Prom car story; what's yours?

[Barry Wolk]

Prom was a very special thing growing up back in the '60s. If you didn't have a prom date you were nothing. If you didn't have a prom car you were a dork. I was that dork. I had one of the prettiest girls in the school, but had to share the ugliest car with my mother. It was a 1968 Delmont 88 in Canary Yellow with a White painted top. It came that way from GM. Some dummy executive ordered it that way and wanted to dump it as soon as he could as soon as he saw it. To top it off it had a baby puke-green interior. By far the world's worst date car, let alone a Prom car. My father drove Lincolns at that time. Not a cool Prom car either. That and the fact that I was never allowed to drive it, but that's another story.

This story is about the Prom car that I ended up with. A neighbor of my parents was the manager of a Dodge dealership. He needed to have a fence installed around his new pool and I needed a Prom car. All I asked for was a nice car. I completed my task in about three days. He was very happy. The day of the prom I still didn't know what he was bringing home, but he said it was something cool.

I got a call to come across the street to pick up the keys and saw a new Polara in his driveway. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't mad because it was miles better that the POS I had to drive. I walked into the driveway and said, "Nice car." He burst out laughing as he hit the garage remote in his pocket. My jaw dropped and I got a severe tingling in my nether parts.:thumbup:

It was a brand-new 1970 Dodge Challenger 440 RT 6-pack in Plumb Crazy with a white interior, top and stripe.

As he dangled the keys in front of me he said, "Two rules, no drag racing and no taking it out of state!" I was still speechless, so I just nodded my head as he gave me bad ideas.

My date, who is now my wife of 38 years, was, and is, a huge Mopar fan. In fact, the first time I got to see her bedroom I was expecting to see posters of movie and rock stars. No, she had blown up photos of mid-'60s Mopar hotrods that she had taken at Autorama in the '60s. I was stunned. I think it it was that moment that I fell out of lust and into love. OK, the lust was still there. The woman still has 30wt running through her veins.

OK, her reaction. Silence. That was unexpected. She was actually dumbstruck. I never honked the horn picking up a date, but this time I had to. I laid on it and I see the garage door open and her bruiser Puritan father exit with an evil look on his face. Honking for a date was considered very bad form. She however, opened the front door of the house and stood like a statue on the front porch, unable to move, or talk. As her father approached me I pointed to his daughter, and he stopped dead in his tracks. It was quite a sight to see.

Her sisters came running up to the car as my girlfriend screamed out, "Don't touch it!!!!!", and we all started laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Pops mellowed, as he was a Chrysler engineer at the time. Once everyone started breathing again all was right with the world. I think she and her family were as surprised as I was.

Now, this was early on Prom Saturday so I had all day to burn up some gas. I lived at the corner of 13 & Southfield, 2 miles from the famous Woodward Avenue. Remember, this was the heyday of the muscle car and I had an out of the box race car at my disposal. I picked up my tux and went cruising up and down woodward, stopping at Ted's, Maverick and the Totem Pole. The car drew a crowd everywhere I went. I was approached by a cop and asked for ID. Luckily the dealership manager gave me some documents that made him go away.

I went home after burning up a whole tank of gas and was confronted with angry 'rents. Couldn't figure out why, didn't care, didn't stick around long enough to listen. Something about telling them what my plans were, who I was going to be with, where I was going to sleep. Walked away, took a shower, went down stairs, told them that they were not entitled to that information as I was already 18 and if they didn't like it, I would just keep driving. That shut them up because they knew I was right.

I picked her up, sans honking this time. She was lovely. She had just had her hair done, Prom style, but insisted that I put the top down. We drove to the banquet facility and was waved into the absolute "A" parking spot. Sat in the car talking for about 15 minutes while our classmates walked in. By the time we got in we were surrounded with admirers. I thought it was pretty damn funny since I didn't own the car. Maybe that was my first taste of 15 minutes of fame, but I loved it.

We ate an institutional, but filling meal and then the mirrored ball came on and the band started playing. I hate dancing but I fulfilled the obligatory dance requirement. We went back to the table and I excused myself to go to the bathroom. When I didn't come back in 20 minutes she went looking for me. She asked some people if they had seen me. The banquet hall had 10 men's room, it was so large. She enlisted some help to check them all. I was nowhere to be found. She saw one of my friends and asked if he had seen me. He told her, "He's out on Telegraph Rd. drag-racing for $20 bills". Telegraph was the second hottest road in the Detroit area for Westsiders.

She walked out of the facility and found our "A" spot empty. As I returned after what I thought was maybe 10 minutes she was standing in the middle of the spot with her arms folded, Ice Queen style. She move out of my way and was about to chew me a new one when I said, "I won enough to cover the prom tickets so we have money to go to Cedar Point tomorrow!" That melted the chill. We went back to the dance and had a nice evening.

The next day we loaded up the car, disconnected the odometer and drove from Michigan to Ohio. Had a great time, got the worst wind burn of my life but generated some great memories.

Now that I had broken both of his rules I reconnected the speedo, washed all the freeway bugs off the grill and returned the car.

Now, I'm not advocating that kind of stupid behavior. Had something happened he would have had huge problems with his insurance company. He would have had had huge problems with the sate as it had a dealer plate. Had something really bad happened they would have gone after the dealer, the deep pockets. However, my ***** was doing most of my thinking at 18, and that was really stupid.

Still have the girl. Wish I had the car.

What's your Prom car story?

Edited June 8, 2010 by Barry Wolk (see edit history)

[Guest Timthemailman]

My story is not nearly as cool. I went to my prom in 74' in a 64' VW squareback. We had some Boones Farm Wine before we went. Still have the girl, wish I still had the car.

[keiser31]

I didn't go to the prom at our high school in 1970, but I did go to my neighbor/girlfriend's prom the following year. My dark green '68 Roadrunner was not very pretty. My girlfriend's dad was a Chrysler engineer and brought home a 340 Duster for us to take. I am a nut for a four speed, so there we were....at Woodward and 11 Mile Road. Four lanes north and four lanes south of asphalt with a light every 1/2 mile. MAN...what a race track that was. That Screaming Yellow thing with the white stripe sure slammed your head back. Yup...we raced that night. How was the racing? EXCELLENT!! How was the prom? Don't remember.

[D Yaros]

My prom car was my own. It was a 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday SceniCoupe, color ebony (black). It was a cool car, I knew it, and so did everyone else.

I can still recall the horrible sounds when the valet attendant got in the car at the restaurant, started it and put the gear selector in [D]rive. The horrible sound was the grinding of gears as he was actually putting the tranny in 1st gear without depressing the clutch pedal! Yes it was an Olds stick, from the factory. That is why it was a cool car!

[Restorer32]

I drove a faded blue 1960 Corvair four door automatic with torn seats. I was just thankful I even had a date.

[West Peterson]

My girlfriend's dad was a Chrysler engineer and brought home a 340 Duster for us to take. I am a nut for a four speed, so there we were....at Woodward and 11 Mile Road. Four lanes north and four lanes south of asphalt with a light every 1/2 mile. MAN...what a race track that was. That Screaming Yellow thing with the white stripe sure slammed your head back. Yup...we raced that night. How was the racing? EXCELLENT!!

My wife's family lives one block from Woodward and 13, and I've been told many times through the years by my brother-in-law that the fastest car he ever saw was a 340 Duster. I guess it coulda' been you! :cool: That was a good recipe: powerful but light engine, in a light car.

[alsancle]

This is a picture of my first of 4 proms. 4 is what happens when you have a girlfriends 2 years younger then you. My understanding is the one pictured here is still good looking although I have not seen her in over 30 years. I think I only used this car for my first one, used my Mom's 74 Eldorado Conv for my second one, my 49 Plymouth Special Deluxe for the 3rd one and I believe my 69 GTO Conv for the 4th one.

[28 Chrysler]

I had a image problem not with fellow class mates but with parents.

All was good, friends chipping in for gas, fishing, movies, and all the teen age stuff. BUT when it came to pick my date up her mother calls her father then screams "you are not going in that young lady ". I guess they did not like the looks of my 18 year old 1954 Ford wagon, or maybe going out all night doing teen age stuff in it. Any way I saved gas because her mother drove us there and back, needless to say I kept the car longer than her.

[Jim Bollman]

I was driving my 49 Crosley Wagon in High School, not much of a senior prom car. I had asked if I could use the family second car a 54 Studebaker Commander 4 door, and had been oked. Night of the prom my Dad handed me the keys to his brand new (couple of weeks old) 2 tone midnight blue with white top 1966 Falcon Sport Coupe, V8, bucket seats. I had driven it I think once with my Dad sitting as passenger. I was speechless. This was his second new car ever, the first a 46 Chevy he bought when he came home after WW2.

Girl not as memorable as the car. I eventually got the car when it was North of 100,000 miles and had rust repairs a few times. Drove it as a second car a few more years and put it away with the idea of restoring it someday. After years of dry storage, but not very good prep before storage, I decided I didn't have the talent or money to restore it. The unibody needed major help, floors needed replacing and the interior had mildewed. Plus the engine was getting tired. Anyway I finally decided about 10+ years ago to let it go down the road.

[Airy Cat]

I went to my prom in my Dad's 1956 DeSoto Fireflite. It had the hemi in it and he couldn't figure out why he only got 8,000 miles off of the rear tires.

[Bill Stoneberg]

I went to Military school and while we had dances, my parents had to bring my girlfriend onto campus. That happened a few times in a Grand Prix or a Catalina. Just ran into former girlfriend and we had a few laughs about those times.

[Barry Wolk]

Bill,

I went to Roosevelt Military Academy '67-'68. Where did you go?

[Bill Stoneberg]

I was at Howe Military Academy from 1969-1972. Beautiful Howe, Indiana 5 miles from the Indiana, Michigan border and 50 miles east of South Bend.

[Barry Wolk]

We played Howe in intra-mural sports. The biggest thing I learned in my one year of military school is that I wasn't cut out for the military.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Barry,, I seriously thought about the AF Academy after Howe but VietNam was still raging. Instead I went to Illinois State and became a musician and now computer geek. A totally different life then I thought it was going to be.

[Amphicar BUYER]

We went in my '64 Olds J-88 ragtop which I owned for 17 years which is 14 years longer than I was married to my prom date! We made sure to keep the seats polished and leave no footprints on the dash!

[OldsDoug]

Great stories - you guys in Michigan had it made!!

When I was in high school we had a Marina Blue '66 Chevy Bel Air 4-door with a 283 and 'Glide... I remember going to some dance or another; had to stop and get gas before picking up my date, whoever she was... these were the days of the notorious (to me, anyway) GM "Spring-Ring" battery cables; anyone remember them? Well, that car had a habit of developing corrosion on the battery post between the post and the cable, and would occasionally not start because of that... sure enough, it wouldn't start after that gas stop and I had to fiddle around with the darn battery cables while I was all dressed up in my suit...

Didn't go to my senior prom, the girl I had been going with moved to Hawaii that spring...

************

My first date was to the Homecoming dance of my sophomore year... I had to get my Dad to drive me and my date, which was an embarrassment... and we had a 1960 Plymouth Savoy, which was also an embarrassment...

Edited June 13, 2010 by Peter J.Heizmann (see edit history)

[Guest Buckeyebill]

Welll my prom night was in a 56 Hudson four door, six cylinder automatic. But the front seat backs lowered all the way down which made my Hudson a very nice car for drivens and such. Not the most noticed car at the prom but very comfortable for after prom festivities!!!!

[Guest 1hooligan]

Well I made an impression on my date's parents, I drove my 30 model A coupe to my first of two proms. they both loved it, had to take them both for a ride before we went to the dance.

Her mom was great, as we finally were leaving her dad started with the "I expect you home by" when her mom stepped in and said they will get home, when they get home!! They are both grown up. Gotta love the mom. Little did they know that I had been out on my own for four years, and had a nice apartment.............................. Second prom was less memorable, new 67 mustang gt, fastback I remember the car well, but not sure of her name.

[Guest AlK]

My prom was in 1960 in Colonie NY. I had to use my Uncles 1956 Desoto Firflyte 4dr. It was red and white so it was not to awful bad. I was the transportation for 2 other couples beside myself. The Prom went as all proms go. The adventure began around 2AM on the return home to delviver everyone. The buttons in the push button pod somehow got off of their track and I had to use a pointed nail file to get the facing off the pod(who carries a set of tools on prom night). It took me 30 minutes but I managed to fix it and got everyone O.K.

[sambarn]

My own prom car was boring, grandma's 74 newport - in 1988 - It had the 440 and gold paisley lame interior featuring a back seat of epic proportion. It was a good time, she was a lovely girl with sense enough to marry someone else but this post is about the new toy. We have had a fairly impressive stable of cars throughout my life but never anything from the 70's since, well, the 70's. I recently purchased a 73 Fleetwood Brougham that had been warehoused well for 15 years. It looked a little sad when I got there to look at it but air in the tires and a quick rub spot on the hood and I knew she was what I was looking for. Mint original engine compartment, flawless paint and a beige vinyl top(?). Of course we all know that top should be white so in comes the 15 year old son, westley's Bleech-White and a toothbrush. Three hours later, blinded by the glare of the sparkling white top and surrounded by all the family cars my son says "Dad, I know I can't have it when I get my license but I want this as my prom car ( he's a freshman)." I was so proud of his taste and enthusiasm I said absolutely, when you finish detailing all 12 square miles of surface area on the car. He smiled said thanks dad and picked up his rags and cleaners and started back to work. That's how we get the next generation interested, create those memories and bonding with gas and steel and our cars may live on years beyond us, just like our memories fuel our hobbies.

[Barry Wolk]

Slave labor is the only thing I miss about not having children.

[Paul Dobbin]

Actually I skipped the Senior prom but took this to the Prom when I was a Junior.

My brother and I owned this 56 Ford and shortly after the Prom we took it on a great life adventure. We each had $100 and recruited two friends, one in New Jersey and one in Michigan to drive to the World's Fair in Seattle (1962)

The tires on the roof? In those days tubless tires were junk when punctured, so we gathered up all the free ones we could find and put boots and tubes in them to cut down on expenses for our trip.

We camped all the way, except when we could visit family friends, and spent 6 weeks on the road and saw the USA in a FORD. (15,000 miles)

Slept in a tent, cooked beans and dogs and played hearts at night. It was a wonderful adventure that I'll have to write about someday.

Oh yea, we didn't have enough tires, had to buy two more on the road. Then a week after we got home the A frame fell out of the frame (rust). There is luck in youth, but we had it fixed and sold the car.

[Guest Xprefix28truck]

My story is along the line of what Barry had. My senior year was 1981. Wasn't around when some of the "cooler" cars of the past were popular. My first vehicle was a 1968 Ford half ton pickup. I worked on a farm the 4 years of High School, so a truck was what I needed. My father passed away when I turned 13. I found myself at my uncles (dads brother)house often. My dad always had a new car. Unfortunately they were usually Ford Galaxies, of something on that line. My moms car my Senior year was a Ford Granada.....Need I say more? I spent all my extra time in Greenfield with my uncle Jerry. My uncle Jerry was a car guy thru and thru. Always the coolest cars. My Senior year he had 7 Corvettes in his stable. One for every year from '65 to '71. Very nice rides. The summer before my prom he put in a new inground pool. He wanted to know if I could get the use of a Bobcat skid steer to do the ground work around the pool. My boss at the time let me use his. (Great guy Dave was.) I took the skid steer up and spent the day doing the work around the pool. My uncle asked what he owed us, and I told him that Dave said not to worry about it. He said he would "catch" me later on it. He was a great influence in my life, so I didn't want anything either. That Fall, a week before prom, he callled me and wanted me to come check out his new car. That weekend I went to his house for 2 days. He had just purchased a new 1981 Pontiac Trans Am. Atlantis Blue with the Gold bird package. Gorgeous car..... That Sunday when I got ready to leave, he asked for the keys to my truck. I threw them to him and asked what was he going to do? He threw me the keys to the Trans Am and told me to bring it back in 2 weeks in one piece.....WOW!!!! He knew the prom was coming up and told me to have fun, but no racing. I had the best 2 weeks of my teenage years that Fall. No I didn't race it one time. (I was a good boy.) Plus he was meticulous about his cars. I took a friend of mine to the Prom. Angie's boyfriend was in the service at the time, and I didn't have time for girls , to busy working. We had a great time. I still have a picture around here somewhere, of me with that car. My uncle and I are still very close, and he still treats me very well. He sure made me a very happy young man that fall. And the envy of the Prom.

[Barry Wolk]

Excellent story! Thanks for posting that.

Two weeks? What a trusting soul.

[oldford]

Well, my prom story is not nearly as much fun.... I graduated in 1968 and the only car I could afford was a 1953 Chevy 210 that I got for $50. The only problem it had was that the starter would not work when the engine got hot, so if it stalled, you had to push it. So, you guessed it, My date was my next door neighbor. She and I had lived next door to each other since we were 5 years old. There we were, her in her prom dress and me in my white tux driving to the prom. We got nearly there and I stalled it at a light and the starter failed. Since she did not know how to drive a standard, she pushed the car and I popped the clutch. Just as we got it going, a cheer went up from the crowd of prom goers on the street. She was the talk of the dance and quite a trooper. I married her 4 years later and she still pops my clutch....

Frank

[Barry Wolk]

As I stated in the OP my wife and I are HS sweethearts but I'm a year older so I took her to her Prom. No drag racing or out-of-state jaunts. I guess I had matured a little.

However, the highlight was that I owned my own 1968 Firebird by then, but the insurance sure was expensive. The premiums were $650 a year, punishment for my wayward ways.

By this time my girlfriend was my fiance. She came up with the idea of putting the car in her name and insuring it for $250 a year. I wrote a bill of sale for $1.00 and other valuable considerations and paid $ .04 in sales tax to transfer the title.

All was well for about two weeks. I got a notice from the insurance company making me an excluded driver on my own car. She drove us to her Prom. We parked as far from the "A" spot as possible.

Still have the gal. Wish I still had the car.

[Guest Xprefix28truck]

Excellent story! Thanks for posting that.

Two weeks? What a trusting soul.

He still trusts me with just about anything. I think the only reason it was 2 weeks was, that it was a little bit of a drive, and the prom was the following weekend. Then I took it back the following weekend. We spent a lot of time working on cars, and still do. My dad didn't have a mechanical bone in his body. So everything I learned about cars back then was do to him. We have built some awesome rides thru the years. The one I remember the most was a blown big block Chevy Vega. Man what a ride that was................Custom tube chassis. 2 days later you couldn't open the doors.....

By the way ....Cute gal.....

Edited June 15, 2010 by Xprefix28truck (see edit history)

[Guest jpw46]

My Prom Story: It was 1964/65. I didn't have a car, but I delivered papers for one of my friends parents who have the Atlanta Journal Constitution distributorship. His dad also owned a used car lot. When my friend found out I had a date for the prom he talked his dad into loaning me a top of the line 1960 Chevrolet Impala. Wow what a beautiful car. My date was the most gorgeous gal in town and I was probably the dumbest. I don't remember anything about the prom. I don't know if I even went. All I remember is cruising around the drive thru's like Shoney's, then I would try to park on some secluded streets to try and make out with my prom date. But every time I turned off the engine she would scream. Not a scared scream but a play scream, but it shook me up. Yeah, I'm stupid. When she did that, I would immediately start the engine again and drive some more. Driving that 1960 Impala was a great memory and one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. I didn't get the girl. I joined the Navy to avoid the draft and she got married to one of my friends. It was and still is a special memory of having the best looking girl and car.

[Guest bofusmosby]

OK, Here goes. I guess I was a geek back then. When I was a senior (74) my folks wouldn't allow me or any of my brothers to own a car until we were out of school and working. I didn't even have a license until after I graduated. I went to the prom and double-dated with a friend. My buddy drove his car (not even sure what it was....mid 60's Pontiac) Me and my date got into an argument, and we broke up that night. So much for a great time........

I should have made up something, but well.....naw....never mind.....

[Ovalrace25]

For me it was three times.... 1967, 1968 and 1969. All with the same girl... Each time a different car. 1967 was the Junior/Senior Prom.. I was a junior and I drove my mothers 1960 Lincoln Continental. Went to diner in San francisco at the Mark Hopkins hotel. 1968 was my senior prom, took her to the prom in a 1967 Plymouth Satelite that my Dad had traded in on a travel trailer (he owned an RV business back then). That was a nie car, burgundy with matching interior, bucket seats, console and 383.. Fun car.. Bucket seats, not good on a date.. Then in 1969 my girlfriend was a senior, so I came in my 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix 421 425HP, 4-speed NASCAR special.... But her Dad suggested we take his brand new 1969 Chevelle Malibu. Dark blue, with white vinyl top, black interior and ---bucket seats.... maybe he knew something???

I went off to college, she went to the local JC and ran off with the football quarterback.. So I lost her and all the cars exept the 57 Chevy I traded the Grand Prix for...

[ex98thdrill]

Prom???

For my junior prom I had to work, so I was working. At that time I was working two jobs so I could get money to build my car.

By the time my senior prom rolled around, I hated school so bad that I never went. My mom said that I'd regret it later, and after all these years, she still hasn't proven herself right. Years later, I haven't ever gone to a reunion, yet now I live directly across the street from the one place that I totally dispised as a kid. Some of my former classmates laugh at me, because they didn't know anyone who hated school worse than I did, yet of all my classmates, I live the closest to the school. The beauty of the school is that with the bus loop being right across the driveway from the house, I can get the ladder truck in the driveway easier by going through the bus loop:eek::eek: I guess the school is still good for something...:D:D

In my case, didn't have the date, didn't have the desire, but still have the car. My car was painted in 1984 and in 2010 won a First Junior in Canandaigua.

[D Yaros]

I distinctly remember pulling up under the portico at the restaurant, and the valet helping my date out of the car, a 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday SceniCoupe. I left the car running, and in neutral. He then came around, hopped into the driver seat and rammed the column shifter down into [D]rive.

There was one slight problem, the car had a factory stick. Needless to say, there were a lot of mashing of teeth, both in the tranny, and in my mouth!