My Buick Janys

My first recollection of a car was a pair of identical 56 Supers, two tone brown. One was my fathers and the other a friend of the family. This was back in 1963 or so. What beautful cars they were, and could they run. Everytime I mention them my dad's comment is always how fast that car was, up until he wrecked it.

In 1975, I was turning 16 and looking for that first car. I found in our area a 1948 super, that I paid $500 for and drug it home. I put it in my dad's one stall garage, and started the work. Needless to say, I could never get that thing to run right, and after a year my dad demanded to have his garage back. The car went outside next to the garage, while I continued to work on it. I went off to college and that 49 became someone else's dream, but I told my self that one day I would have another.

Fast forward to 1998. I had been working as a drag racing crew chief for a couple of guys from the area I live in. A lot of work and travel, for very few rewards, anyway that's another story. One of my mechanics had told me about an old Buick that his father had sitting in his garage, he wasn't sure of what year that it was, but it was in good shape and had run when he put it in the garage 12 years earlier.His father had bought it, brought it home and had stated to his wife, "isn't that the most beautiful thing you have ever seen." Her reply was quite the oppisite, and he put the car in the garage until she " came around" My mechanics father had diabetes and in 1998, it had really progressed, to the point where that he had to have a leg amputated. They were moving his parents closer to him, bag and baggage, as much as they had room for. My friend called me and ask if I was interested in the Buick, they had no room for it, nad no one locally wanted it either. He said it was somewhere in the 50's ,but wasn't sure exactly. My friends daughter was getting married that next weekend, which I was in, and was told to bring a trailer to haul the Buick home. I packed up the trailer and truck, along with my girlfriend at the time, who I later married, and set off on the 3 hr voyage. Sat morning my friend stopped by the hotel ,and we headed off to his dads place. The wives went to do last minute wedding things. When we got there, he opened the garage to show me the Buick. In the middle of the 3 stall garage sat a 1950 Special sedanette deluxe, complete and in good condition, with about an inch of dust. I had to have it, didn't care how much, just had to have it. We winched it on the trailer, then dropped the trailer, and headed back to the hotel and the wedding. The wife hadn't seen it yet, she wanted to know if we owned it and how much we spent for it. The answer was yes and I don't know. At the wedding his father and I talked about the Buick and his memories of how steadfst that old Dutch women was that he had married. He said $600 was what he paid for it and he would be happy to get that back out of it, along with a promise that once it was up and running that I would come back and give him a ride. He wanted to wave goodbye to his wife one more time in it. Check was written and a hand shake given.

The next day the wife and I stopped by and hooked up to the trailer. I was very tentative driving over, was she going to like it or was this going to be a problem. When we got there she jumped out and gave it the once around, as I was hooking up the trailer, she then informed me that she thought it was wonderful!!!!! Ya gotta love a woman like that. All the way home she kept track of all the thumbs up and the lookers. When she got home, she went inside called some friends, then came out with soap and water in a bucket, and informed that we had company coming over, grab the hose. Some friends stopped by, and we wre happy to show off the Buick.

The Buick went to the race shop, we had space and I could work on it at night and weekends. I generally went through it , brakes, seals ,tune up, fix the little odds and ends as I found them. In the spring of 1999, it started and ran on 13 year old gas. I was very lucky as that my friend would yearly put marvel mystery oil in it and turn it over. One Saturday I told the wife to stop by the garage with the kids. When they got there, the Buick, was sitting there, looking out the door. We all piled in, and went on the maiden voyage, I was beaming, the wife was smiling and the kids wre screaming as we went down the road. Later that year the wife and I were married. I got her and two wonderful kids, She got me ,that old Buick, and my 12 yr old cocker spaniel (motorhead). She could have dealt better wthout the cocker and often told me as such. He died 6 mos later, she was sad but also relieved, at least the Buick was alive. We used the Buick in our wedding, and have many pics of the whole affair.

About a month later, my friends dad died. He had lost both legs by then and was 79 yrs old. He had fought in WWII and was proud to be an American. On every car that he owned he had an American flag on it some were. The Buick still sports one on the drivers side passeger window, it won't come off. My wife asked me what I was going to name the old Buick, In honor of the man I bought it from, James Anys, I named her Janys.

Every year I do alittle more to her, last year it was to rechrome the bumpers. This year new springs and new wheel cyl. She has 74000 miles on her, and were are happy to have her as a member of the family.

Mark, what a great and very touching story. Now where are the pictures. And don't limit the pictures to the car. We'd love to see the whole family including Janys. Thanks for sharing your story.

I second that; pictures, pictures!!

So, I guess the old WW-2 war vet didn't get to see his old pride and joy on the road? Good luck with Janys - I always liked how the 1950's grille drops down over the bumbers.

Guys one of these days I'll have to buy a scanner, so you can see those pics of the wedding with the Buick. I forgot to add that when I bought my new GMC truck, GM offered a $500 customer loyaly savings if you owned a GM car. It took a few minutes of talking and a call to GM, bit they accepted the title of that 50 as prove enough. Let's see that would make the purchase price $100.