March 29, 2024

The Car History of Alex Beloff III

 

I BOUGHT THIS 1958 CHEVROLET IMPALA CONVERTIBLE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTED IT.  IT RAN GREAT WITH CHEVY V-8 POWER GLIDE, BUT IT WAS AN ORIGINAL MEDIUM GOLD FACTORY COLOR THAT HAD FADED IN THE FLORIDA SUN BADLY.  THE WHOLE CAR LOOKED LIKE BROWN SANDPAPER.  THE INTERIOR SEATS WERE SHOT WITH STUFFING HANGING OUT.  THE CARPETS WERE IN SHREDS.

WITH FRIENDS BOB AND JOHN  PICTURED WITH ME BY HIS NEW 1964 DODGE PICKUP, THEY DECIDED TO HELP ME PAINT THE CAR.  IT’S MY JUDGMENT THAT THE 1958 IMPALA WAS AN GOOD LOOKING CAR AND  FAR BETTER IN APPEAL THAN THE 1957.  IT WAS LONGER, LOWER, WIDER WITH FOUR HEADLIGHTS AND A REAR SCULPTED TAIL LIGHT TREATMENT THAT WAS A CUSTOMIZER’S DREAM (ONE YEAR ONLY).  WITH 6 1959 CADILLAC TAIL LIGHTS WITH SPIDER WEB DESIGN IN THE RED PLASTIC, IT WAS VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE.

IN THE MOVIE, AMERICAN GRAFFITI, YOU MAY RECALL TOAD DRIVING A WHITE 1958 IMPALA COUPE WITH SIX RED 1959 TAIL LIGHTS.  THIS CAR WITH CORRECT WHITE WALLS ADDED GREATLY TO THE APPEARANCE.  REMOVING ALL THE EMBLEMS, MOLDINGS, AND LIGHTS, WE PAINTED IT FLORIDA WHITE.  THE SEATS ARE PREMIUM SEAT COVERS THAT WERE SELECTED IN THE SEAR’S CATALOG RED AND WHITE WITH SILVER PIPING.  THEY FIT
PERFECT.

A LOCAL TRIM SHOP SUPPLIED THE RED CARPETS AND WHITE TRIM FOR THE DOOR PANELS.  WE DID RETAIN  THE COPPER ANODIZED FACTORY DOOR PANEL TRIM.  WITH RED TRACTOR SPRAY PAINT IN A CAN, WE PAINTED THE DASH RED AND RELATED ACCESSORIES.  WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TWO TONE THE IMPRESSIVE IMPALA STEERING WHEEL (FIRST YEAR) IN RED AND WHITE.  NOTE ABOVE THE STEERING WHEEL STILL HAD THE YUCKY DRAB GOLD ON IT.  AS WE WERE PREPARING TO PAINT THAT PORTION WHITE, SOME FOLKS NOTICED ME IN THE CAR AND SAID THEY WANTED TO BUY IT.  THEY PAID HANDSOMELY JUST THE WAY IT WAS.  IT WAS DEFINITELY NOW A GOOD-LOOKING FLORIDA CAR.  IT IS PICTURED HERE IN FRONT OF MY 10X50 HOUSE TRAILER ON BASE AT FORT EGLIN.  NOTE REQUIRED WHITE PICKET FENCE.  PHOTO IS 1958 IMPALA AND 1959 BONNEVILLE COUPE, BOTH WHITE

A DEAR FRIEND SAID, YOU MUST LIKE THE CONVERTIBLES.  I SAID, YES TO ME THERE IS NO GREATER FEELING THAN RIDING IN AND/OR ADMIRING AN OPEN CAR.  THE CONVERTIBLE IS YOUTHFUL AND WITH THE RADIO BLASTING, LOUD PIPES, LAYING BLACK MARKS – NO GREATER EXPERIENCE IN LIFE.  JUST SITTING STILL IN A CONVERTIBLE IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

I SOLD A NEW 1966 CADILLAC ELDORADO BIARRITZ CONVERTIBLE AT ROBSON PONTIAC CADILLAC IN PERU.  IT HAD A WHITE TOP, SILVER BLUE, WHITE LEATHER, BLUE CARPETS TO A WIDOW LADY ON IN YEARS.  I SAW HER SOMETIME LATER AND SAID, YOU’VE NEVER HAD THE TOP DOWN, HAVE YOU?  SHE SAID, NO.  I SAID, THEN WHY DID YOU BUY A CONVERTIBLE?  SHE SAID SOMETHING I’VE NEVER FORGOTTEN, IT JUST LOOKS SPORTY.  

 

I HAVE ALWAYS TREASURED THIS SWEET NOTE FROM RUTH ROBSON.  THE PONTIAC CUFFLINKS SHE GAVE ME THAT WERE HER HUSBANDS WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.  TWO LOVELY PEOPLE WHO TOUCHED MY LIFE.  I STILL HAVE IN 2018 THOSE GOLD WREATH AND CREST CADILLAC CUFF LINKS.

RETURN

 

 

 

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