WHERE DREAMS BEGAN.... FROM TOY LAND TO GALAXIELAND
Photos from the beginning of this chapter in 2000, will be posted here. Check back, from time to time. The earliest photos of this chapter will eventually be added and thank you for visiting Galaxieland.
DC Curtis, Galaxieland #119, went back to his childhood home in SC, and got his neighbor's old '63 1/2 Sport Roof out of the barn. It had been in there over 30 yrs. As a child, he remembered it being on the drag strip, and is bringing it back to life. The valve covers have been swapped recently, but the engine is original.
My 1965 Galaxie 500 Convertible was my Dad’s toy. He loved the car and when he passed away in 1984 the car sat in the garage until my Mother’s passing in 1995. I had not driven the car since Dad’s death and I was surprised at how much the car had deteriorated during the time it was garaged. Anyway long story short my daughter, nephew and nieces told me that they would like to see their Pap Paw’s car restored and thought I would be the person to do it.
As most of you know, what appears to be a simple restoration is never simple or inexpensive. After three years and quadruple what I thought I would spend, she was finished. The car was originally white, red interior and white top. Dad painted the car red and replaced the white top with a black one. When I restored the ‘old Gal’ I kept the red interior but changed the bench seat to buckets, painted the car silver and gave her a navy blue top. I am a Shriner and use the car for parades, an occasional car show and cruising. She is a 390 four barrel and a joy to drive.
The car will never leave the family and will one day go to the kids. When the car was finished, I put together a scrape book with restoration pictures and asked the kids to write about their memories of their Pap Paw’s Ford for the book. After all, they were the reason I originally decided to restore the car. I was surprised how similar their memories were of riding in Pap Paw’s convertible. I am attaching the letter I received from my nephew.
I have two recollections that stick in my mind concerning the red convertible we grew up riding around in. Now that I think about it, that old car was one of the few constants through out our upbringing. It did, however, change color once from white to red. It became Pap Paw's "baby" and took on a special meaning that it lacked before. I think in part because before it was just a car. A 1965 Galaxie 500. Later it transformed into a showpiece to be proud of, maybe to drive through the little town's parade or to pull up into a neighbor or friend's driveway and show off. Pap Paw had a constant smile when he was in it, driving with his elbow on the door where the window was down. It truly was his baby.
For me, and I think for Shannon when we were very young, it had another meaning as well. It was a source of escape. Escape from the stress that adults never think or remember kids have. Sure there were arguments or reference's to family problems and the such while in the car, but these were minimal. The usual destinations might be 3D discount or Klusmeyers restaurant for a No. 1 sandwich. And most surely when we were done, to the Dairy Queen for a Dilly Bar or ice cream dipped in the red color. You remember the red color. It was later discontinued because the dye was found to have carcinogens. But enough of that. Back to the red car. It was our family entertainment just as gathering around the radio for a continuing program must have been in generations before us. It was a means to an end. As a child I probably couldn't have put in words what this meant though I knew exactly how it felt. As an adult I know it as quality time with my family.
Now you might understand what the convertible meant to us. When Jessie came along later she fit perfectly between Shannon and I in the back seat so as not to fall out. I think that was mom's request. The two times I remember most. We'll do this in countdown style by favorites.
Number one is something we as kids all shared in common. An initiation of sorts though we never wished it on anyone. I am speaking of the big chrome speaker in the back seat. It was solid, always cold and very hard. The speaker was positioned just right so that when a child jumped back in his seat ( As he always does when he was excited about riding in the convertible.) he slammed his head into it causing immediate pain. Never mind if you were a boy concerned about looking tough or a even a kid that never cried, this speaker claimed them all. It got Mike our stepbrother, and Brian our cousin from Oklahoma and anyone else we forgot to warn when jumping into the back seat sliding across the vinyl unaware of it's keen location. The funny thing is, that particular model didn't have a true speaker behind the chrome grill. All those busted heads and constant considerations of it's being there and the damned thing didn't even work. Another funny thing is that none of us hated it. It was after all one of the coolest parts of our convertible.
Number two. Homecoming weekend. Jasonville, Indiana. Here comes Pap Paw's car in the parade. One of the parade highlights for us each year. After all that was our great red car and our Pap Paw. Never mind the fancy politician or homecoming queen sitting on top of the back seat waving to the crowd. That year however, a particular politician stole the show. Pap Paw had cleaned up the car real nice that year. He used something new on the market. Armor All. Nice stuff. It made all the vinyl look so shiny and so slick. So very slick. At some point in the parade Pap Paw pressed on the brake pedal, possibly a little abruptly. Anyway, the politician with the nice full head of black hair kept going. He fell into the floorboard and disappeared for a moment. He then rose up with that great politician's grin and tried to gain composure. All was well except that his full head of hair wasn't exactly straight any longer. As he nervously adjusted his hairpiece someone much older that me was explaining what toupee meant. I of course, was only wondering if he had hit his head on the chrome speaker grill that till now had never claimed a big person as a victim.
These are my memories of Pap Paw's baby.
Kent Dennis
Member #12
As most of you know, what appears to be a simple restoration is never simple or inexpensive. After three years and quadruple what I thought I would spend, she was finished. The car was originally white, red interior and white top. Dad painted the car red and replaced the white top with a black one. When I restored the ‘old Gal’ I kept the red interior but changed the bench seat to buckets, painted the car silver and gave her a navy blue top. I am a Shriner and use the car for parades, an occasional car show and cruising. She is a 390 four barrel and a joy to drive.
The car will never leave the family and will one day go to the kids. When the car was finished, I put together a scrape book with restoration pictures and asked the kids to write about their memories of their Pap Paw’s Ford for the book. After all, they were the reason I originally decided to restore the car. I was surprised how similar their memories were of riding in Pap Paw’s convertible. I am attaching the letter I received from my nephew.
I have two recollections that stick in my mind concerning the red convertible we grew up riding around in. Now that I think about it, that old car was one of the few constants through out our upbringing. It did, however, change color once from white to red. It became Pap Paw's "baby" and took on a special meaning that it lacked before. I think in part because before it was just a car. A 1965 Galaxie 500. Later it transformed into a showpiece to be proud of, maybe to drive through the little town's parade or to pull up into a neighbor or friend's driveway and show off. Pap Paw had a constant smile when he was in it, driving with his elbow on the door where the window was down. It truly was his baby.
For me, and I think for Shannon when we were very young, it had another meaning as well. It was a source of escape. Escape from the stress that adults never think or remember kids have. Sure there were arguments or reference's to family problems and the such while in the car, but these were minimal. The usual destinations might be 3D discount or Klusmeyers restaurant for a No. 1 sandwich. And most surely when we were done, to the Dairy Queen for a Dilly Bar or ice cream dipped in the red color. You remember the red color. It was later discontinued because the dye was found to have carcinogens. But enough of that. Back to the red car. It was our family entertainment just as gathering around the radio for a continuing program must have been in generations before us. It was a means to an end. As a child I probably couldn't have put in words what this meant though I knew exactly how it felt. As an adult I know it as quality time with my family.
Now you might understand what the convertible meant to us. When Jessie came along later she fit perfectly between Shannon and I in the back seat so as not to fall out. I think that was mom's request. The two times I remember most. We'll do this in countdown style by favorites.
Number one is something we as kids all shared in common. An initiation of sorts though we never wished it on anyone. I am speaking of the big chrome speaker in the back seat. It was solid, always cold and very hard. The speaker was positioned just right so that when a child jumped back in his seat ( As he always does when he was excited about riding in the convertible.) he slammed his head into it causing immediate pain. Never mind if you were a boy concerned about looking tough or a even a kid that never cried, this speaker claimed them all. It got Mike our stepbrother, and Brian our cousin from Oklahoma and anyone else we forgot to warn when jumping into the back seat sliding across the vinyl unaware of it's keen location. The funny thing is, that particular model didn't have a true speaker behind the chrome grill. All those busted heads and constant considerations of it's being there and the damned thing didn't even work. Another funny thing is that none of us hated it. It was after all one of the coolest parts of our convertible.
Number two. Homecoming weekend. Jasonville, Indiana. Here comes Pap Paw's car in the parade. One of the parade highlights for us each year. After all that was our great red car and our Pap Paw. Never mind the fancy politician or homecoming queen sitting on top of the back seat waving to the crowd. That year however, a particular politician stole the show. Pap Paw had cleaned up the car real nice that year. He used something new on the market. Armor All. Nice stuff. It made all the vinyl look so shiny and so slick. So very slick. At some point in the parade Pap Paw pressed on the brake pedal, possibly a little abruptly. Anyway, the politician with the nice full head of black hair kept going. He fell into the floorboard and disappeared for a moment. He then rose up with that great politician's grin and tried to gain composure. All was well except that his full head of hair wasn't exactly straight any longer. As he nervously adjusted his hairpiece someone much older that me was explaining what toupee meant. I of course, was only wondering if he had hit his head on the chrome speaker grill that till now had never claimed a big person as a victim.
These are my memories of Pap Paw's baby.
Kent Dennis
Member #12
Kent Dennis, the 12th of the original 34 Galaxieland members signed up at the very first regional meet to start the chapter in 2000, was only one of 3, that completed a requested task, that described their Galaxie passion. What a great job he did.
Woods Allen, Galaxieland #50 has his '64 Fastback at the 2004 Galaxie Nationals, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
From 1961-62 era, an old friend, who always hangs out at the swap meet/car show tent. Tom Dill Sr. who drove for one of the independent owners. The late Julian Buesink, from New York. Thank you, Tom Jr. for this RARE photo, and who owns a '63 1/2 FASTBACK, known as the "halfback".
Early Galaxieland #6 members Joe & Jan Plazerine, had a gorgeous chestnut colored '63 XL convertible, with matching interior, back around the 2003 era.
Back in 2002, Galaxieland #27 member David Williams, does a burnout, in his '68 convertible.
Christopher Roll, Galaxieland #19 took a plain white '64 500 sedan he bought out of another member's salvage yard, and turned it into the nice retro rod, around 2005. Making many trips from Melbourne Fla., to the north Ga. mountains, he later sold it, but STILL stays active in Galaxieland.
It is almost impossible to imagine that the car in the first two photos, is actually the car above, in the second two photos from 1964, but it IS. If anybody can bring it back to life, Galaxieland #79 Dr. John Craft can. He found this piece of racing history, in 2008, and it is under construction.
John & Jean Craft's street Galaxie, a '72 convertible.
James & Sarah Thomas, part of the Georgia Galaxieland group, and members #76 have made all of the Galaxie National events in the southeast, the last 10 years, driving their '66 Hardtop.
Galaxieland #114, Brian Fairbanks bought his chestnut '62 500 4Dr Sedan, in 2005 and used as his daily driver.
The first year of the Galaxie 500 XL, came in 1962, with very few of them convertibles. Galaxieland #135 John Cornelius owns one.
Tom Warren made the trip up to the 7th Annual Galaxie Summer event at Kissimmee, Florida's Old Town, for their 16th annual anniversary cruise, on June 2nd, 2006. He brought his '66 500 2Dr Hardtop.
Rich and Patti Boyd Galaxieland #108 members from Georgia, took a well deserved ribbon in the Lake Mirror Course de'Elegant Fall Classic Car event, in Lakeland, Fla. during Galaxieland's 10 year reunion held Oct. 15th, 2010.
Nobody can say that Galaxies cannot float. Galaxieland members proved it in April, 2004 at Titusville, Fla.'s Sand Point Park. The annual Indian River Raft Race with the SWIFT current, sent the crew of this '64 GALAXRAFT down the river, out of control. They just do not steer with hubcaps for paddles. The county sheriff deputies and coast guard rescued them, but they were awarded the "BLOW FISH" award.
The following year, after a trip to the drawing board, a 3 wheeled bicycle with posi- " paddltraction" from a peddler, and ceiling fan paddles on each fork, replacing the front tire for steering. This '63 Country Squire Wagon was placed on pontoons, for this raft race in the Homosassa River, in Homosassa Springs, Florida for their annual raft race, in August 2005. This five person Galaxieland crew proved to be too much weight, with one pontoon unknowingly taking on water. This GALAXRAFT wagon turned over and sunk 150 yards after starting the race. All the crew bailed to safety, and the sheriff towed the sunken vessel to shore, where a boat yard crane plucked it out of the river.
Galaxieland #143 is Tom Hopkins from Michigan. He drove his '62 Sunliner retro rod to Fl. in 2009 and left it when he was very ill. On the road to recovery, and a GREAT Galaxie friend.
The CLOSEST sister I never had.. the late Pamela Roberts Trivette.. who I continue to support, along with her husband Rick, and carry on the legacy left by her mother... Doris Roberts.. to never let the memories of her legendary husband..Pam's Father...Edward Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, be forgotten. Rest in Peace all of you.
