New dual exhaust

Flash back…Twenty five years ago I arrived at my best friend’s apartment.  A Cardinal’s home opener party.  Knowing full well that the Swinger driver from across the street might be there was a bonus.  I have no idea if the Cards won, but I do know that I left that night with the promise of spending time with that gangly Dart driver.  Of course there are a lot of details left untyped, but the driver of that brilliant yellow ’70 Dodge Dart Swinger made his way into my heart.

Flash forward…Brad wanders about this amazing life he has built for us over these past 25 years.  We are a family of 4 with 5 cars.  Hmmm.  When one needs something he pays the bill that pays for its needs.  And if a hands on approach is a better method, be sure that Brad will find a way to take what he has learned over the years, whether from his father, or on his own and apply it to the challenge.

The Cutlass has been a great addition to our family.  Brad and Michael picked it out while driving lessons ensued, and Jackie Blue has somehow eased its way into the garage.  The Mustang got acquainted by saying, “If you’re going to hang in here, you best smell good, look good, sound good, and run good.”

Oh, my …it smells so good, it runs great and Brad (with Michael’s help) has made sure that there are on-going efforts to improve its street appearance.   As I sit here typing, and hoping that the most deserving words appear, Brad is hand sewing the piping back onto its visors.  Jackie Blue now has a new floor board on the driver’s side, a new headliner, a new roof, dual exhaust (a favorite for me), resewn visors,  and a rebuilt transmission.

This amazing car holds the history of 41 years before this day.  And it now boasts the handiwork, the ideas and ideals of a man and his son who saw a stock of metal at the local Waffle House with a FOR-SALE sign in its window.  It had a past, someone who loved it, and wore it clean through the top and bottom.  It now has a present with a son and father finding time, vocabulary, energy, and some times the convenience to work together… launching this car, its past and present…into the future.  Imagine…someone else may write about this ’72 Cutlass one day.

Waiting for the right time.

Took a lot of work.

I had my doubts.

Hard work paid off.

Fred Flinstone Floorboard.

Like new!