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At the Wailing Wall we encounter (1) the august (2) personage (3) of Gary H. His guise (4) is one of complete gratification (5) for he has owned, not one, but two, of the most desired of automotive creations: a 1934 Ford three window coupe; and a 1957 Chevy Bel Air two door hard top (not just one, but three of them). And implausibly (6), he sold one of these two jewels to marry the girl of his dreams.

It is 1955 and fifteen year old Gary purchases his three window for $65. (Oh, be still my hurting heart.) But Gary has to have his mom drive it home – he has no driver’s license. Mods to the wondrous Ford included hydraulic brakes (got to stop every now and then), two 2 barrel manifold with Stromberg 97s, (got to go every now and then) and, of course, a primer paint job. (Didn’t we all do primer – isn’t paint a relatively recent invention?) The interior? – what interior – who needs a stinkin’ interior? (Man, if this doesn’t sound familiar, you never lived in the fifties.)

Now comes 1957 and Gary is working at Oakland Aircraft Engine Service at the ripe old age of 17 and has more money than he knows what to do with – until he spies the turquoise beauty with the black and turquoise interior at F. H. Dailey Chevrolet in Oakland. Minus $600, Gary had a brand new 1957 Bel Air 2 door. He still has the bill of sale for the $2577 that he paid for the beauty. In two short years, after lowering the front end a tad and putting on the ubiquitous (7) Glass Pacs, Gary had put on 13,000 miles – mostly between Gordon’s Drive-in and Carl’s Drive-in in the East Bay area. But in 1959, Gary makes a momentous (8) decision – he sells the Chevy and marries Carole. (Girls – he’s got to be a keeper if he’ll sell his wonder car to marry you – right?) Two years, 13,000 miles and a wife – pretty damn good. But don’t sweat the loss of the Chevy; in later years he’ll own 2 more ’57 Bel Airs.

The ’34? Well, Gary isn’t sure what happened to it. He knows he had it when he had the Tri Five, and he sold it, but when and to whom – it just doesn’t seem to come back to him. No big deal – he still has Carole; 48 years later.

You should learn something new everyday. So here you go...Vocabulary Lesson:
(1) Encounter (v), to meet face to face.
(2) August (adv.) majestic; imposing.
(3) Personage (n.) a person of rank or social importance
(4) Guise (n.) external appearance
(5) Gratification (n.), the act of pleasing, satisfy
(6) Implausibly (adj.) unbelievable, unlikely
(7) Ubiquitous (n.) existing in all places at the same time
(8) Momentous (n.) very important

Happy Anniversary to Gary & Carole – June 2007

‘at the Wailing Wall’ is a new column written by George P. Contact George at 273-0415 to have him tell your tale. ...and Happy 48th Anniversary to George & Claudette too!

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