As discussed in previous threads by myself and others, sometimes the best car shows are at the local gas station. I went to fill up with Ethanol free Shell V-Power, for perhaps the last tank of the season. Got a thumbs up from a muscle car owner who was doing the same. Another guy in a minivan had to get some shots of Lexi, who I eventually offered that he sit behind the wheel for a picture, (which he accepted). As he was leaving the owner of the station introduced himself, loved the car and asked for a photo op as well. He also accepted my offer to sit inside and using his cell phone I snapped a shot of him behind the wheel. The minivan driver came back and enquired about buying my car. Following a brief chat he left me his card asking me to call should I ever decide to sell. The chain owner of 15 Shell stations offered me a complimentary car wash but I said that I never wash my car and the brushes probably are not good on the finish, to which he agreed and said it was for my daily driver! Another customer yelled out "Nice car" and added the old stand by, "They don't make them like they used to". I then drove the car home, but stopped off at the coffee shop in my daily driver to which the owner "comped" my buddy & I free coffee. He then wanted to know how my recent repairs went on Lexi, so I gave him an update. Earlier this afternoon a courier service driver pulled over to more closely examine Lexi. Some days I drive around and it is like the car is invisible, then there are days like today. And how was your day? Clay/Lexi
Well, I've got lots of bugs that admire mine as it sits dismantled underneath a tarp. One day maybe, I'll eventually get it done, and they will become little specs of splatter on the front end. Until then, I'll just have to settle for the pictures and stories from the rest of you guys here.
Glad your cruise went well today and you got lots of thumbs up. You've definitely got a beautiful car. Enjoy her while the weather permits.
Rick
lexi,
I love your story.
Bob
Quote from: lexi on November 08, 2021, 04:21:57 PM
I went to fill up . . .
For those of us that don't know, what car was so fetching?
And it's ok if you put it in your signature like as I and some others have. 8)
1960 I think I said that earlier
Actually Lexi is Clay's 56 Limousine, which is in beautiful shape, and I believe mostly original except for an engine and transmission overhaul.
A vehicle that you don't see very often.
I was at Harbor Freight today and was questioned by three of the employees about my 70 SDV. They all loved it, by the way!
The kids on my street are always stopping on their bikes to look at my cars. "It's sooo big!"
Their parents have Honda's and Toyota's. ::)
Quote from: Big Fins on November 08, 2021, 10:38:22 PM
The kids on my street are always stopping on their bikes to look at my cars. "It's sooo big!"
Their parents have Honda's and Toyota's. ::)
That is akin to the comment I hear most, "
Look at the size of it", and as Big Fins said, "
It's sooo big", is also common. One day pulling into a car show a young woman who was staring at the car while I was slowly searching for a parking spot, exclaimed loudly "
Where is he gonna park it"? I replied, "
In two time zones, simultaneously"! Clay/Lexi
That's sweet Clay!
Actually about 2 weeks ago I took my 64 for a drive and it needed a wash so I stopped by my DIY car wash.
As I pulled out of the stall to dry it and polish the chrome, an older lady in her 60's was in a 90's Mustang next to me was asking about my 64 and how much she liked the car. She told me a story that when she was young, her father owned a 62 Olds star fire and how much he loved that car. My 64 reminded her of dad in a way and she became emotional after talking to me about him, so it was a pleasure speaking with her and that the Caddy made her day.
At the same time I had a couple other guys pull up to me and yell out of the window, "Nice ride!" , and "I bet you get a lot hot girls in that boat". 8) I said to him "I sure do" with a smile although I'm not single anymore unfortunately lol. ;D
I can't wait for the day when I can take the 54 out for cruising. The car is drivable but still need to get the transmission inspected and probably some new tires. Hopefully by next year the car will be ready. 8)
Seems like my experience is much like Clay's. Some days it seems like the whole world is oblivious; other days everyone wants to stop and tell stories, take pics etc. On a number of occasions I've wound up spending 20 minutes or more in parking lots trading stories and answering questions with a continuing series of onlookers. If there are kids present, I'll usually offer them a chance to have a picture taken behind the wheel of a "space ship."
On Sunday I cruised to an event about 45 mins away. I love the smiles it puts on peoples faces as the pull up beside me with giant thumbs in the air! You can see as the smile spreads across their face that a memory or a time or a person was remembered. When that happens, my job is done. :)
Not smiling at $4.06 per gallon I paid. :o
(I posted on a different thread about my Sunday drive). I'm enjoying the times when I get away from traffic. I'm really lucky that I have hundreds of miles of scenic two lane roads. My younger self liked to blast in my pony cars but now I'm enjoying the purr and elegance of the Cadillac ride. I'm glad that I stepped away from Cadillacs for 40-odd years so that I can now appreciate the design as the General intended. I don't listen to music, the car sounds beautiful.
I took the Fleetwood to dinner Sunday night. As I pulled into the parking lot, a guy with a 69 GMC pick-up pulled in too. We ended up talking for about 20 minutes until my wife came out and asked if I would rather have dinner with him. It was all in jest, but we got the message. His wife was on the same side as mine.
They do create their own little car show where ever you go.
For my peaceful cruises, on a Sunday morning I can go into Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and cruise umpteen miles of desolate roads. There is almost no one working in there on a Sunday and those that are, like to drive their classics too.
The trick is, not to stray into restricted areas, but that is a different story altogether.
Every car has story to tell and love hearing them. Today I drove my Caddy back to the Shell and also to conduct a test drive as I just completed some fuel system work on Lexi. So a topping up of fuel for winter parking is called for. The owner came out again and snapped some more photos. During our chat he confirmed that Shell V-Power gasoline is ethanol free, (at least in this region), with an octane rating of 91. Then he advised that Shell may introduce an Octane 93 V-Power fuel. Hope this is true. Not sure how wide geographically such a change, if it occurs, would encompass. He added that the middle blend of gas (88?), may also be scrapped, so 87 and V-Power will be those blends remaining. But a little higher octane while retaining zero ethanol is good news in my opinion. Remember the old days when you could dial in your octane level up to 100, or even a touch more as I recall. Also hit the coffee shop with Lexi where she was mobbed. Now parked in storage for the winter. Clay/Lexi
91 octane is about as high as I can find no-deathanol fuel here. Just about all of them are 90 octane, which is enough fun these cars without detonation. If you really need a boost, add in 10 gallons of 101LL Av-Gas.
Quote from: lexi on November 08, 2021, 04:21:57 PM
As discussed in previous threads by myself and others, sometimes the best car shows are at the local gas station. I went to fill up with Ethanol free Shell V-Power, for perhaps the last tank of the season. Got a thumbs up from a muscle car owner who was doing the same. Another guy in a minivan had to get some shots of Lexi, who I eventually offered that he sit behind the wheel for a picture, (which he accepted). As he was leaving the owner of the station introduced himself, loved the car and asked for a photo op as well. He also accepted my offer to sit inside and using his cell phone I snapped a shot of him behind the wheel. The minivan driver came back and enquired about buying my car. Following a brief chat he left me his card asking me to call should I ever decide to sell. The chain owner of 15 Shell stations offered me a complimentary car wash but I said that I never wash my car and the brushes probably are not good on the finish, to which he agreed and said it was for my daily driver! Another customer yelled out "Nice car" and added the old stand by, "They don't make them like they used to". I then drove the car home, but stopped off at the coffee shop in my daily driver to which the owner "comped" my buddy & I free coffee. He then wanted to know how my recent repairs went on Lexi, so I gave him an update. Earlier this afternoon a courier service driver pulled over to more closely examine Lexi. Some days I drive around and it is like the car is invisible, then there are days like today. And how was your day? Clay/Lexi
This sounds like my average trip to the new Sheetz station in my neighborhood. Can take me a half hour to get out of there. Great car for shy peeps and I'm far from shy.
When I take a drive to the coast (the 82 has been to Cal, Canada, FL, and
New Hampshire), I have no time to be looking for special gas. There were
a lot of issues with my 60s cars, but their octane requirements were the
last straw. I changed to late 70s V8s, which could be had 400 cu in + and
tweaked to some 260 hp, on crap 87 unleaded. With a switch pitch trans
and a 2.41:1 axle, besides a lot of other advantages, they are both quicker
and get better mileage than my 60s cars did. Bruce Roe