My Story of The Last Flight of the New York

[FOXBAT008]

Hi Everybody

I'm new to this site and I am very happy to be part of this family.

I guess everyone has a fond memory of their first Car and the a thrill of ownership - building - customizing it and going for it first Show Down = Race.

I want to share my true story that takes place in Newark New Jersey 1967.

I came from a family of 11 brothers and sisters and living in a town that had just months to live. That did not bother us cause we were used to it.
And we had something new to distract our attention.........

My story is titled "The Last Flight of the New Yorker"

Its about my brother's first car - a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker that packed a HEMI and me as his younger brother who knew nothing about cars and was going to find out that this faded blue bomb was going to become a legend.

At first I looked at this monster that my brother bought as nothing but an out dated big finned behemoth that was totally out of date in 1967

I was more concerned to keep my brother Jacques(Jack) out of trouble with this new so called Super Car of his?

I want to share my story of this true account with all the folks of this fine site - Anyone who loved the Music - Car Culture - Fast Races - Close Calls
and beating the odds will love this story

Please Click on to this Link and Hold on Tight - Cause there are No Seat Belts

Here is a little Preview of what it in the story

Jacques Started cruising the Ave.
I tried to strike up a conversation to settle Jacques down.

All of a sudden Jacques sees something ahead.
He starts waving in and around slower traffic ahead of him.

(Sort of like a Cheetah weeding out the heard looking for a kill)

I spotted it a half a block ahead, slowing down for the changing light.

It was a Sleek Low to the ground fully decked out 1960 White Pontiac Bonneville.
This thing looked wicked and loaded with all the right do-dads, Rear fender skirts – Twin Antennas on the back trunk - Side Pipes, Spinners on all four wheels and the Lettering Flanking the front quarter panel in Black reading RESPECT!

Its Gloss white Paint "Glisten" in the Florescent lights from the Ave.
It was the “Millennium Falcon Star Cruiser”

To Myself I said NO! Not this car!! It going to make Jacques ride look like a "Hay Wagon"!

It’s gleaming shinning profile, it’s low to the ground grouse and the sweet sound resonating from it’s twin side pipes had me convince that this car might be too much to take on.

I then looked at Jacques to see if he did not notice this challenge.

Jacques went from a mild manner Clark Kent to this Street Gun Fighter.
A serious look came to his face – His Thick Black rimmed glasses looked like Phase Array Radar that had locked in on the Bonnie.

As we pulled up right next to the Bonnie door handle to door handle
I looked at my buddy Jim – acknowledging It was on!

Again Thanks to the Site Admin for providing this fine sit and letting us share our stories.

Personal Note: I love going to Car shows and seeing all the fine Cars, be it Customs - Original - Work of Art - it is so impressive to see these Time Capsules of American past in flowing sheet metal - What I hold most dear is the people that these car belong to,
These are the last great Americans from an era that will never be again!

I say God Bless them all - when they all go to that big Car Hop in the Sky America will never be the same - so lets enjoy it while we can.

God Bless America
John Desranleau - Flanders New Jersey
johndesranleau@hotmail.com

[Fat Cat]

Greeting John. Welcome to our site. You will find that the links in your post have been removed. Our membership are a lively group that enjoys a good story just as much as the next guy. However I personally find it slightly insulting for new members to post their first message on this site and include offsite links to something that could very easily be posted on the forum. Once you have established yourself on this forum the links you posted would be fine. But I just don't feel right when new users do it.

Stick around and tell us a little about yourself.

[FOXBAT008]

In Responce to your letter

Sir - Sorry - I did send you an EMAIL stating that this was a Short Story
and If you wanted me I could Copy over the whole story into one bloge or give it to you as an attachment

I did not mean to take advantage of your hospitality

I Did give you a history of myself Saying I loved your site and wanted to share my story with your readers.

As noted in my first post
Again Thanks to the Site Admin for providing this fine sit and letting us share our stories.

Personal Note: I love going to Car shows and seeing all the fine Cars, be it Customs - Original - Work of Art - it is so impressive to see these Time Capsules of American past in flowing sheet metal - What I hold most dear is the people that these car belong to,
These are the last great Americans from an era that will never be again!

I say God Bless them all - when they all go to that big Car Hop in the Sky America will never be the same - so lets enjoy it while we can.

God Bless America
John Desranleau - Flanders New Jersey
johndesranleau@hotmail.com

[Crosley]

welcome aboard the RRT board.

[EMSjunkie]

Howdy John, welcome to the RRT

Vance

[58Apache]

WOW, what a colorful and dramatic guy. A fine use of color, font size, and many other text modifcations to make the story more dramatic.

That name sounds like it has a story behind it as well? Does that have anything to do with the fighter jet?

Something tells me there's a lot more to you than whatwe have seen so far. I am standing by to be entertained as the stories unfold.

Steve

[FOXBAT008]

Gentlemen - Thanks for the Kind words
Yes! I do like Aircrafts
Many fifties and early sixties car were crafted to look like
they could go to the Moon and Back.

Going Back to the story "The Last Flight of the New Yorker"

The Site Admin removed the link that takes you directly to the story on OLD Newark.Com <-- This site has nothing to do with cars, but because my story did take place in Newark New Jersey that's where it was first posted.

(What was Cool about it on that site (O.N.C) I had Pictures and Music to go along with the story - maybe the Site Admin would place the Pictures also in the story here)

So I decided to Place the Story on this Site One Chapter at a time (reason the story is quite large)

So Stay Tune Bring your Seat Belt and get ready for A Wild Wild Ride to the Final Crash --- You'll Enjoy it

First Chapter coming up soon

The story will really relate to the Guys & Gals that grew up in the sixties
it describes what it was like back then --- No the Cops would not give you a ticket for doing a Burnout at the light like today! (It was sooooo common then)
Boys were Boy and Cars were Fast and Drag Racing was everywhere.

I talk about the culture and music and include lyric to many of the popular songs. Even If you were not around then I know you will like all the races we had back then - especially when you get to meet Jacques alis Jack alis Captain Outrageous
You would have wish you were there - So in this story you will be.....

See Ya FOXBAT008

[slocrow]

[58 Yeoman]

[slocrow]

Thanks, I re did it after my noted math error. Appreciate the input..........Frank

[FOXBAT008]

Your Right
Born 1950 - 10 in 60 17 in 67 - This is how old I was in my story
That means I was there for a lot of happenings

As far as Car racing goes done my share, I worked on lots of cars

Been there done that.

I've seen the birth of the Muscle Car Era
I had a job hustling to Car on the street and saw these babies first hand

I've been in many many Car races - My car was a 66 GTO with a Grand Prix 421 Tri Power power plant in its bay - It was a front tire lifter and would burn out a set of rear tires in one day

About the Story of T.L.F.O.T.N.Y This is a True story - No Fluff added - None was NEEDED.

I was there and now have written it down as a story so other can experience what it was like back then.

The Main Characters are my Brother - Me - and the mighty 58 New Yorker

Give it a read when I post it and then tell me what you think

If you like excitement and hairy Car races this is your Pill

Stay Tune

JD

[FOXBAT008]

Introduction The Last Flight of the New Yorker (or The Newarker)

Gasoline: The cologne that transforms a young man into Manhood.

This is a true short story that encapsulates the life of three boys living in the Westward section of Newark New Jersey
before the cataclysm of the summer July 67.

It’s about a boy first car and the adventures that it goes through in its short life –
ending on the eve prior to the night that forever changed Newark.

The story is written to bring you back to the spring of 1967, it tells of the Music, the culture and it is a snapshot of what it was like living in the West Ward of Newark after the main white flight migration had taken its toll.

There are no ill feelings, just 3 boys experiencing and doing the best to enjoy the excitement and experience of a first car.

It’s a story of a Father and son going to buy a Car and a younger brother and his friend that get wrapped up in it.

Be there for the first race – Feel the excitement and thrill of a ride in Jacques Super Car.

So reserve yourself a place in the back seat and hang on for an Exciting ride.

Main Characters
My father, A quiet conservative religious man doing the best he can raising 11 children in a changing city.

Jacques my older brother who is buying his first car and has lots of dream on what he wants to do with it.
He is a culmination of 4 personalities
One Part Marlin Brando from The Wild One --- “Defiance”
One Part Charles Bronson ------------------------“Tough"
One Part Lee Marvin again from the Movie the Wild One ----- “Crazy”
One Part Elvis Presley ---------------------------- “Pure Raw Energy”
Put them all together and you have “Jack!” The name that everyone in Newark called him

Me: Jean / John his younger brother by 2 years
Alias: Granny – Scared of High speed racing on city streets
I was Jacks conscience, trying my best to steer him straight and keep him out of trouble.

James Connelly = Best Friend – is like a member of our Family
Alias: Skinny Irishman who went alone for the ride of a life time.

And the 1958 Chrysler New Yorker that is going to be rebuilt and glorified for its final end.

This story is dedicated to my brother Jacques who, with out him, I would have missed a life time of adventures.
I just wish you also had a wonderful brother like him.


"You've got to Stand for something or your going to Fall for anything".
Quote: from John MellonCamp

The Opening Scene

It’s a quiet Friday evening in late April in the West ward section of Newark.

Cars are heading up and down South Orange Avenue.

The street lights have just come on illuminating the cars parked on either side of South Eleventh Street.

The corner of 11th Street and South Orange Avenue is one of the few blocks that does not have a traffic light. On the corner sat a small forties looking Texaco gas station; on the opposite corner an ultra-modern looking One Hour Martinizing Dry cleaner. Across the street stood the infamous “Sparkies Bar” with its door elevated a few steps off the main thoroughfare of South Orange Avenue.

There is a faint rumble and slight tremble in the air that can be heard and felt in my brother’s basement apartment of our house.

I go closer to the two front facing slightly tinted green jalousie windows that were ground level to get a glimpse of the flyby that is taking place at the corner of 11th and South Orange Avenue.

The sound that emanated was from the great gasps of air being sucked down the throats of massive four barrel carburetors of two large Motown manufactured chrome laden chariots facing down one another before coming down our street.

The roar grew as these two meteors were now thundering, descending down my block just reaching their full velocity as they passed our house.

The sound of these two passing hunks of charging steel with inches of space between them and the cars parked on either side of the street created a vacuum as they pushed aside the still night air which added to the excitement of an impending crash.

It was like two locomotives passing side by side in a tight tunnel. The feel and power rushing by was exhilarating.

Then the roaring sound descended to the end of the block as the power sound echoed from the “Glass Pack and Cherry Bomb” mufflers exhaling the spent octane.

It was usually a quick slow down, a fast check and then the burning rubber and thunderous scream of horse power being let loose as they resumed their charge toward Central Avenue four blocks up.

Friday and Saturday nights were when the main action usually took place.

I would sometimes sit on my father’s Captain chair (which was bolted down) on our front porch and wait for the next dual.
All across the nation this scene was becoming a phenomenon.

But down here on Eleventh Street it really took hold when “Mustang Sally” recorded by Wilson Picket became a nation wide Top Forty Hit on the AM Airways

11th Street seemed to be the place where most of these races occurred in my neighborhood.

The main avenue, South Orange, seldom had any races;
I guess it was because it curved a little bit by the Fairmont Cemetery.
There was one exception,,,, which will be revealed in a later chapter……………….

Just like the Call Of The Wild
It was just a matter of time that this beckoning would stir the “need for speed” in my brother, Jacques.

He, too, would become a legend of terror on the side streets of Newark on the hot summer nights of 1967.

To be Continued.............................

[Crosley]

I am real happy for you.

[FOXBAT008]

Chapter II

The Last Flight of the New Yorker
It’s Good to go back to a simpler time – before Political Correction /Multi-Cultural/ Diversity/Law Suits madness – Japanese cars running amuck – "Everything Made in China"

No difference between political Parties – Mexican’s over running our borders and let’s not forget like Arnold say’s today’s “Girly men”.

Rap! They call that music???

Let’s start It’s the Spring of 1967

It was the Dawn of the Summer of Love

Psychedelic and Flower Power had yet to reach their peak!

The Vietnam War looked like it was Winnable.

The Major Cities had not gone through their civil unrest yet.

AM Radio was King –
Every Song that year was a great one, many should have reached Number One but because so many of them were producd and released at the same time they had to accept the ranking that they got.

The Music made you happy it was like looking at a crystal blue sky. The DJ’s; were like a good friend on the air and kept you smiling with their joking ways and funny commercials.

These were the days before the """Shock Jocks!"""""

The Music invasion from the Brits had been met with the newly formed US bands such as the Doors, The Young Rascals , Tommy James and the Shondels, The Turtles and "Mo Town" was producing and laying down it’s finest tracks.

There were no message Songs – No out right Protest! – Even Peter Paul and Mary sang about "Digging the Good Rock and Roll Music"

All instructions were in English –
A Live Operator to assist you who you could understand.
Speaking of English it was understood. It was the only language spoken and understood nation wide.

– It was the Younger Generation in its Full Blossom of Innocence.

The All out Muscle Car Phenomena was still a year away.

You could get away with so much, the older and greatest generation let us be.

American’s Definitely had the "Can Do Attitude"
We were preparing to send men to the Moon
The Gross National Product was almost at its Zenith
A guy graduating from high school could land a good paying job with a great company such as Ma-Bell-Ford-GM-General Electric-Etc.
He then could surely afford to buy a brand new car coming out of Detriot.
Price of a Hersey bar still 5 cents a 16 oz Coke 16 cents - a Dollar was a Dollar then - O yea a pack of smokes - 35 Cents

I was seventeen in '67 and felt so proud to be an American knowing everything that I owned or bought was made by someone in this country, it was that fabric that knitted us as a nation.
People around the world looked for products made in the USA. It was an assurance that they were getting the very best.

The kids learned values in school and even talked about George Washington as a great man – Imagine That!

Cigarettes was the Weed of the Day.
Boys and men dressed and looked like boys and men.
The Gals in their Mini Shirts with wide band ribbons keeping their teased hair looking so stylish and added awe to any scene.

The song by Sonny and Char "The Beat Goes On" best describes 1967
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
History has turned the page, uh huh
The mini skirts the current thing, uh huh
Teenybopper is our newborn king, uh huh
The grocery store's the super mart, uh huh
Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh
And men still keep on marching off to war
Electrically they keep a baseball score
Grandmas sit in chairs and reminisce
Boys keep chasing girls to get a kiss
The cars keep going faster all the time
Bums still cry hey buddy, have you got a dime


And Now to the Story

My Father, Jacques and I venture to Springfield Ave at the edge of Irvington to Stanley Motor (Used Car Lot)
My Father (as many fathers would do, followed along to investigate what his son found as his first car) Would he judge his son’s choice by his own values? I remember sitting in the back of my Father’s Black 63 Chevy Bel Air Station wagon and seeing my brother pointing and leading my father to his prize. I was not asked to join, thinking my Father would have enough to contend with my brother’s comments and not needing a second opinion from a younger sibling who knew nothing about cars.

There, they are venturing back, My brother doing every hand jester and body language to convey that "This Is The Car and Only This Car" would do. To that day I had never heard my brother address my Father as “DAD” and when he’d said it, it sort of echoed inside of me.
At that very moment I wished that Jacques would address him like that more often.

Well, they both got into the car, Jacques immediately turned around and said “Jean You’ve got to see this car – it’s the Batmobile!”

He then started painting all the images of what this great Stallion’s attributes were. My father hearing the excitement in Jacques voice, stepped out of the station wagon and went to make an offer on the New Yorker. When he came back a deal was made and Jacques was to go over there tomorrow after work and plunk down the rest of the oats.

My Father’s comments about the car went like this” A Chrysler is not an ordinary Car, it’s an Upper Class type of car. Normally people who can afford to purchase such a car are the ones that buy them.” This right away told me this must be some car. This did not dish sway Jacques in the least. Jacques always had high taste (Most of the time way over his dream line). Over and over “Jean you should see this –You should see that.” I must say this was one of the most happiest that I had ever see my brother. But something deep inside me stirred with fear and nervousness – let’s just say an early premonition.
This feeling got more of a jolt when Jacques describe this thing as a SUPER CAR?

It must have been the day. I had never seen Jacques and my Dad get along so well. Pop, as we called him behind his back, even took Jacques and I to the Blue Castle Hamburger joint on Stuyvesant Ave.
( I know what you’re saying – no-this place was called the "Blue Castle" with the 15 cent flat meat patties smothered with onions that were pounded in with a Spatula) They were unique to North Jersey and their burgers were great!

I saw the little boy emerge from my Father and will always remember that day.

For the next few days I daydreamed on what this car was going to look like. My thoughts and images were way off when I first laid eyes on it.
It was a Friday and I had just walked home from Vailsburg High School

Walking in the house I was greeted by “Did You See It!”
Come –On
It was parked two houses down in our neighbors very large fenced in parking lot.

There it was facing out with it backend against the wall.
Swinging open the gates my eyes tried to analyze what I was about to see. All the attributes that Jacques bestowed were rapidly repeated with each step forward that I made, Just Look at It! he kept on saying.

My take was that this thing looked like a Star Cruiser – Big Finned – and Menacing.
It looked like it could easily do a hundred with one thrusting leap.
The backend had angled wings that housed two “Big Red Lamps” that pointed outward looking like flame tips of an afterburner from a combat jet..
From the Front to the rear it had what Chrysler Coined the year of it’s conception “The Forward Look”
The frontal bumper looked like it could tangle and tear apart any opponent’s sheet metal!

As I gazed Jacques pummeled me with more adjectives Super/Powerful/Fast/Aerodynamics/Built like a Tank and then all definitive attributes were encapsulated in one word “It’s a Chrysler”

Then came the Car Jargon - Hard Top / Push Button Command Center/
Torqueflite Transmission / AFB Carter 4 Barrel Carburetor / Torsion Bar Suspension / Full instrumentation / Power Everything / Positive Traction/ Last but not least the Infamous FirePower HEMI Engine......................

I pondered the first Jargon HARDTOP??

My brother swung out the door and placed four fingers on the inside door panel as Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
All Four Window obeyed - the command and disappeared into each door ----WOW!
The Top now took on a shape separated from the lower fuselage.
With all four windows concealed the true meaning of Hard Top was revealed.

(My father’s cars were never power this or power that –the most his cars had that had some bragging rights were Backup Lights and a heater!)

The Car was paint lighted Blue (No not the fairy Baby Blue of Fords or Chevy) It had a man’s look of Blue and the Top was Pearl White – Neither color had any real gloss left to them – (Sort of what you would expect from a Star Cruiser re-entering the upper atmosphere-slightly singed…..

I went and tapped the top of the roof to hear if it had a solid feel to it.
Hell Yes! It and the rest of the sheet armor of this behemoth had the feel of a cast Iron Bath Tub…...

My best friend and I used to judge the make of a Car by tapping the fenders and hearing if it felt solid – (Kicking Tire to us made no sense at all)

Jacques Car easily passed the "Solid" Test - By a Wide Margin!

The Car was a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker 4 Door Hard Top.

This Car had won Car of the year award when it débuted in 1957

Jacques Now Had his Ride

Now! The Adventure Begins

The Next Chaper ------ The FORWARD LOOK

[donsrods]

Didn't John Travolta star in this one awhile back?? As I remember there were some "Pink Ladies" or something like that also.

Don

[FOXBAT008]

Chapter III

The Forward Look

To the readers of this site
You remember each Fall, Sept/Oct were the months that all the car dealers around the neighborhood/cities and towns would made a big Hullabaloo revealing next year’s new car models. They would cover up the front windows with window paint or paper covering hiding the glimmering new products from Detroit’s motor city.
They would use words like the motion picture industry used – Exciting – All New – Must See – More Powerful – Unbelievable - Etc - Etc.

Exciting the male curiosity, like anticipating the girl jumping out of the birthday cake.

Young Boys would try to sneak a peek at this new revelation getting all excited not being able to wait to see the unveiling.

Unlike todays cars that hatch almost every month from different places all around the world. (Globalization)

The Chrysler New Yorker debuted in Sept ‘56 as the New Car for ‘57

It was immediately proclaimed a stand out and stunning design.

It was awarded two gold medals for industrial design and merit.

It cost Chrysler Corp. an eye popping $300 million dollars to develop the forward look and bring it to market.

“The unified design was created by Chrysler designer Virgil Exner – rather than by a committee” ---
Quotes taken from the Book: Classic American Cars by DK Publishing Inc

All 57/58 New Yorkers rolled out of the Highland Park factory Detroit USA.

The price of a New Yorker started at a whopping $4,259 --- Mega Bucks Then!
Besides the gorgeous body shell, it was the Mighty HEMI that made this Car an object of lust and power.

The General (GM) was caught flat footed at its appearance.
Yes! It was the General who first introduced the fin and grafted it on a car.
The ‘49 Caddy' had the distinction of being the first to sprout them .
But compared to the New Yorkers Fins, they looked like infected hang nails on big toes!
One look at the New Yorker spoke volumes of what the design team at Chrysler wanted ----“A Rocket Ship”.
Each angle of the car exhibited excitement and flair.
The fins where huge but not extravagant. They seemed to be designed with real functionality. Real Rocket looking ailerons that were blended into the side profile with such eloquence, befitting the name The Forward Look.

The twin hooded head lights in the front were also slanted forward seeming to be reaching for speed.

Gracing the side of the back fins were these golden backward facing vents, the kind you would expect to see on a Mach Two Fighter aircraft defining the fuselages overall shape to a total look of flight.

Swing open the door and slide into the seat facing the masculine and informative dash board, close the solid door and the car inners embraced you, making you feel that you were in a cockpit of a Rocket that was poised for space flight.

The chief designer at GM, Harley Earl responded and fired back the next year with the flamboyant 59 Caddy which turned out to be the most outrageous and undoubtedly the undisputed King of the tail Fin that out did them all. The year ‘59 was the Fins last hurrah, the fins never got taller – I have to say I like fins on cars. Must be my obsession with sleek and fast fighter Planes.

When Jacques Car debuted it was in the fall of 1957 as the 1958 New Yorker.
In that Fall season the Russians surprised the world and beat the US in space with the Sputnik.
I remembered watching it in the night sky on Eleventh Street with our next door neighbor, the Bonforts, and their upstairs neighbors, the Jensons. Everyone was in awe -- not me!
I was upset that another country could out do the Good old USA.

The Russkies might have beaten us in Space, but the US was the envy of the world when it came to automobiles. Great engineering and works of art on wheels.

Hey! We were America second to none.
The Russians were to find out like the rest of the foes that went against the US, it would be just a matter of time when our industrial might would Win in the end.

We finally did beat the Russians to the Moon in style – (In part helped by Chrysler Corp)

We definitely had the Can Do Attitude – (Our schools inspired us to do our best and we were to be proud to be an American)

A little note of respect to Chrysler.
Chrysler Corporation was one of the Big Three (GM-FORD-Chrysler)
It was all was known for it’s Engineering Prowess.
Mention a Super Car to anyone and the first thing that pops into mind is,, the HEMI engine which represented the meanest most powerful sought after Super Car Engine of all time!!!!!!


Chrysler made contributions during WWII that helped win the War

Chrysler Made sub-assemblies for heavy aircraft.

They built the forward fuselage section of the B-29 Superfortess which ended the Second World War plus many other vital aircraft sub-assemblies for the B-26 bomber and the Curtiss Helldiver dive-bomber.

It was also licensed to build the most powerful engine of the war – "The Wright –R-3350-57 Cyclone Engine" that powered the B29 Superfortress. Only the most skilled manufacturing could produce it because of it’s exact close tolerance needed in its thousands of intricate parts. It was a twin-row supercharged air cooled radial engine with 18 cylinders, it displaced 3,350 cubic inches and produced a minimum of 2,200hp.
Chrysler built 18,413 of these babies.

While doing this super power plants it devised the HEMI V-16 piston engine for a super fast fighter plane – which never reached production. Armed with this expertise Wha-La the HEMI engine was born to be use as a Super V-8 for their cars.
HEMI = Hemispherical combustion chambers.


Built Like a Sherman Tank!
Chrysler Corp also was know for producing our most famous Tank The “M4 Sherman”. Beside making the Tank it also made the engines to propel them, the A57 a whopping 1,500 cubic inch engine that sported 30 cylinders, Chrysler produced 15,000 of them.

Chrysler was also heavily involved in the Manhattan Project (A-Bomb) it made the diffuser one of the most critical part of the whole project.

As one Chrysler spokesman said: The War was won because the Bomb was built with our diffusers and were dropped from planes with Chrysler fuselages and powered by Chrysler engines.

It was also the Chrysler Corporation that helped place Man on the Moon –
They were the ones who built All of the Rocket Tanks For the Giant Saturn 36 Story High Moon Rocket!

My grateful Thanks to all our Car manufacturers who helped the U.S.A. win the war.
When we needed them the most. they were there for us –

So now, go "Kiss" your Toyota !!!!!!!!!!

Next Chapter .............The Corral

[Bruce Dorsi]

[donsrods]

You are right. By '64, '65 GTO's Chevelles, etc were already very much around. Even as far back as '62, '63 the light Biscaynes and Mopars were starting to be the ones to beat on the street.


Don

[FOXBAT008]

Both of you gentlemen are correct

In Newark - the cars you mention were not popular.

In this town the "Big" Rides" Full size car were the norm.
Galaxy's- Impalas - Grand Prix's - Bonnievilles 98-88 Olds Wildcats - Rev's - T-Birds

I mention 68 because that's when the Muscle Cars really bloomed.
It was all out in every manufacture line up - the Beep Beep Road Runner foe example - 68 was Let it all hang out Muscle Car Muscle Cars

1968 belonged to The Muscle Cars
Even little AMC came out with the Jav/AMX - Chrysler Fo-get about it they went nuts - Ford Torinos / Cyclone - The General New Vet - New GTO and Strips - Strips and more strips - Decals - Hood Scops -Spoilers - Fast Backs- Bumble bee rings - on and on
My memory remembers 68 as all out drags everywhere "Rumble" "Rumble" at each traffic light

You can state the first muscle car was the 49 Olds Rocket 88.

I was not saying the the era started in 68 - by 63 it was already hot
I was just stating it really took off then Beep Beep
And both you and I were glad to have lived and witness it
One thing for Sure 1970 was it's Zenith Amen Amen

Again the story pertains to Newark New Jersey - (West Ward) which was a world to itself.

PS I mention the GTO in the first race (The First Night Prowl) Stay Tune...................................

----------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------
You Got to Stand up for Something or You'll Fall for Anything! - (JM)

[FOXBAT008]

Chapter IV
The Corral

Jacques rented a parking space in the large fenced in yard of our neighbor one house up from our house. 364 South 11st.
This house used to belong to a family named the King's.
Mr. King owned a construction company and used to park all of his heavy equiptment in this large fenced yard/lot.
The King’s house was definitely one of the prettiest houses on the block, it was apparent that an architect was employed in its construction.

It was the only house that had the “Leave it to Beaver" fifties style to it.
Light gray stones that had perfect masonry joints between them made up the front of the three story house. On a late sunny afternoon with the sun going down, little spackles could be seen in reflecting in the stone work.. The front windows all had light green aluminum sills that set them nicely with the stone frontage. The front door had 3 small panes of glass one above the other set at parallel angles, the door itself was made of light blond varnished wood. A very rich and fancy looking wrought iron railing decorated the front porch again not matching any other houses on the block.

Looking through the large pillared gates leading to the Lot/backyard there was an island framed by cobblestone edging next to the house that had a magnificent beautiful pink tulip tree. Along the fence facing the street grew fuzzy willows and yellow forsythia’s which give a park like setting to the side yard.. The back of the house had a fenced in upper deck for lounging – "Sunbathing".

When the kings lived there I would sometimes see their daughter Joyce take in some rays up there. Yes this house would look good in Hollywood California, especially when Joyce pulled in with her New White on white 61 T-Bird that her daddy bought her. She was a dream with her Strawberry blond curly hair and her emerald green angel eyes - and that smooth pink smile....... I was aw struck every time she pulled in to the gated yard.
I always try to be there to let her in --- Ahhhh what a moment in a young lads eyes. She looked like a diamond -"Sparkling"

Well the King’s had vacated our block like so many of our original neighbors did over the years – -------------------
I guess they all moved to greener pastures – while we stayed put.

The new owner was a Southern black gentleman. He owned hunting dogs and kept them in the fenced in yard.

I got to know him when my older brother Pierre parked his first car there (A French Car – Renault = Tin Can)

He was a knowledgeable man very patient and would answer all of my questions that I would ask of him. I liked him, he had no pretences about him – what you saw is what you got, not a phony.

Now he’s second tenant Jacques was quite different from brother Pierre, quite is really is not the word ---

A whole lot different and the southern man would soon find out how different!

Next Chapter The South 11st Machanics