NEEDING A SET OF WHEELS, MY FIRST CHOICE WAS A PRE-OWNED, PRE-LOVED CADILLAC. THE PLACE TO GO WAS JOE DUGAN MOTORS IN TOLEDO, OHIO, A RENOWN SPECIALIST FOR CADILLACS AND SPECIAL INTEREST CARS. YOU MAY RECALL MY 1956 ELDORADO COUPE CAME FROM HIM. I CALLED JOE AND TOLD HIM MY BUDGET AND ASKED WHAT HE HAD FOR ME. HE SAID, I HAVE GOT A THREE-YEAR-OLD 1963 CADILLAC COUPE THAT IS GORGEOUS. I WENT THERE AND LOVED THE CAR AND PURCHASED IT. IT WAS NOT A COUPE DEVILLE, BUT IT WAS A 62 SERIES COUPE, AND IT WAS ALMOST PRISTINE. HE REPLACED THE CARPETS.
NOTE BELOW THE DASH – I HAD JOE INSTALL THE LATEST TAPE DECK AND SPEAKER SYSTEM. THIS DEVICE PLAYED THE TAPES WITH A ROTATING WHEEL THAT ENTERED THROUGH A SMALL HOLE IN THE PLASTIC TAPE – CRUDE BY TODAYS STANDARDS BUT QUITE EFFECTIVE.
MY DAD AND I STYLED THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL BOULEVARD STREETS IN THE COLONY OF ROSSFORD OHIO WITH HIS CIGAR AROMA AND ENJOYING THE STANDARD OF THE WORLD. YOU MAY RECALL JOE DUGAN WAS DAD’S PERSONAL FRIEND FOR YEARS. I STRUCK UP A GREAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE OWNER OF A SERVICE STATION ON HIGHWAY 24 IN PERU UPON ARRIVAL. I BOUGHT ALL MY GAS THERE AND ENCOURAGED A LOT OF MY BASE FRIENDS TO TRADE WITH HIM ALSO. FOR A SMALL FEE, HE WOULD ALLOW ME TO ENTER AN UNOCCUPIED BAY IN THE EVENING AND WASH AND HAND POLISH MY COUPE WITH THE LOCAL RADIO PLAYING AND VISITING WITH SELECTED CAR ENTHUSIASTS.
I WAS SERVICING MY CADILLAC AT NORM ROBSON PONTIAC CADILLAC IN PERU. NORM AND I BECAME EXTREMELY CLOSE FRIENDS. HE WAS A FORMER PONTIAC DISTRICT SALES MANAGER WHO DID WELL AND BECAME THE DEALER IN PERU. HE ENCOURAGED ME TO BE A PART TIME SALESMAN. IT WAS MUSIC TO MY EARS. IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO SELL PONTIACS AND CADILLACS AND PRE-LOVED CARS WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. I HAD PHENOMENAL SUCCESS WITH AIR FORCE GI’S AND LOCAL GEAR HEADS THAT I ENCOURAGED TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME AT 25 COURT STREET, PERU INDIANA. I ALSO JOINED THE PERU JC’S, ELKS, MOOSE AND OTHER CIVIC GROUPS EVEN THOUGH I WAS A PART TIME SALESMAN. I SOLD THE COUPE WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF MY NEW RED CATALINA CONVERTIBLE ARRIVING SOON.