Ridin' Along In My Automobile....

Tonight we went over to my Aunt and Uncle's house to play games, and my brother, sister-in-law, and I got a special surprise. My uncle took us out for a spin in the 1951 Packard Mayfair that he restored. It looks something like the picture above. (http://www.automotivehistoryonline.com/Packard1951.htm)

We listened to oldies, enjoyed the feel of the powerful engine and the gleam of it's chrome, but most of all we enjoyed some memories. You see, this isn't just some car that my Uncle bought and restored, it is a family legacy.

My grandma and grandpa bought a 1951 Packard Mayfair for their family car, and their kids remember piling into it every Sunday to go to church. My Uncle spent a lot of time with my grandpa, helping him fix the car up. By the time my Uncle was in his teens, the car was getting old and so my grandpa gave it to him to drive, but told him that he had to be responsible and that if he got in an accident, he would get rid of it. My Uncle loved that car, but unfortunately he backed into something, and when my grandpa saw the car, he asked for the keys and called that salvage yard.

Throughout the years, my Uncle would often talk about the car and about how much he loved it and dreamed of buying and restoring one some day. Then one day, he was at an auto shop and the owner mentioned that he knew someone who knew someone who had a 1951 Packard. Just as they were talking, the first someone drove up and my Uncle got in touch with the second someone. So he went out to some junk yard to check the car out, only to discover that it was not just any old 1951 Packard, it was HIS 1951 Packard! He bought it and restored it with his sons, and my grandpa was even able to see it (un/partially restored) before he passed away. My uncle plans to give it to his son, who plans to give it to his son... and so on.

I'm really glad that my Uncle is willing to drive and enjoy the car, instead of just keeping it garaged. He says he likes to just take it out cruising and listen to oldies (the only tunes that the car will play) and roll down the windows - he feels like my grandpa is right there with him.

There was a really great article written up about it in the newspaper. If you want to read it, just shoot me an email and I will send it to you. It tells the story a lot better than I ever could. I was on my mission when it came out and my mom sent it to me - I don't know if I was just super emotional in general as a missionary or if the article itself is just really touching, but I cried like crazy when I read it.