http://www.oldcarsweekly.com August29, 2019 ❘ 23
ordering his new 1983 Pontiac Grand
Prix coupe, he marched over to the deal-
er’s parts department and ordered a “5.7
Diesel” script. He placed a magnet on the
back of the script and mounted it on the
deck lid of his Grand Prix whenever he
parked.
“By the time I ordered this car, the
diesel engine already had a bad reputa-
tion,” Detwiler said, fi guring the script
would deter thieves. He must have been
right, because even though he didn’t plan
to keep it all these years, he still has the
car today.
He added that the only option the car
does not have is the heavy-duty cooling
system, and that the two-page window
sticker includes the expensive $895 fac-
tory moonroof.
“After I ordered it, my dad said he
would have cut a hole in the roof for noth-
ing!”
Mike Brown isn’t the original owner
of his 1972 Ford LTD, but knew the origi-
nal owner well.
“My father bought it new — he bought
it as a Sunday driver,” Brown said. “As he
got older, he put it in a garage and kept it.”The care Brown’s father showed for
the triple-black LTD was refl ected in the
beautiful black paint down the full-size
car’s sides.
“When I got it and cleaned it up,
I thought it would get to this level if I
rubbed on it enough.”
Today, the unrestored LTD shows just
27,000 miles on its odometer and remains
beautiful enough to hang with restored
cars on the Grand Nationals show fi eld.
The 2020 AACA Grand Nationals will
be held in Allentown, Pa., from July
8-11. Learn more at http://www.aaca.org.Mike Brown’s 1972
Ford LTD was pur-
chased new by his fa-
ther and today shows
just 27,000 miles.Jay Crist’s 1919 Walker Electric van still cuts a unique profi le
just as it did 100 years ago.
George and Carol Edwards bought this 1968 Chevrolet
Camaro Yenko Super Car new a few weeks before their
wedding. It also took them on their honeymoon.