(My grandmother, circa 1949)
Most of you know how I like to bring up my grandfather and his Oldsmobiles, but you may notice how I rarely mention my grandmother when discussing cars. There’s a good reason. My grandmother never owned a car because she never had a driver’s license.
(Their street in Southie, early 1950s)
When my grandparents were first married and living in South Boston, he was teaching her to drive. Unfortunately, one day when my grandfather’s car was parked at the bottom of a hill, a parked truck’s brakes gave out, and it rolled down the hill into my grandfather’s car, severely damaging it. Nana was spooked by the incident and never got behind the wheel of a car again. For the rest of their 53 years of marriage, they were a one-car couple. In addition to raising five children, my grandmother was often working multiple jobs for many of those years. She had to rely on walking, public transportation, and rides from friends and family until she retired from her final job as my great uncle’s secretary in her early sixties.
That didn’t stop Nana from liking cars and having some opinions regarding them. She was not a huge fan of small cars, as she felt that they weren’t as safe or comfortable. She also preferred vehicles that weren’t particularly high or low, as ease of entry was important after her hip replacement. Despite this, there was a yellow Mazda Protege5 we would frequently spot over at Castle Island (a popular walking spot in South Boston) that Nana would always joking say would be her first car. Yellow was her favorite color.
(My grandfather’s actual ’97 Eighty-Eight, in its final years)
Had my grandmother driven, I picture her driving a Buick or Oldsmobile like my grandfather. He and her brother were both GM people, so I assume she would’ve followed. Nana also required cars with lots of storage for her trademark white visor, oversized sunglasses, Family Circle magazines, and the ever accumulating stash of Dunkin’ Donuts napkins (she never had to buy Kleenex!).
I also recall one specific memory in her final years when she was enamored over a car we saw in a parking lot. It happened to be a new Jaguar XF. Nana had expensive tastes!
(c. 1990)
My grandmother passed away four years ago at the age of 86. Her 90th birthday would’ve been today. Although she never drove during my lifetime, I have a lifetime of cherished memories and stories of her, many that took place in cars. So, even though my grandmother didn’t drive, I’m sure most of yours did and I’m curious to know what they drove. Did they like big comfortable cars like mine, or smaller, more economical cars? Or, did they drive something surprising like the little old lady I saw climb up into a ice blue Tahoe the other day?
Well, in my case – its complicated. When my Grandmother was a school teacher in Gulyai-Polye (Nestor Makhno’s home town), her everyday transport looked something like this (pic) – sans the machine gun, of course (I’m not joking, the Tachanka design was actually based on the light horse drawn carriage with leaf spring suspension that was used by ethnic German colonists in Ukraine and Southern Russia, who my Grandfather descended from). It was still a very common transport in rural areas in 1960s and 70s. My Mom likes to share the memories of riding across vast steppes in such a carriage, to the local Kolkhoz threshing station to get some grain for the cattle, or to the bazaar to sell some milk and butter and buy a pig. I think my Granny could also drive Grandfather’s Harley-Davidson (lend-lease stuff) from time to time, at least that would’ve been just like her.
My grandma currently owns a 1998 Lincoln Town Car in Prairie Tan that all of my aunts, uncles and my dad chipped in to buy new for her 70th birthday. She thought it was some kind of scam when a sales person delivered it to her house. She also currently has a navy blue 1995 Mistubishi Montero that she uses for her bi-annual trips from her house in Florida to her property in the mountains of North Carolina.
Past cars of hers that I remember were:
1980 brown Mazda 626
1985 Saab 900 (she passed it down to me when I turned 16. That was the first of 3 Saabs for me, so far)
1987 white Ford Econoline high top conversion van.
I was told about several large station wagons and a Hudson Hornet in her vehicular history.
My grandmother drove a 1948 Kaiser she bought new until 1963 when she bought a 1963 Chevy Belair.
Despite being born in 1898 my maternal grandmother had no qualms about learning to drive. When I was around she went through two classic “grandma” cars: 1962 Chevy Biscayne with 3 on the Tree and manual steering (!) and a 1968 Chevy Nova in that weird cream-beige so many seemed to be ordered in. I remember we flew out to see her and rented a car to go from Buffalo to DC, a 4 door Cavalier. Grandma said “this is a nice car, maybe I’ll get one of these” (never did) They were a Chevy family thru and thru.
I recall the Biscayne must have arrived new when they traded in their ’57 Bel Air 4 dr hardtop. If only they had hung onto that one!
Maternal grandmother (b. 1903) also had a ’57 Bel-Air sedan, white & turquoise, & later got a Volare; this surprised me since Mom said they were certified Chevy people. I think the Volare had issues, don’t remember what.
Paternal grandmother (1900-2004!) hated to drive, & almost never did, despite Grandpa getting her a yellow ’66 Rambler American, nicknamed “Daffodil” by the family. It was finally handed down to one of my cousins.
This is a terrific question.
My maternal grandmother will be 88 next week and is still driving routinely. She is still as sharp mentally as when she was 48.
In my lifetime, she and my grandfather (age 90) have had:
1970 Chevrolet Impala (seen here: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1970-chevrolet-caprice-iris-and-albert-make-a-trip-to-houston/
1977 Chevrolet Impala with a 250 straight-six. The car was a turd.
1985 Dodge Aries, 2.2 automatic
1988 Dodge Dynasty, 3.0 with the 3 speed automatic
1992 Buick Roadmaster, 5.7 (two of those) and 4 transmissions in its life. It was another turd.
2001 Lincoln Town Car, 4.6 (what else) and flawless except for the burst drain tube in the firewall caused by leaves and ice.
2007 Chevrolet Equinox, 2wd with a 3.1 (I think).
My paternal grandmother will be 94 next month and quit driving about a year ago. She still lives alone and is doing well other than being nearly deaf. She was widowed in 1966 and drove a 1965 Dodge 1/2 ton until 1971. In my lifetime, she has had:
1971 Ford Maverick two-door, 170 I6 with a three-speed
1980 Dodge Aspen, automatic with a 225 slant six
1989 Dodge Aries, 2.2 and two transmissions
2000 Ford Taurus, 3.0 FFV, sold about six months ago with all of 24,000 miles on it.
1978 Buick LeSabre Limited 4 door with a 301 V8, it had chocolate brown exterior with a beige vinyl top and tan velour seats, God I loved riding in her car, it was the best car she has ever owned and every time I see a Buick LeSabre of this vintage I always think of my grandmother.
My grandmother lived to be 86 and drove up until the day before she died; never having an accident or becoming a timid driver. She always ordered Buick Electra’s until her last car when she ordered an 82 Cadillac Fleetwood d’Elegance, which she said was the sorriest car she ever owned.
Currently a 99 Corolla
Previously
92 civic
88 Subaru hatchback
8? Subaru hatchback
Amc gremlin
My grandpa had a Dodge Dart sport at the time after that they only had one car
On my father’s side, my grandfather began them mostly being a Ford family. I’m not sure what the first car she normally drove was but I know that they had a ’59 Ford Galaxie and a 1961 Plymouth (purchased from a relative who couldn’t make the payments). She thought the Plymouth was ugly and it leaked water in the rain, filling up the floors. They had a ’65 Galaxie and a ’66 Galaxie purchased new (my father still owns the ’66). She then drove a 1970 Galaxie, 1973 Country Squire wagon with a 429 and then the first car I remember her driving, a 1978 LTD, the last of the big ones. It was green. Green paint, green vinyl top, green seats, door panels, dash, carpet. I’m surprised the damn tires weren’t green. She drove that car from 1978-1998 when she got a 1988 Olds Delta 88 then the 1996 Explorer she now drives.
My maternal grandmother has owned an eclectic group of cars, usually whatever my grandfather came across in his deals. She didn’t learn to drive until after she married my grandfather in 1965. My mom remembers them taking taxis to buy groceries when she was very young. I know she drove two Plymouth Dusters, one blue and one brown. She has a bit of a lead foot and her father used to call her blue one “The blue streak” but he said when she got the brown one that “brown streak” just didn’t sound right, haha.
One car she owned in the 1970’s that she loved was an Olds Toronado, about a 1972 from the pics I’ve seen. My mom said she was excited because it had an 8-track player and promptly ordered a box of 8-tracks from Columbia House, haha.
From my memory there was the Dodge Diplomat and a 1983 Buick LeSabre 2-door. After she divorced my grandfather and remarried she got a 1986 Olds Cutlass Ciera, 1998 Ford Escort and the 2002 Mercury Sable she still owns.
1950 Plymouth DeLuxe fastback style the same color as the one in the photo but without the radio, the exterior sun visor, and the spotlight.
My grandparents (both my grandmother and grandfather) drove Buicks and Chevrolets.
My grandparents weren’t the type to buy new cars. For many years, they would buy the local Presbyterian minister’s used Fords. So there was a slew of Fairlanes and LTDs during the mid 60’s and 70s. My grandfather was the type to buy cheap, buy three times, so new cars weren’t on his mind. As I recall, the only new car they bought was a 1963 King Midget complete with hand controls, which were required due to my grandfather’s polio. After they bought a used Studebaker President and jury rigged it with a motorcycle-like throttle and brake set up for him, my grandma was free to drive anything from the Midget to any of the Fords. In the mid 80’s, she did actually buy herself a brand new Buick Century Limited, but I can’t recall the year. Since giving it away a few years back, she is currently driving a champagne colored 2002 Camry.
This is the only picture of the King Midget I could find. No grandmother, but behind the wheel is my grandfather.
Terry, you just brought back an old memory for me: When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s, the local jewelry store was owned by a man whose left leg was pretty much useless due to polio. He got around on crutches okay, and he drove an old Chevy truck (1947 or so). Not exactly the typical jeweler’s car, I’m guessing? Anyway, he operated the clutch with a jury-rigged broom handle. I suppose driving something with an automatic just wasn’t enough of a challenge for him!
I suppose my grandfather didn’t need anymore challenges than he already had, because his President had an automatic haha. He still did his own farm work on the family’s Ford 9N tractor, as well as driving himself to work in either the Studebaker or the Midget, which we still have alongside the tractor I might add.
As per my dad, Grand Ma drove a LaSalle just as the Great Depression began. She needed to sell it as the depression got worse, relying on the street car that ran up and down Metairie Road to get to work at the family grocery store. As I understand it, she never drove again.
A 1963 Pontiac Grand Prix in midnight Blue, that inspired my mother to get a Marimba Red one. I dislodged a rock that rolled down a hill and made a den in the fender that made her husband blow!
Like a few others who have posted, neither of my grandmothers drove; they were born in 1892 and 1910.
At that time (and possibly today), New Orleans’ size, layout and mass transit made it possible to get by without a car, or in a family where only one spouse drove. And in those days, the driving spouse would almost always be the husband.
After Hurricane Katrina, people in my suburban community would ask me, “Why didn’t those people just pack up and evacuate?” Once you get outside of old, high density cities, the idea of not owning and driving a car is unfathomable to many.
They both rode street cars.
My grandmother never liked driving the huge second hand Lincolns & Cadillacs my Grandfather favored. My Dad bought her a nice used beige 69 Buick Skylark 4dr sedan that she liked for its small (at the time) size. She called it her ‘Baby Buick’. She hauled me around often in that car when I was a car obsessed boy. It was the last car she drove and to this day when I see a 69 Skylark I`m reminded of the ‘Baby Buick’
I posted this to the “Slowest Vehicle You’ve Ever Been Behind” query from a few weeks ago, and I guess it may be timely here also….… Mid 70’s… I’m driving down the road in my old hometown in upstate NY, and got behind a long line of cars…I thought perhaps I’d gotten caught behind a funeral caravan or something. As I progress down the road, the line shortens as drivers lose their patience with the 15-20 mph or so speed and turn off onto side streets. Eventually, I work my way up to the front of the line and discover the source of the slowdown….a bluehair! Only this is not just any bluehair, ……it is my very own Grandmother, in her lime green Dodge Dart….both hands on the wheel with a white knuckled grip.
Now I loved my Grandma, but I sure disliked the color of that car, and the sound of the starter, and the 4 doors,….But it later ended up with my aunt and uncle, then my cousin, and finally…you guessed it…with me. I patched it up a bit and gave it to my wife who loved it….we called it the Green Hornet and it is pictured here. I added a green spinner to the steering wheel and the art to the trunklid. We drove what was left of it to Florida years ago, drove it for another year or so and sold it to a young fellow. Funny how the car I disliked so long ago is now the object of such good memories.
Very nearly the same thing happened to me once… I’m angrily driving along at 13 in a 40MPH zone thinking “who’s leading this parade??” – get to the front all ready to flip somebody off, and there’s grandma! Squinting over the steering wheel of her Oldsmobile without a care in the world!
My maternal grandmother was quite the opposite. My mom and her siblings referred to her as “Leadfoot” behind her back. Imagine an old lady driving a Civic sedan about 20 mph above the speed limit down the back roads (“I know the road like the back of my hand”) of New England. Somewhat harrowing as a passenger.
My dad’s dad got to be kind of a leadfoot too near the end. Since his big Mercuries were considerably less agile than a Civic, going too fast down country roads with him was genuinely worrisome, and my father eventually refused to ride with him if he was behind the wheel.
That’s not such a bad color. I’ve never owned a Chrysler product, but I liked the looks of these cars. Crisp and clean. I know what you mean about the starters. My father bought a Volare Premiere wagon in’76. It ate three of those horrible sounding starters in as many years.
My paternal grandmother never drove that I know of.
The only thing I saw my maternal grandmother drive (on the farm, of course) was a ’50 Dodge one-ton that had started out in life as a trailer house toter. It had an impossibly short wheelbase, a tiny flatbed, crashbox four speed, and granny behind the wheel smoking her pipe.
I sure wish I had a picture.
My paternal grandmother has an inconsistent taste in cars while my grandfather who passed away in 2005 always favored GM trucks and SUVS.
In my lifetime she’s owned:
’83-’84 gold Buick Riviera (my favorite)
’94 Ford Taurus
’96-’97 Nissan Pathfinder
’04 Nissan X-Terra
Her current vehicle is an immaculate ’98 Honda Accord LX V6 Coupe she got in 2011 with just a little less than 15K miles on the odometer, owned by a disabled man who bought it new but couldn’t drive anymore. Its spent most of its life in a garage. She praises the fuel economy compared to her previous cars and the power of the V6, she calls it a sleeper. It’s safe to say it’s her favorite car she’s owned.
My maternal grandmother on the other hand never drove and my grandfather died years before I came along.
My maternal Grandmother always drove Buicks. My Grandfather was a moderately successful dairy farmer in upstate South Carolina back when you could earn a decent living as a farmer. He always drove Chevy pickups but he kept my Grandma in new Buicks every few years. They were all LeSabre sedans and the earliest one I can remember was a blue 72 or 73, followed by a white 76, then a blue 84 and her last one was a blue 89. The 89 was a total downer for her as she always lamented how much smaller it was but she drove it until she passed away in 1995.
My paternal grandmother, despite living in New York City all of her life, had a drivers license; it seemed most women in NYC from that generation didn’t have (or need) one, but she lived in Queens and since I was very young when she passed away in 1980, the only car I remember her having was a silver Ford Granada.
My Maternal Grandmother is 87 years old, in my lifetime she’s owned:
1978 Olds 98 Regency 4 door in Black with Baby Blue interior
1997 Chevy Astro van Conversion in Teal, Currently has about 55k miles on it (both purchased new from the same dealership)
My Paternal Grandmother who is 70 has owned:
1984 Volkswagen Rabbit 3 door hatchback Diesel 5 speed in Dark Red (bought used)
1989 Chevy Astro van in Dark Green/Gold two tone (very used)
1998 Chevy Metro 3 door hatchback 3cyl 5 speed in Gold (used)
2001 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 1.8 Turbo 5 Speed in Black with 69k on the clock (used)
One of my great-grandmothers owned a 1968 Chevy Biscayne 4 door, which my uncle still owns to this day. My Paternal Grandfather is a combination of a diesel and Volkswagen nut, he’s owned countless 80’s Rabbit diesel cars and pickups. The Rabbit pickups have been worked to death hauling firewood and farm equipment, somewhere I have a picture of him towing a trailer with an older farm tractor on it, while pulling an old Gleaner Combine all with a VW Rabbit Diesel Pickup, it’s pretty impressive. He’s also had an 80’s Pontiac Fullsize diesel (don’t remember if it was a Bonneville or Parisienne), a 1978 Chevy C10 diesel, and a diesel Chevette. My maternal Grandparents bought all their vehicles brand new, some of the highlights being a 1959 Edsel Ranger 4 door, a 1966 Chevy Bel Air wagon (totaled by my grandmother), a 1973 Chevy Impala wagon (my mom’s first car), and my grandpa’s 1990 Chevy C1500 which I still own today.
This is my Grandpa hauling with his Rabbit
Fantastic shot! I’m going to share that on the front page.
In my lifetime…
Paternal Grandma:
’84 Olds Toronado
’86 Buick Regal Limited
’95 Olds Cutlass Ciera
’00 Olds Intrigue
’03 Mercury Sable currently (I liked all her cars except the Sable. HATE Taurii and Sables)
Maternal grandma:
’86 Jetta
’89 Jetta
’86 Ford Thunderbird
’91 & ’92 Caddy El Dorados (both were lemons)
’95ish Lincoln Town Car
’99 Chrysler Concorde
’01 Chevy Monte Carlo
’02 Buick Regal
’95 Ford conversion van
’08 Dodge Caravan currently
My maternal grandma worked at the Westmoreland Volkswagen plant..that’s the reason she had the two Jettas in her otherwise Detroit Big 3 car ownership
A Studebaker President.
I am not sure what model
My grandmother’s choice of car actually influenced me. The car she owned the longest was a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere four door sedan, although she said it was a ’66 sold as a ’67. It was baby blue and, of course it had the obligatory plastic seat covers as was popular in the day. When I saw that Richard Petty was driving the same car, I was hooked on Mopar (and Richard Petty/Nascar).
She was usually the driver (sorta wore the pants in that marriage), so she was the decision maker when it came to car purchases. I also remember a few other cars she owned after the Plymouth, such as a ’75 Pontiac Astre wagon, ’77 Dodge Aspen and a ’79 AMC Concord. My dad said she was a Nash fan when he was a kid, in the early 50’s.
My grandmother didn’t drive and didn’t have a clue about driving. Shortly after I got my license, I picked her up to bring her to our house. We were stuck in traffic on a two-lane road and she asked me why I didn’t drive on the other side, because there was no traffic there. My wife’s grandmother drove a 1960 Rambler with a manny tranny, but she didn’t really know how to drive a stick, so she fried clutches with alarming regularity. Actually, she didn’t really know how to drive well at all. When my wife and I were dating, I rode with her once, after which I told my wife
A: I will never do that again
B: I strongly suggest you never do that again either and
C: Please urge your father to convince her never to do it again either.
Her driving was scary!
My paternal grandmother died in 1941, so I never met her and don’t know if she drove-probably not. On the maternal side, My grandmother owned a 1954 Oldsmobile 98; it was blue and white’ I was about 7 or 8 when she first obtained it and compared with our plebian Chevrolet it was the height of luxury. My grandmother never drove, if she needed to go somewhere she was either driven by the housekeeper or one of her daughters. She owned the Olds from 1954 until 1966 when she died, then one of her daughters bought it and drove it for several years.
Neither of my grandmothers ever drove a car.
But one of them did buy a car that my mother drove. The car was purchased for a trip from Cincinnati to/from the Rocky Mountains sometime in the late 1930s. The car was a 1936 Ford coupe.
My paternal didn’t drive either. My maternal grandmother, as far as back as as i can remember, has driven the following: ford Pinto wedding, 2 Ford Tempos, 1 Nissan pickup, 1 geo prism, and 1 geo prism (current car.)
Auto correct bad. Ford Pinto Wagon. Her current car is a Chevrolet Prism.
My Fathers Mother, Grandma K, did not ever drive as far as I know. Not sure about Grandpa K as both of them were being looked after by my Uncles K. I did not know Grandpa K well as he passed on while I was quite young. Grandma K lived to her late 80’s I think.
My mother’s mother, Grandma O, did drive a 1950 Buick Special Dynaflow. Grandpa O passed on near that time, so she needed to learn. When I was in high school I drove the old buick and for a year or so to college. Grandma O was 86 when she passed on. My mother nearly made it to 99.
My fraternal grandmother drove for a few months, hit a patch of ice, totalled a ’70 Fury and broke her nose. She never drove again.
My maternal grandmother was hell on wheels. She started driving in a Model T at 10, then just drove whatever was around, ranging from old pickups to a HUGE Chrysler Imperial. Her last car was…a 1979 Pontiac LeMans with wonky trim and a bad tendency to shut off in traffic. A true lemon and the only new car she ever owned.
My maternal grandmother was a nurse and a farmer’s wife. After my grandfather passed away in his 50s, she continued to drive the blue 51 Kaiser that they owned. It was wrecked after a bee flew into the window and she lost control, and replaced by a pink and white 55 DeSoto Firedome sedan. In 1967 the bought a used beige 64 Catalina sedan, and finally her first and only new car, a silver 69 Catalina sedan.
My paternal grandmother was the wife of a manufacturer. On her honeymoon, she was presented with a new 1929 baby blue Pierce Arrow roadster. The next car she told me about was a blue 41 DeSoto convertible that she drove through the war. In my life, I remember a series of blue Oldsmobile 88 coupes, a 63, 67, and 71. Her last two cars were a white 76 Cutlass Supreme coupe and a white 84 Monte Carlo.
Great thread that brings back a lot of memories of two very, very different ladies.
My grandmothers never drove. But my grandfathers did.
My Dad’s dad:
1956 Ford Zephyr (In Scotland)
1966 Pontiac Parisienne
1972 Dodge Charger
1974 Dodge Monaco
1977 Plymouth Fury Sport Suburban Wagon
1987 Pontiac 6000LE
1986 Chrysler Fifth Avenue (After the engine blow in 6000)
1990 Chrysler New Yorker Landau
1994 Chrysler Intrepid
1999 Chrysler Concorde
2001 Dodge Caravan
My Mom’s dad:
1940 Plymouth Sedan Deluxe
1960 Dodge Polara
1969 AMC Ambassador
1977 Ford LTD
1981 Chrysler Lebaron
1987 Chevy Caprice
1993 Chevy Caprice
1998 Ford Windstar
2002 Dodge Caravan
Series of Coupe DeVilles, from a ’66 with trades every four or five years: the last was a 92. She passed in 93. A 4100 one never gave any trouble, but was slow. I think the earliest one I remember, a 71, was the best- though the 92 was good, but not a true Caddy. A very good Buick, tho.
My Granddad stuck with Olds, even a Diesel once. Oddly he liked his Fargo’esque Cierra the best. He passed in 05, aged 97. The 3100 made it a sleeper.
My maternal grandmother had a couple of nice cars that I remember as a young boy. The one I remember the most was an ’83 Buick Regal – two tone in light tan and dark caramel colour with a dark brown interior. I still remember how nice that car smelled and how the rear seat was so cushiony that it felt like sitting on stuffed animals. As my grandparents were folks who traded cars every few years, her next one was an ’87 blue Olds Cutlass ciera – it was ok but I loved the Buick so much more.
Not my grandmother but an old woman who lives across the street from me drove a 1975 Plymouth Fury Coupe when I first moved here in 1995. The first week I lived here, she bought a brand new 1995 Dodge Neon. Now she has gone for a good looking Chrysler 200.
My paternal grandmother never learned to drive.
My maternal grandmother had a Mini Metro. ’84 I believe. I think it may have been hearing-aid beige. Or was that prosthetic-limb beige?
Worth retelling: My grandmother never drove a car, but her choices significantly affected those of her children. My aunt tells the story of how, in 1954, having finished rearing all twelve of her children after Grandpa died and having moved to town, Grandma had herself driven downtown to the Ford dealer to trade her worn-out model in for a new one. The salesman gave her a hard time about being a widow, trying to do such serious business all by herself without a man to help her (never mind the fact Grandma had taken over the family farm on Grandpa’s passing, re-built all the buildings with the help of my father and uncles, paid off the mortgage in seven years, put all eight of her daughters through college or some sort of post-baccalaureate training, and placed all four of her sons successfully on farms of their own); who did she think she was? Grandma got so mad at this treatment that she picked up her purse (containing all the necessary cash for the purchase-she never used credit), walked out of there, and had my aunt drive her to the next town, where she promptly purchased the most expensive Chevrolet she could find, a beautiful, two-tone, white over emerald green 1954 Bel-Air four door with a push button radio. I’m sure she was happy to have herself driven up and down the main street of town in front of that Ford dealer thereafter until it was retired to the garage during her last years. And the rest of us? We all drove Chevy’s. Wonder how much Ford Motor Company lost off of that deal. Nobody put our Grandma in the corner.
Great story!
My mother who was widowed at an early age had to put up with some of that patronizing as well, but it made her tougher. I remember a gas station mechanic on a cross-country trip trying the hard sell on a set of new tires, but she refused the purchase.
Neither of my grandmothers learned to drive, and ditto for my maternal grandfather.
Coincidentally, my paternal grandmother would have been 112 today. My maternal grandmother was only one year younger.
Both made it into their 90s.
Late to the party, as usual, but that’s one of the penalties of working nights.
Maternal Grandmother was a nurse, and drove Buicks with one Pontiac around 1960.
Paternal Grandmother has never driven.
My maternal grandmother never learned to drive. The one on my Dad’s side drove a number of vehicles over the 56 years that she and my grandfather were married…
’37 Plymouth
’49 Olds
’56 Olds
’62 Olds
’69 Olds Delta 88 (earliest one I remember)
’77 Buick LeSabre Custom
’89 Ford Crown Vic LX
In addition, Grandpa owned a couple of trucks, which Grandma drove occasionally…
’68 Ford F-100
’83 Ford F-150
Grandpa passed away in 1993. She held on to the F-150 for a few years but it spent most of its time rusting away in the second garage behind the house. She finally got around to selling it
Fast forward to 2002. Grandma, an avid gardener literally until the very end, missed having having a truck when she needed gardening supplies or for when she took cans to recycling. My uncle owned a 4.7-powered ’01 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4×4 which she borrowed a few times and had come to like. She ended up buying an ’02 model almost identical to my uncle’s, the only differences being the front seat (his had buckets and a console, she wanted the split bench) and no running boards (she thought they were ugly)
I still own that Dakota today, nearly 11 years after her passing.
Almost forgot one other tidbit about Grandma Elsie’s automotive history. Every single vehicle she and Grandpa owned, from the ’37 Plymouth to the Dakota, were insured by the same company.
Since I have three photos, I’ll do this in three comment replies:
My paternal grandmother passed from cancer when I was still in college. Her last car was a ’77 Nova, but the car I remember best was the stripper Chevy she drove when she still lived in Hollywood, Florida.
My material grandmother passed last September (2014) at age 104 (a month shy of 105). She learned to drive on a Model T. Grandpa was a Pontiac man for years until Granny’s brother-in-law talked him into buying a Mercury Grand Marquis from him (he was the head mechanic at a Merc dealer). The pic shows them in front of a Ford wagon that I don’t remember – might have been my Uncle’s car (left). Granny’s last car was an ’83 Merc G.M. (might be off a year or two), and she voluntarily gave up driving at age 90.
Final pic is of my Mom on her honeymoon trip with Dad. Mom passed in 2010 of a sudden heart attack. The car was borrowed, most likely from my Great Grandparents (on her side) – they owned a Buick dealership next door to the large boarding house they ran in Thomaston, Georgia. When Dad divorced her, Granny gave her their ’71 Pontiac Catalina 4-door (400 cu. in.!). She subsequently drove a Citation, 2nd-gen Taurus and finally a Nissan Sentra. She learned to drive on a Model A. Mom and Dad grew up next door to each other…
I see more than a bit of resemblance there! Great shot.
Great pictures Ed! Thanks for sharing!
Brendan, as you can see from many posts it is not safe to assume that all of our grandmothers drove! My maternal grandmother did not and was something of an agoraphobic who rarely left the house.
However, my paternal grandmother (1892-1978) was the opposite. She loved to “gad around,” as we used to say in the Midwest. Grandma had to have been one of the first women in Indiana to be issued a driver’s license and she enjoyed driving. She and my grandfather shared a car when I was growing up – they had 51 and 53 Nashes and a 58 Chevrolet Bel Air, all bought new, all six cylinder/three speed manuals (they never owned an automatic). In 61 my grandfather sold the Bel Air to my uncle and bought a 60 Chevrolet Kingswood station wagon, a car that was too big for Grandma when he died a few months later.
Hence, in 62 Grandma traded the station wagon for a new Chevy II, the first year for the model. It was a base 100 series in a metallic aquamarine color with the four cylinder and three speed manual. She loved that little car – the only one registered in her name only – and drove it until failing eyesight forced her to give up driving around age 80. When I got my learner’s permit in 65, she and I went driving in the Chevy II a couple of times a week or more. She was not only a superb driver but also a superb passenger: she loved me and trusted my driving. Your question brought up great memories of my wonderful paternal grandparents.
My maternal grandma learned to drive around age 40 (late 1960s) but was never very comfortable driving and rarely drove outside the western suburb of Chicago where they lived at the time. She stopped driving completely when my grandfather died in 2005 and now relies on family and friends for rides to shopping, etc. (At age 84, she’s still quite active at the local Senior Center, and serves on their Park District advisory board) She and my grandpa never had a need for two cars at the same time. I know they had a Spirit of America Impala in the ’70s, a Monte Carlo in the early ’80s, an mid ’80s Chevy Celebrity, and their last car was a ’95 Chevy Lumina.
My paternal grandmother learned to drive in the early ’60s when they came to the US from Chile. She was in her late 20s at the time. She had a ’63 Impala followed by an early ’70s LeMans wagon. My aunt totaled the LeMans in the mid-1970s as a teenager. Grandma then bought a used ’68 Catalina. After the Catalina she bought a ’78 VW Rabbit during the 1978 energy crisis, despite not knowing how to drive a stick ! She learned quickly and drove the Rabbit until the late 1980’s when the school district she taught for offered her an early retirement buyout at age 54! She bought a new ’87 Chevy Caprice at that time and kept that until 2002, when she and Grandpa bought an ’02 Camry. She wasn’t completely thrilled with the Camry (she wanted a Mercury Grand Marquis), but drove it with no problems until she had to stop driving 3 years ago due to Parkinson’s Disease.
Maternal Grandmother had a 65 Valiant 200 Coupe. Her first car when my Grandfather could not drive anymore and she did not like his 59 Plymouth Savoy. She really wanted a Buick Skylark or Special but Grandpap was a Chrysler man and I do not think she wanted to spend Buick money. She eventually gave my parents the 65 for a second car after the 59 they previously given was worn out. She replaced 65 with a 71 Valiant void of any options except an automatic. Her last car which eventually went to my sister.
Paternal Grandmother learned to drive on my Grandfathers 49 Ford or 57 Chevy Delray Coupe. The 57 was replaced in 69 for a 64 Buick LeSabre which was pretty well loaded with AC and power windows and seat. Granddad loved that car but unfortunately could not drive anymore due to a bad heart.before he got it. The Buick got sold around 1982 when they both had to go in a Nursing Home.
My maternal grandmother never drove as far as I know. Both she and my maternal grandather were gone by the mid 1960’s and I was just a kid so I don’t recall their cars. My dad’s mom though could drive although I never saw her at the wheel. I don’t know why she stopped, although probably simply by choice. My grandfather always drove for her. The most interesting car I know of was the Marmon my grandfather owned in the 1930’s. There were many family stories about it…. It was so silent that my grandfather loved to sneak up behind people and blow the horn. My dad used to wonder why the car companies stopped making alunumum cars. My aunt remembers the cut crystal flower vases and wondering why their next car didn’t have them. For my grandmother, it was arriving at the house with the rear wheels aflame. The thing had so much smooth power and torque she never noticed the parking brake was on. Later cars, were the last Ford in the family – a 49, from which the steering wheel came loose in grandfather’s hands. Then was the 58 Olds with more chrome than a Wurlitzer, and a 67 Olds. My grandfather’s last car was a VW Beetle, for reasons I could never understand. After he and my grandmother passed away, I drove it for a few years until the tinworm ate it.
Grandmother 1: 1964 Plymouth Valiant. Grandmother 2: 1970 Plymouth Fury coupe. Trying to find pictures, but I can’t. They both had the cars a LONG time.
My maternal grandmother never drove. Her husband (my step-grandfather) had a ’67 LTD coupe, and later had a ’77 Maverick that I never saw.
My paternal grandmother did drive, but I don’t know if she learned as a young lady, or something she picked up later in life. She was about 60 when I was born, and was becoming the main driver in the house, as Grandpa’s eyes were failing. They had a ’56 Plymouth and a ’65 Dart during that time. When she quit driving in the mid-seventies they gave the Dart to my younger sister. I got to drive it from where they lived in Boise, Idaho to where we lived in Anchorage, Alaska. It was a slant 6/Torqueflite with 50 some thousand miles, and made the trip over the Alcan highway without a hitch. Two other cars from their younger years I remember hearing about were a ’39 Mercury and a Henry J.
My mom’s mom didn’t learn how to drive until she was in her 50s, so she only had two cars in her life: a Plymouth Volare of unknown vintage and then an ’87 Cutlass Supreme which I inherited in 2010 with only 40k miles on it. I almost hate to even bring it up though, because the poor Olds is now a tin can or Sony Playstation somewhere… murdered by an errant BMW less than a year later. It would have cost many times what the car was worth to repair it, but I still hate myself for letting it go.
The only car I can remember my dad’s mom having was a Citation II, but I know she alternated between used Plymouths and used Chevies her whole life. The only other I can name with 100% certainty was a ’58 Biscayne sedan 6-cyl/3-speed, because that’s what I remember my dad telling me he learned to drive on.
Paternal Grandmother in reverse order: 2000 Bonneville, 1990 Bonneville, 1984 Bonneville, 1976 Volare wagon, late 60’s Fury sedan at my birth in 1970. Maternal grandmother: 1986 Celebrity, 1974 Delta 88, 1967 LeSabre at my birth.
One of my grandmothers didn’t drive. The other one always had Fords or Mercurys except for her very last car which was a J-body Olds Firenza. My favorite of her cars was a ’64 Ford Galaxie 500 XL coupe, That XL interior with the console, buckets, all that brushed aluminum and all that mylar looked to my six-year-old eyes like a spaceship.