/3rds are on the government dole. Perhaps that explains the forced smiles and phoney congratulations from the heads of Ford, GM and Chrysler at the announcement, instead of their customary pre-bailout whining that the goal is unreachable and expensive with current technology (which it is).

To achieve the nearly 10 mile per gallon improvement, look for a drastic reengineering of the cars and trucks sold in the United States. Passenger automobiles will become lighter, smaller and much less powerful. They will cost anywhere from $1,300 (Obama estimate) to $3,000 (industry estimate) more than a comparable compact today (sans inflation). We may save the environment, but more people will die on our highways every year. Small cars are still at a disadvantage over larger ones in a collision.

You will read, with great hand-wringing and trepidation in the auto press, that there is a more sensible approach to gains in fuel utilization "if only we had a coherent national energy policy". Wake up! The CAFE requirement, however bone-headed, is our policy and has been since 1975. Instead of working to stabilize gasoline prices and moderate consumption with a rational, measured approach to volatile commodities, we will do the exact opposite, control the individuals and regulate the machinery that consume the commodity. That this strategy of governmental-contrived manipulation will solve what a free market economy could have done on it's own is a testament to the fact that people never learn (Sorry, it must be my pesky history degree rearing its ugly head again).

You might argue what difference does it make if the end result is the same. But which would you rather have, stable gas prices via taxes at (a hypothetical) $4 a gallon and buy what you want, or drive a government-designed clown car and watch gasoline prices gyrate between heaven and hell? Oops, sorry, there's that word "choice" again.

Don't get me wrong. As a nation I believe respect for our environment and conservation of resources is both necessary and practical. That's just common sense. That same common sense could also allow auto manufactures to build what the public desires to drive and pay the price at the pump. Economics appears to work for other choices we make in our life. Tell me, did the price of your new home influence your selection to buy it? If we use the current administration's logic, won't we be better off if home builders construct only 600 square foot houses for you to live in? I don't see the difference.

How fitting that a week before Memorial Day 2009, Barack announces a policy which will mark the end to what millions of U.S. military men and women died to protect and preserve... our culture of freedom and choice.

A Bird in the Hand...

The year was 1983. I had just taken a job in ad sales for a new Hampton Roads city weekly called PortFolio Magazine. While I was optimistic about my new employ, I was recovering from the failure of my own city monthly called the Bay Area Review. For the previous year I had slaved 24/7 in an effort to make the publication work. Not only had the experience taken an emotional toll, but financially I was exhausted as well.

I was driving a 1972 Opel 1600 that had seen better days. Most distressing, it lacked air conditioning. In a sales position, you need to arrive at a prospect's business alert and refreshed. As we were coming into the humid summer months, the need for a new car became apparent.

As I mentioned, I was broke. But I never stiffed anyone and my credit was still good. I visited my old friends at Cavalier Ford (I was a salesman there in summers during college break) and laid out the cards. I drove away in a new dove gray Ford Thunderbird. The Thunderbird was completely redesigned in '83 and it turned heads. Breaking from the square look that it, and most other cars on the road, had previously embraced, the new 'Bird made everything else on the road look 10 years old.

My 'Bird had a 232 cid Essex V-6. But it was the style that hooked me. The rounded corners and slopping lines married to an egg-crate grille was about as fashionable as you could be in '83.

I suppose it sounds shallow, but that car did more for my self-confidence at the time than anything else I could have envisioned. Hey, you are what you drive, right?

A GM Bailout? Why bother.

They say all good things come to an end. Surprisingly, the end for General Motors came in the mid-70s. Hopelessly mired in the "GM Way", the corporation began to suffer the effects of an insular management team, substandard quality control, uninspired styling and a total indifference to the rising tide of imported Asian cars and contentious, overcompensated UAW workers.

That GM managed to survive until now had everything to do with their sheer size and cheap gas, and the delusional belief that they would always be king of the American highway.

The unthinkable, however, is happening. On June 1st of this year, GM will file bankruptcy. Despite a recent renaissance of styling and build quality, the sudden, and now horrendous, decline of auto sales proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Using Chrysler's strategy, GM will mimic a similar course of bankruptcy. They, with presidential authority, will trample over dealers and secured bond holders, and any other obstacle that threatens to derail this governmental fantasy of "easy in - easy out" receivership.

That's what we can expect for the immediate future. But what's beyond? I believe I know.

CHAOS AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL
Unlike Chrysler, GM has interconnected manufacturing interests worldwide that will complicate the reorganization of it's North American operations. It wants to shed Opel and Saab as well as Hummer and Saturn. But until it does, these orphan brands will only distract from the immediate task at hand, which is reviving the four viable marques that GM believes is its future: Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and GMC trucks. Other interferences will abound. With no manufacturing for months while in receivership and a tainted retail reputation, GM's share of the domestic market will fall from 20% to 10%. Morale will collapse and many of the brightest engineers, designers and managers will simply leave. The contraction on every level will most likely be mismanaged, with false stops and starts that will delay the 2010 model introductions. "Oh, and by the way, have you met your new owners?" With the Obama administration's micro-managed meddling and the UAW's bloodsucking mindset, GM will never realize any sustainable recovery. Still think the economical Chevrolet Aveo import from Korea stands a chance with UAW board members?

COLLAPSE OF THE SUPPORT SYSTEM
No surprise here. With both Chrysler and GM taking a summer vacation, what are the vendors supposed to do? This event alone will trigger a chain reaction of failures among auto parts suppliers - critical to the immediate return of manufacturing for GM's resurgence. With the chopping block massacre of their dealer network, down by half to 3,000, the misery will spread to cities and towns across America. Industry downsizing will add 250,000 to the unemployment roles in short order. And what about GMAC Financing? GMAC is already insolvent, having borrowed $5 billion from TARP funds. Won't Barack get tired feeding this beast play money every quarter?

ECONOMIC EFFECTS ON THE COUNTRY
Think you've seen all the bad news there is to see in our current economic meltdown? Just wait until the newly emerged GM, and ugly sister Chrysler, continue to lose money. I'm certain the placid taxpayer won't mind fronting a few extra billion to get them over another rough patch. With the current economic climate still in the basement, and possibly for years to come, consumer's won't be buying new cars in numbers large enough to guarantee a profitable GM. The nasty PR that GM will undergo will also alienate million of buyers, forever. Which all leads to a further erosion of market share.

THE END OF THE ROAD
I am not a GM basher. I have owned dozens, most recently a 2007 Pontiac Solstice and 2007 Cadillac CTS... both outstanding automobiles that were leading the rebirth of a new General Motors. But GM remained a bloated behemoth and the collapse of the housing market and the associated credit crisis in late 2007 signaled insurmountable problems for the world's largest automobile manufacturer. Latest figures from CSM Worldwide project total unit sales of all makes in the USA at just 8.1 million units in 2009. That's half the number bought in 2007! How can GM, even after bankruptcy, make a profit in 2009? The answer is they can't, and sadly won't for years. How long will the current administration continue to fund GM? The answer, again, is they can't for much longer. Other entitlement programs and obligations by the government will compete for the billion dollar prizes our treasury so casually doles out every month. Where does that leave GM?

The advanced 2010 Chevrolet Volt, a technological tour de force, will most likely debut as planned. But this halo car costs more to produce than it's selling price. How long can GM afford that with the end of funding from Uncle Sam? The new Chevy Cruze (pictured above) and Buick LaCrosse are winners, but will anyone notice? I believe you will see GM continue with a dwindling market share. Once it reaches 4% in North America, they will fold.

There will also be another high-profile vacancy on the American scene. Inextricably associated with the failed GM bailout by taxpayers, Obama will be a one-term president.

The End of Chrysler

This is one damn mess and it's going to get worse. Now that this corpse of a car company is in bankruptcy, terrifyingly bad decisions are being made by the Obama administration. Most offensive is that the senior secured debt holders (such as Oppenheimer Funds), who should be at the top of the receiving end, have had their arms twisted to settle for less, much less. Ridiculed as financial scavengers and parasites by the president, their corporate bond holdings were reduced to pennies on the dollar. That this doesn't get challenged in court will surprise me.

And guess who gets 55% of the newly emerged Chrysler... the UAW! Apparently the unfunded pension obligations that would have vanished under a typical bankruptcy are now worth over half of the equity in the new corporation. Of course, the UAW performed a lot of heavy lifting for Obama's election and this is the apparent reward.

Don't forget, Uncle Sam gets a slice of the reissued stock. I guess that for the billions we will waste on this colossal mistake, we as taxpayers should be grateful. I'm not. The first 8 billion from the TARP money we loaned Chrysler will never be repaid. That's a given. So is the unfortunate reality that Chrysler will be on the tit of the US Government for years to come.

That egregious outcome, alone, will prevent me from ever purchasing a Chrysler product again. I wonder how many other Americans agree with my viewpoint.

Speaking of repayment, or the lack thereof, how does Chrysler make any money once out of bankruptcy? Their passenger cars are poorly made and unpopular. Even the Chrysler 300, a reasonably good looking sedan, is getting long in the tooth - it was introduced in 2004 as a 2005 model - now 5 years old. About all they have going for them are the minivans, Dodge trucks and Jeep franchise. Will buyers have any confidence that these brands are still viable... even with the US Government standing behind their warranties (how that's going to work is any body's guess)? Fiat, who built such unremarkable cars that they had to leave the American market in 1984, is volunteering technical and manufacturing expertise. For no cash investment, they are getting a minimum of 20% stock and most likely, the unenviable task of managing this newly emerged Frankenstein of a car company. Oh, and they also have to manufacture a 40-mpg automobile in America... most likely the Fiat 500 I mentioned in an earlier post. How many American workers will they need for one bombed-out plant in Detroit to build an Italian automobile?

All that, in an automobile market that has yet to recover any sales momentum in the current economic downturn. Where is there any chance for success in this boondoggle?

Perhaps it is unfair of me to ridicule the efforts some good people are putting forth to save an American icon. So I offer this plausible alternative. Chrysler goes into bankruptcy just like hundreds of other companies over hundreds of years have, and takes it chances. No more bailouts. No phony partnerships. No disregard for the lawful obligation of debt.

That's the formula to save another American icon: Capitalism!

Stylin' in the 70s

It's 1975 and the living is easy. I was getting into the car buying experience with some regularity and decided that the new American Motors Matador 2-door fastback was the ticket. This was a swoopy coupe with large tunneled headlights. Mine was in a merlot exterior color with a vinyl cream interior.

Richard Teague designed the Matador to capture some of the market that the Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chevy Monte Carlo and Ford Torino, all top sellers, were getting. I suppose in my own odd way, I didn't want to drive what everyone else did. Thus the Matador graced my driveway.

It came with a 232 cid six under what appeared to be the longest hood in history. The country had been through two recent gasoline shortages so the 6 cylinder seemed prudent at the time. The crisis got so bad that in February they moved daylight savings time up two months in an effort to save energy. Construction of the Alaska pipeline started a month later.

Things sure were different back then. I had a small apartment on Little Creek Road. If you can imagine, it wasn't even air-conditioned (the Matador thankfully was)! Downtown Norfolk remained a dump in spite of the construction of a "pedestrian-friendly" mall that forbid car travel. I was an account rep for the Virginian-Pilot and handled some used automobile dealerships.

I kept the Matador for 2 years and sold it to buy a 1976 Plymouth Arrow (more about that disaster in another column). I miss that Matador and wish I still had it.

My Modern Rambler

Well, I would suspect the folks at Volvo would be slightly aghast that I likened their new C-30 to a 1959 Rambler American 2-door wagon. Popular car magazines certainly don't see it that way. But that's why I bought the C-30, a tough little devil that's the zeitgeist of modern transportation in 2009!

What are we facing today? An unpredictable economy on Prozac without a prescription and volatile fuel prices that can spike sooner than a cat's fur on Halloween. The same pragmatic response to a recession in the late 1950's that lead to the sales success (By the '60s the Rambler was the third best selling make) of the American wagon against such dinosauric monstrosities as the '59 Cadillac, spurred my purchase of the C-30 this year.

While the C-30 drives circles around the Rambler, it is cut from the same parsimonious cloth. The C-30 is a maneuverable, gas stingy (30mpg highway), 4-seater hatchback ('50s lingo for "small wagon") that is economical to buy and maintain much like the aforementioned 1959 American.

Yet, you won't be punished for frugality. A "music-to-the-ears" sound system, extremely comfortable seating and a turbo-powered 5-cylinder make the C-30 more than a a mediocre econobox. It's a celebration of practicality without that withered cheapness so common to "small cars".

Let's be real. You won't pull up to your 30th high school reunion and necessarily impress those who are sporting a Mercedes or Cadillac. But haven't you matured enough to care less what they think? Besides, the handsome football jock has never held any job longer than 24 months and the Homecoming Queen, well, let's be polite, is about 80 lbs. heaver than when you last saw her.

I would like to think that we are embracing the cataclysmic shift to prudence this new financial world is becoming. Buying a C-30 is part of that. It may not agree with everyone, and I can understand that, but for those of us who get it, the Volvo is precisely what it needs to be: a contemporary Rambler American.

Secrets to a Great Driving Companion

For those that enjoy a robust driving experience, there is nothing more enjoyable than a competent road trip companion. They play a key role in the success or failure when traveling for pleasure. My preferred co-pilot is Marty Thomas. She has a tremendous sense of humor, a boatload of common sense and an innate understanding of driving dynamics. I suspect she got that last talent growing up in Italy as a Navy brat who's father, Adm. Julian Thomas, owned and drove Ferrari's.

The key role for a traveling companion is to assist the driver in all situations pertaining to the safety, enjoyment and most of all, excitement, a road trip should embody. Where would Clyde be without Bonnie?

For example, your co-pilot should travel light and be able to read a Google map or navigate a GPS system with ease. They should have kidneys of steel with the ability to pass rest stops without wincing. Most importantly, they must have the physiological ability to analyze and anticipate other drivers moves based on the vehicle they are driving. (i.e. minivans, Subaru's with Vermont tags, older makes with sheetmetal damage, etc.).

While my sixth sense to smell police and radar units miles away has kept us out of the clutches of the secondary road constabularies that terriorize rural America, in the event the unanticipated occurs (State Police disguised as Mustang Cobra drivers) the co-pilot must be able to feign pregnancy ("My water broke and we are on the way to the hospital."), contritness (crying on demand is a plus) or just general confusion ("Your Honor, my mother, who I haven't seen from birth is dying. She lives in a white house somewhere along this road. Will you take the time to help us find her?). Of course, you can avoid those situations entirely without speeding, but remember, I mentioned "excitement" when I described a road trip essential.

Lastly, a dedicated traveling companion must never exhibit fear! That includes such distracting mannerisms as "braking" when in the passenger seat (watch their feet when you come swiftly into a corner... always a telltale sign), screaming when passing is tight on a 2 lane road ("Go quietly unto the Lord" -isn't that in the Bible?) or listening to an Ipod with earphones ( you'll miss the exhaust note on the curve return).

I wish each of you the enjoyment I have found with Marty as a professional traveling companion. They make excellent friends for life as well.

Great Grandfather's Essex

H. C. Layton, my Great-Grandfather, drove this 1929 Essex coupe everyday in his hometown of Bridgeville, Delaware. He ran the local hardware store, H. C. Layton & Sons, for 70 years. The store remains open today and is managed by my cousin, Michael Layton.

The Essex was manufactured by Hudson who introduced affordable "closed" coupes and sedans to the driving public (as opposed to the Model T which was an "open" car ). The price was somewhere around $1,400 new.

If my memory serves correctly, he also sold them at the hardware store.

The New Chrysler Corporation

Perhaps I should have photo-shopped out the Fiat badge and replaced it with the Chrysler emblem because this will be one of the first cars imported from Italy for the Auburn Hills manufacturer. It's a Mini-scaled Fiat 500 and I would imagine it will take on a different look in the US market because our bumper standards are different from Europe's. That's a process Ford discovered when it decided to import the European Focus to these shores. It also takes about 2 years to complete the redesign. Tell me, can Chrysler wait that long for new product to start arriving?

I must share with you that this whole Chrysler drama is far from over. I would expect years of mayhem what with the bankruptcy filing, complete collapse of domestic sales (especially Chrysler's), a dealer network under extreme pressure and an Italian management team that only recently was able to turn Fiat around.

One thing is certain, your local Chrysler and Dodge dealers will be pushing used cars as Chrysler's manufacturing plants are idle as of now.

Start Driving Young

Here I am getting a healthy dose of "driving" at about 5 or 6 years old. I was standing on the front seat, not sitting, but already preparing for a life behind the wheel. Not sure you can see it that well in the photo, but Mom is in the back seat with her hand to her head mimicking both fear and disgust at my driving. Funny thing is, 50 plus years later and she's still doing the same thing!

The car was a 1958 4-door Chevrolet Biscayne sedan in two shades of green. The Biscayne wasn't the top of the Chevrolet line by any measure, and yet I am amazed today at how much chrome the car sported. Dad also had a '58 Chevrolet wagon in Coral Pink. A dreadful hue that reminds one of the color of healthy gums.

We got out of sedans because Mom liked convertibles (YES! YES! YES!) and went through a series of Chevy II's and Malibu's in the early 1960's.

(One note about convertibles: they are wonderful! And please don't let anyone attempt to convince you that a sunroof is the equivalent. Sunroofs are a distraction in my opinion and produce a wind pressure situation in the cabin of the car that creates a "booming" sensation in your ears if the other windows are closed. I notice that in Audi's particularly.)

Drive The Blue Ridge

There's no finer weekend drive than to embrace the magnificent Blue Ridge Parkway in a top-down sportster. My trusty traveling companion, Marty Thomas, and I have made several treks to this Virginia-North Carolina parkway over the years and everytime we drive it we make another exciting discovery. The highest elevation reaches nearly 5,000 feet and the views are remarkable.

A few tips I can share with you. Go in the early spring. The crowds are non-existent and the road usually deserted. The posted speed is 40 mph but 60 is exhilarating and still safe. There aren't many guard rails so use caution. We heard on our last trip that two guys in a SUV (figures) accidentally drove off one of the embankments and were killed.

The driving experience is relative to the car you take. Our first trip we took my Thunderbird. The T-Bird is a boulevardier at best and no match for the twisties this 400 mile long road boosts. But the Bird was a convertible so that made up for its lack of enthusiasm in the curves. The trip in the Solstice was another experience altogether. Marty and I flew around mountain-top corners like two bats out of hell. The adrenaline peaked about every 5 minutes and it beat the pants off any Busch Gardens roller coaster ride. The element of death is there for sure. I believe you are best doing this jaunt in a tossable sports car, like the Solstice or a Miata. A Corvette or Porsche is too heavy and over-horsepowered for this outing.

A few other observations worth sharing. Take a sweater. Even in late May it can get down right chilly in the hills. Also respect the unique weather you may encounter. If it appears like it might rain, then there may be some serious fog issues. It can be mean! Marty and I had such an experience. If I recall correctly, she had to get out of the car and by tapping on the front fender guide me from driving off the cliffs. You could not see your hand in front of your face I kid you not.

As I mentioned, this is a perfect weekend trip and I suggest a great resting spot for the night in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. It's a charming mountain village with great accommodations and restaurants.

My Next Car

I am beginning to believe that cars are like a sexual conquest to me. Once I get it, I'm right back out there looking for the next one. I'm liking the new Volvo S-60 that will grace the showroom floors next year. I've owned Volvo's in the past and am driving a 2008 C-30. I think this car has some great lines. Very curvaceous, unlike many of the older version Volvo's you see on the street most days.

Volvo sales are down this year, as are most makes. But they started a downward sales trajectory before the current economic mess started and I don't believe they ever made Ford Motor any money. Ford wants out of Volvo by the end of the year. They need to find the right buyer.

Hope this model comes to fruition. Will probably list at about $33,000 for a base edition.

Bill's 1948 Chrysler Windsor

The year was 1978 and I was well on my way to restoring my first "antique" car.

1978 was a wonderful year. I was out of school and making decent money as a rep for The Virginian-Pilot. I had a small apartment at Bolling Square. Here I am by my back door pulling off some tape after a small paint touch-up. Bell bottoms, sandals and Disco music most likely playing in the background. Dig the aviator glasses.

I really thought of this Windsor as an "antique" car. No wonder. The car was 30 years old. I was just 26.

That would be like me restoring a 1979 Chrysler today. Not so "antique" after all.

Father Hated Chryslers

Alas, the beleaguered Chrysler Corporation filed bankruptcy this week. If my father was still alive today, he would have felt vindicated. Dad never liked Chryslers. I remember him telling me as a youngster that they wouldn't start in the rain. While I found that impossible to be true, he must have had an experience where one didn't and it colored his impression for the rest of his life.

Of course, car ownership in the 1950s was much different than it is today. You rather joined a family of cars in those days. We were a GM family. The Stacey's down the street were Ford people. Father's good friend, Alex Bell, was solely Chrysler. It was much like belonging to a political party and you didn't stray. I can remember arguments between my childhood friend, Alex Bell, Jr., about which car was better - a Chevy or a Chrysler. We both wanted bragging rights. Just like political preferences, however, you seldom changed anyone's mind and I would go home after a day of play with Alex, confident that Dad and his Chevy was better than Alex's father in a Chrysler. Sharing those observations with Dad at the dinner table that evening, he would beam with pride.

He lost some of that pride years later when I showed up at my parent's house with an older car I wanted to restore: a 1948 Chrysler Windsor. "They weren't any good then and you'll pay hell trying to keep it running" were the first words out of Father's mouth. He rather thought I was being a fool about the whole project. Had I showed up in a '48 Chevy sedan, I believe he might have been more receptive.

Over the next year I succeeded in bringing the Windsor back to life. A new engine and brakes. A new muffler and paint. But anytime something went wrong, Dad's comments came back to haunt me.

A friend of mine, Bob Moss, and I planned a weekend car trip in 1979 from Norfolk up through Virginia's Eastern Shore to visit my Grandparents in Seaford, Delaware. We would take the Chrysler. It was in July and hotter than the blue blazes. We left Norfolk after a late lunch and as circumstances would have it, thunderstorms appeared as we passed Salisbury, Maryland on Route 13. We had the cow vent open as the Windsor didn't have air conditioning (few '48s did), but had to close the windows as a torrential rain suddenly slammed the car. It had gotten so dark from the storm that I turned the headlights on. The wipers were going full tilt just to keep up with the rain. Wind buffeted the Chrysler. And then it happened. The electrical system failed and I lost the headlights and wipers. I couldn't see anything ahead. At first I felt panicked, terrified I would drive into something or just careen off the road. But as I let up off the gas and slowly braked, the lights and wipers suddenly came back on. I never felt so relieved in my life. Apparently, rain water had trickled down from the open cowl vent and temporarily shorted the system. I begin to wonder if a very similar situation had happened to Dad years ago. I decided not to mention the episode to him, as it would only reinforce his complete disdain for Chryslers and how they didn't run well in the rain.

Years later, when I sold the Windsor, I realized Dad never took a ride in my Chrysler.

Confidentially, I wonder how Dad would have taken the news that his beloved GM is now teetering on bankruptcy itself?