BACK IN TIME
54 REMINISCE.COM * SEPTEMBER 2019
THE MAKER billed
the model as “the
dream car you’ll learn
to love for the thrill
of sheer pleasure.”
T
herearethreeenduring
lovesinmylife—my
wife,Pat,motorcycles
andfastcars.
WhenImarriedPat,she
drovea 1968 Chevelleconvertible,
redwithwhitetopandwhitebucket
seats.Afterawhilewetradeditfor
a 1968 SS 396 Chevelle—red,white
vinyltop,four-speed.Itwassweet
andfast.
Unfortunately,myloveforspeed
eventuallycaughtupwithme,and
ourinsurancecompanycanceledmy
coverage.WesoldtheSSandgota
stationwagon.
Atthatpointwealsoneededa
secondcar.Ifoundalittlewhite
importwitharedtop,four-cylinder
engine,four-speedtransmissionand
13 -inchtires.Itdidn’thavealot
ofpowerbutitgot 45 milestothe
gallonintown.Itwasagreatlittle
cartokickaroundin.
AcoupleofyearslaterIfellinlove
withanElCamino.Iusedtheimport
asadownpaymentontheChevy,and
almostimmediatelywewere
missingthelittlecar.
Foryears,Iscouredcarshows,
swapmeetsandclassifiedadsin
searchofareplacement.Wefinally
spottedonein 2015 inanautotrader
magazinefromMassachusetts.
Afterhavingthecarshippedto
Florida,wegotitinsoundrunning
orderandtookittoshowsandon
rodrunsatDaytonaSpeedway.
Brightyellowwitharedstripe
downtheside,she’sanattention-
getter,evenwithabodythatstill
needssomeworkfromherprevious
lifeintheRustBelt.Wecallher
MissDucky.
Atacruisenightgatheringof’ 60 s
musclecars,ourlittleimportisa
rarebird.Heck,it’sararemachine
anywherewego.Atonerecentshow
wewerehailedwithanenthusiastic
“Hey,mate!”inanaccentedvoice.
Tothatchap,ourcarwaslikealetter
fromhome. •
1
Themakerisa
subsidiaryofa
manufacturerbased
inDearborn,MI.
2
Initshome
country,thecar’s
steeringwheelwould
beontheright.
3
Themodelname
istheLatinname
forthecountry
whereitwasbuilt.
4
In2002’sHarry
Potterandthe
ChamberofSecrets,
thesamemodel
appearstofly.
5
StirlingMoss
racedtohisfinal
Formula 1 victoryat
theGermanGrand
Prixthemodelyear
thiscarwasbuilt.
CLASSIC
Solid little import is jolly good fun. CLUES
DRIVING MISS DUCKY
BY DAVE BOWLING • HOLLY HILL, FL
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