Brian64SS
Well Known Member
20 years ago I attended the wedding of my wife's cousin. My wife's Uncle John was the father of the groom. I didn't really know Uncle John but at one point during the reception he sat down by me and asked me about my '64 SS. We talked for 5 - 10 minutes.
Two years later my wife attended the wedding of another cousin. I didn't attend it but Uncle John was there and he told my wife to have me give him a call. He had something to tell me.
When I called him, he told me about the '61 Impala he bought new in '61. It was a 348 tri-power, 3 speed, black with a red interior. He said it was hit iiin gthe quarterpanel by a woman who ran a stop sign in 1970. The car had about 90k miles on it. He parked it in his barn and he still had it. He said it was the fastest car in the area until a 409 showed up. I asked if he would please let me see it. He said no. He was a very private man. Apparently he reached the point of telling me about the car, but not the point of letting anyone see it. I had to respect that. John died about 8 years later.
After Uncle John died, I let plenty of time pass before I brought up the car to his family. Thinking his wife (my wife's aunt) would have little interest in the car, I wrote a letter to their son (wife's cousin) that my wife was closest to, asking if I could see it and to keep me in mind if it would ever be for sale. If I couldn't afford the car myself, I could at least tell them what it is worth. My wife's aunt was not pleased with me. She said it's her car and if I was going to contact anyone, it should have been her, not one of the sons. I apologized and asked her to keep me in mind if the car is ever for sale. She was also a very private person and my request went unanswered.
Over the years, I heard through the grape vine that the barn was about to collapse onto the car. Then eventually part of the barn did collapse. I heard the car was in the part that collapsed, then I heard it was in the part that didn't collapse. Then I heard it was in the part that collapsed but was moved out before it happened and saved. Hearing about it was a roller coaster ride.
My wife's aunt died this past spring. I've thought about the car probably every week since I first heard about it long ago. I assumed the cousin would remember my interest. I just inquired about the car now and found out I was right - he said he did remember my interest. But he sold the car. I didn't see it for sale anywhere but it's gone. He said he was "amazed" at the interest in the car. I could have told him that.
Two years later my wife attended the wedding of another cousin. I didn't attend it but Uncle John was there and he told my wife to have me give him a call. He had something to tell me.
When I called him, he told me about the '61 Impala he bought new in '61. It was a 348 tri-power, 3 speed, black with a red interior. He said it was hit iiin gthe quarterpanel by a woman who ran a stop sign in 1970. The car had about 90k miles on it. He parked it in his barn and he still had it. He said it was the fastest car in the area until a 409 showed up. I asked if he would please let me see it. He said no. He was a very private man. Apparently he reached the point of telling me about the car, but not the point of letting anyone see it. I had to respect that. John died about 8 years later.
After Uncle John died, I let plenty of time pass before I brought up the car to his family. Thinking his wife (my wife's aunt) would have little interest in the car, I wrote a letter to their son (wife's cousin) that my wife was closest to, asking if I could see it and to keep me in mind if it would ever be for sale. If I couldn't afford the car myself, I could at least tell them what it is worth. My wife's aunt was not pleased with me. She said it's her car and if I was going to contact anyone, it should have been her, not one of the sons. I apologized and asked her to keep me in mind if the car is ever for sale. She was also a very private person and my request went unanswered.
Over the years, I heard through the grape vine that the barn was about to collapse onto the car. Then eventually part of the barn did collapse. I heard the car was in the part that collapsed, then I heard it was in the part that didn't collapse. Then I heard it was in the part that collapsed but was moved out before it happened and saved. Hearing about it was a roller coaster ride.
My wife's aunt died this past spring. I've thought about the car probably every week since I first heard about it long ago. I assumed the cousin would remember my interest. I just inquired about the car now and found out I was right - he said he did remember my interest. But he sold the car. I didn't see it for sale anywhere but it's gone. He said he was "amazed" at the interest in the car. I could have told him that.
