CHRISTMAS CAR STORIES

[jaxops]

Does anyone want to share any of their funny mishaps and adventures around Christmas and the holidays?

I had one I had to tell you (y'all, sorry).

I was stationed in the Seattle area, and after we had lived in Massachusetts, we enjoyed cutting down our own Christmas tree. That was also something you could do around the Tacoma area, so off we went in our 1989 Ford Crown Victoria Station Wagon. Well, this was definitely truck country, as the tree farm was on several large hills. Naturally the tree that we liked was on top of a pretty high peak, and no, we weren't going to drag it down and then go across the valley to the checkout area! I zipped back and crawled that station wagon up the hill, passing a few confused looking pickup truck drivers coming down. They were probably awed by the shine on that wagon! So the tree went in and we were perched over the edge of the cliff looking down and feeling like the Grinch on Mount Crumpit with the sleigh. There was a chain to keep idiots like us from doing exactly what we were contemplating, so the wife and kids lifted it while I pulled under it. Then they leaped in and down down down we went. A few sideskids, but we made it. The guy cashing us out was laughing too hard to lecture me, so we escaped any wrath. A pretty dumb thing to do, but it's amazing what crazy ideas seem rational when you're freezing on a mounaintop and have to accomplish a difficult mission.

What kind of crazy stunts did you folks pull to make the holidays special??

[R W Burgess]

Not exactly car stories(wait, we may have bought some car models for the kids?) I've already related this story to many of my male "down in the dump" friends this year, as they relate the tragic "shopping with wife" stories they've experienced this year. For those of you that do not have to shop for Christmas items (the wife does everything for you. You don't even have to be there ), bless you! You have been "shined upon" by the Christmas Fairy when you chose your lifetime mate.

For the rest of us poor saps! Here's what you do. Suggest to the wife, that you go have a nice dinner before the shopping spree begins. Make sure you buy at least 3 mixed drinks or highballs with dinner. By "check please" time, "Hi there good looking! I wish you could be my waitress all the time!" you'll be feeling special. The wife will be feeling special. You'll be throwing things in the shopping basket that you have no idea who you'll give them to ("Heck, babe, we'll figure that out when we can get home!") and your shopping spree will be over with before you know it.

That particular Christmas season still leaves a warm fuzzy feeling in my wife's and my own mind (There's that feeling again). OK, so I had to accept those stupid reindeer ears and fancy colored underwear for my Christmas present that year. And, NO, I'm not going to model them for your guys!!!!!

Wayne

PS, we'll be leaving for another "fun day" here shortly. Pray for me!

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[1937hd45]

Thanks, Thanks a lot, I'd blocked out the "Cut you're own Christmas tree" memories. Much easier to hand over some cash and let her pick her own perfect one from a lot.

[Shop Rat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R W Burgess</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

OK, so I had to accept those stupid reindeer ears and fancy colored underwear for my Christmas present that year. And, NO, I'm not going to model them for your guys!!!!! </div></div>

What year was that and how old is your son?

[Jim Bollman]

A Christmas Trip to Remember

I bought a pretty clean 62 Ford Fairlane around 1978-79. Just a used car and a bit on the old side as a trip car. As the Christmas trip back to the parents and in-laws (about 1200 miles round trip) got closer it looked like of the cars we had to choose from it was the most likely to make the trip and stay warm. The other two were a 65 Ford van that didn't have any heat beyond the front seat and a 72 VW that had rotted heat boxes. After the normal checking over of everything and loading tools and a service manual in the trunk we took of with our 3 year old son in the back seat (in a car seat I had installed seat belts). It was after work, in the dark (I didn't have a lot of vaction back then). Well we were not even 40 miles from home when it started missing and would not go over about 30 mph, it was starting to snow and it was cold. Only thing I could find open was a Sears Auto Center. They let me pull in but it was being run by a couple of kids not much older than the car if that. They were there to fix flats and maybe put on wiper blades. They were willing to work on it but didn't know where to start and I was not allowed to work on it (insurance). I pulled on the manual which they were grateful to see, and with a few suggestions from me we got it narrowed down to a couple of things with the coil being one of the easier things to fix. I told them to put on a coil and it fixed the problem and we were off again, now it is even later to be starting an 8+ hour trip.

About 150 miles into the trip with no problems. Then we hit a bump and we had a straight pipe roaring away. We pulled off the interstate and found an open garage (don't you miss gas stations with garages attached?) They put it on the lift and with the help of a tin can and some clamps we were back on the road again with less roar.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful.

Yet another one of those cars I should have tucked away for a few years, if I would have just had more money and space. That little V8 made for a nice running little car.

[Jim Bollman]

Just remembered another one, not really car related but vehicle related. We use to do the cut your own Christmas tree thing to. We went several years to a farm that would take you out and pick you up in a Studebaker Weasel (WW2 surplus full tracked vehicle) pulling a sleigh. It was worth the price of the tree for the ride. After bragging up the place, some friends decided to join us, they showed up in new down jackets and all the extras like we were going to the Arctic. Everything went well till on the way back a hydraulic line blew. Luckily the down jack the friend wore protected him from the hot hydraulic fluid as well as the Arctic cold. We walked the rest of the way out dragging the trees. I think the farmer gave him his tree for free.

Wonder if that Weasel is still tucked in a barn down there somewhere.

[ex98thdrill]

6 years ago an old Canandaigua fire truck that I knew of had fallen on hard times. The owner had recently died, his two boys were fighting over it, the wife wanted it gone, but she wanted it to go to someone who would preserve her husband's memory. At that time I was a fire chief in my hometown, and I was (and still am) very good friends with the Canandaigua Fire Chief. The wife wanted to sell the truck, and the Canandaigua Fire Department, nor any of its' members wanted the truck back. Needless to say with the Canandaigua Fire Chief knowing my dad and I were into old cars, and with him seeing our restorations, he made a call to her, and then made a call to me. I called the wife, my dad and I went to go look at the truck, but we didn't have the money. We had just finished restoring our '37 Plymouth pickup, and we had just torn down our '40 Plymouth woodie wagon down to the bare frame and we just didn't have the cash to spare.

Being that it was Christmas time, I went to my wife, asked her if she had bought me a Christmas present yet, she had said 'no,' I asked her how much she had intended on spending, and managed to talk her into giving me the money, and dipping into our emergency fund so that we could get the truck.

Needless to say, in 2001 part of my Christmas included a 1942 Ford / American LaFrance fire truck. I would've loved to see the look my father in-law's face over this. He asked my wife what she had gotten me for Christmas and her answer was "a fire truck." Of course he's saying "you mean a shirt with a fire truck on it?" and my wife says "no, a fire truck." My father in-law then said "you mean a picture of a fire truck?" and my wife again says "no, a fire truck." My father in-law then asks "do you mean a a fire truck model?" and my wife again says "no, a fire truck." My father in-law then looks at my wife and then says "you mean to tell me that you bought Pat a REAL firetruck?" My wife said "Yup a 1942 American LaFrance." Needless to say at Christmas time my father in-law walks out into our shop, sees the fire truck sitting there and says "holy sh!t she did get him a fire truck!"

Now the truck is all restored and it is the old Ford that many of you have seen. The lady that I have bought the truck is very pleased, and the two sons who were fighting over it have seen the truck and have conceded that the truck is nicer than it ever would've been had it stayed in their family. As for the fire department, it goes in the parades with the fire them and many people probably don't even realize that the truck is privately owned.

In 2002 I was able to make it home in time for Christmas after spending 8 months in the sand. When I got home I got to see a brand new Harley sitting in my dad's garage that I had just spent the better part of the year paying for, and the last payment was made on the bike the week before I got home. So when I finally got to see the bike, it was in my dad's garage, and it was paid off. Man what a good feeling it was to sit on that bike for the first time. I had lived to see something that I had always wanted and got to realize a dream.

[Guest rbl2]

Not sure this one counts but it was around Christmas time so maybe it does. While I was in Baghdad I worked with a First Sgt who found himself with nothing to do. Long story there but believe me, he had nothing to do and was going crazy. So I told him to get on line and find a 1946 Plymouth Business Coupe. I bought one in 1970 and still had it when I left the states. What I didn't know at the time was that when I would return the Plymouth would be gone, as would the man I was paying to store it for me.

But I digress. I told the FSgt to find one just like mine and that the years 1947 and 48 did not count. I figured this would keep him busy and out of trouble.

A few days later he walked up with some printouts of a 1926 Chevy roadster. He still hadn't found any 1946 Plymouth Business Coupes but he was tickled pink with the old Chevy. He wanted to buy it. He kept putting it off for one reason or another. I told him if he wasn't careful someone would buy it out from under him.

Finally, long past his retirement date and long after he was supposed to ship out the army decided he could go home. By now about 2-3 months had gone by since he first found the Chevy and he still hadn't bought it. We stayed in touch. He told me it would be several more months before he could get it.

Finally I told him if he didn't buy it within a few weeks I would. So I did. I hated to do it but I figured he'd never get around to it. I also told him if he came up with the money in a reasonable am't of time I'd sell it to him for what I paid for it. This was October of 04.

I went ahead and bought the car, not allowing him the few weeks I said I would. As it turned out that was a safe move because he never did raise the money.

My problem was buying it from Baghdad. I had to somehow find a way to transfer funds from my acc't to a friends, who in turn handled the rest of the transaction. That was a lot of fun. The friend who handled the transaction was a lady who, due to health reasons, had never owned a car in her life. So picture her getting that phone call from me....

Ring, ring

Hello

Oh, hi Bill. How's paradise?

You want to me do what?

It's where?

Uh huh. Yeah right.

In December they shipped me home due to an injury but that's another story. Needless to say I came home unexpectedly. It was March before I saw the car.

Even though it was March, it was still my xmas present to myself. The friend who helped me buy it was happier about it than I was I'm guessing from seeing the smile on her face whenever she talked about the car. That friend has since passed away and the car kinda sorta is a thread between us, keeping us connected in a way.

I was home about 2 days when I called the FSgt to tell him I was stateside. Before I could tell him I had bought the car he told me to go ahead and buy it. Did he already know? I don't know and I sure hope not. I again made the offer to let him buy it from me for cost but he said no.

That gentleman, who I affectionately refer to, among other things not printable here, as my "last first sgt", has since flown on his own nickel to spend a week with me. Among the first things he did was to drive that 26 Chevy.

The timing may have been screwed up but nonetheless it was still a xmas present to myself.

[Guest windjamer]

Untill my kids wher grown we had a tridition in my house.Each year we load up the car and head for a local tree farm.After trudging through the snow the kids would locate the perfect tree and I would cut it and then the kids drag it to the car.Realy wonderful famly fun. In the house we find its a a little biger than thought, so dad takes it back out and cuts three-four feet off the bottom.Now it fits under the cealing.The fun begins. I spend the next two hrs. turning to the good side(it dosent have one)geting upsit,loseing my temper and after the kids are all in bed I pitch the tree out the door and go buy one from the local scout grp.Repete each year for twenty years.Tonight I think I will go to the unused bed room take my perfect tree from the closet grab a coors lite pop a top and enjoy the start of christmas. Merry Christmas all. Dick

[Guest Dave Wyatt]

It was shortly before Christmas and the wife and I were at the mall, getting ready to by presents for the kids. We had just parked and were starting to walk to the building when we noticed a lady having trouble getting into her Caddy. She was dressed well, and obviously had money from her demeanor and looks, a very refined lady.

I stopped to see if I could help. She said the door would not unlock, so I figured it might be frozen and suggested trying the passenger door. As she was trying that door with no luck I happended to just look down the row and see an identical car.

Now that may not sound like much, but this was about a 79 Coupe DeVille in the (my opinion) hideous two tone green. Not many of those around, in fact the only other of that combo I had seen was on a Fleetwood a co-worker had owned.

Anyway, I asked her if she had the right car while pointing to the other Caddy. All she said was, "Well God damn! God Damn!" Of course this was the last thing I was expecting her to say to a stranger, but she was totaly embarrased.

At that point she walked to the other car and got right in with her keys. She waived as she drove off and the wife and I had a good laugh at her exclamation.

[ex98thdrill]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What I didn't know at the time was that when I would return the Plymouth would be gone, as would the man I was paying to store it for me.</div></div>Did you file a report for a stolen vehicle and try to go after him???

[Guest rbl2]

Yes. But the local PD didn't express much interest at all. Pretty much told me to forget it, that they had more important things to do and if the man was caught he'd probably get away with it anyhow.

Someone was caught redhanded leaving my neighbors house with an armload of stuff about a year ago. Cops were called and they wouldn't arrest him for the same reasons stated above. They said it was a waste of their time.

My son volunteered to take care of it. Within minutes he had beat the crap out of that man and left him laying on the ground. The police never said a word. Vigilantism may not be the correct way to handle things but sometimes I wonder if it isn't the only way.

If I ever find that sob who stole my Plymouth he'll pay, one way or another. I bought that car in 1970. It carried a lot of memories.

[Matt Harwood]

My father had a black 1966 Cadillac DeVille convertible back when I was a kid. One Christmas, we were sitting around anxiously wondering where he was, because we were going to go get our Christmas tree when he got home.

As snow started to fall along with our hopes of going out that evening, we heard Luciano Pavarotti singing loudly in the front yard.

Outside, we found my father had pulled into the driveway, snow falling, opera blaring with an 8-foot tree in the back seat of the big, black Cadillac, top down in the snow.

Amazing--he's never done anything like that before or since (actually, he'll happily admit that his favorite part of Christmas is throwing the old tree out the window when the holiday is over).

But what an entrance!