One of the cars we had for only a short time as I grew up was one that I remember fondly, not just because it was a car I liked to be seen in, but because it had, in a tiny but not insignificant way, a positive role in world history.
In the late 1950s, Dad decided to replace Mom’s aging Plymouth Cranbrook sedan with a car more capable of hauling us four boys around. Being an economy-minded fellow, he chose a 1955 Hudson Rambler. It was a quite a looker, with a well fed roundness and lots of color excitement. Thanks to the foresight of AMC President, George Mason, Ramblers had a reputation for deluxe appointments in their market segment, and this one didn’t disappoint.
Big, stuffed, chair-high seats in tutone vinyl that matched the exterior, an attractive dip in the roof blessed with a chrome rack, wide whites and full wheel covers, heavy-lidded tail lights that could lull drivers of following cars, the hip looking “woman on a wing” ornament by pinup artist George Petty, a mock hood scoop and the oh so continental Farina crest on its C-pillar.
I remember the car in Palomino tan, but my 89 year old Dad corrects me: “It was coral and white. One of the prettiest cars we ever had.” Like the one in this picture shot by Ted Holman, gazing at it might make you want to stop an ice cream truck for a Creamsicle. Tom Klockau posted an identical one here a while back (above) seen on the road in Texa.
When I recall the Rambler, it’s at the eye level of a child. As I write this, I see myself in front of it, chin just clearing the fenders, lost in the jeweled Hudson grille badge with its two tiny rook-like castles and twin sailing ships. Dad loved it when people would tell him what a nice little Nash he had there, because he could point smugly to the cloisonne, and answer, “Actually, it’s a Hudson”.
I can admire the upsweep in the aluminum frame around the rear quarter vent windows, marvel at the strange little ball joint at the bottom of the shift lever, play with the coaster sized radio dials, or open the liftgate to loll in the “way back” on a warm buzzy Saturday afternoon, spying DC-6s and Constellations high in the blue. (Photoshopped from an original by Christopher Ziemnowicz, as is the featured image.)
Two weeks after my 10th birthday, I spent a Sunday wasting the afternoon like any other middle class American kid, unaware that half a world to the South, a horrible natural disaster was taking thousands of lives. It’s a day seared into the memory of any Chilean who lived through it, and many born later whose family lost a loved one in the flood and conflagration. The Great Valdivia Earthquake that struck off the coast at 15:11 on May 22, 1960 measured 8.6 on the Richter Scale, which translates to 9.5 on the current Moment Magnitude Scale, the highest earthquake reading ever recorded.
Besides the quake’s immediate destruction, the resulting tsunami hit the Chilean coast at a height of over 25 meters, and went half way around the world. The streets of Crescent City, California were flooded nine hours later, and six hours after that, Hilo Hawaii lost 61 residents as the force of the wave bowed parking meter poles like Uri Geller bent spoons. Honshu, Japan lost 199 residents.
As they had done before, and have done since, Americans, along with people around the world opened their hearts to help fellow earthlings in trouble. All over the country, relief efforts were mounted, planes flew packed with clothing and sundries, and donations eventually exceeded half a million dollars in 1960 money.
At the Framingham, Massachusetts Seventh Day Adventist Church, my 34-year-old Mom, Ella Adelle (Siplics) Koch accepted the position of Director of Welfare Activities, to assist Pastor Warren Skilton in collecting clothing to be sent to Chile. The church, which already had missions in South America, joined forces with the local Red Cross affiliate to set up a collection site, and the story made the Framingham News. When this photo was taken, Pastor Skilton estimated that 3 to 5 tons of clothing had been collected.
Though oft quoted, the Pastor is not in any of the photos we have of the effort. I imagine he wanted to give Mom credit, nor do I doubt he minded selling the charity on the strength of her pretty smile. Ella is the woman looking at us in the dark dress. My Mother wasn‘t someone to push herself to the forefront, but she liked to smile for the camera and would always make eye contact. I’m sorry to say I never spoke to her in detail about her role in the relief effort, but I’m sure she was proud to serve… and probably didn‘t mind being surrounded by all those young men in uniform, either!
(PS: Thought I would leave the little police blot about our beagle in the scan for local color, as it was on the same album page. That’s Mom‘s typically modest script of his name, “Brownie”.)
The local mall, Shoppers’ World donated an empty store for a collection site. It was a plum location. Opened in 1951 next to The Meadows, an upscale restaurant/nightclub built by bandleader Vaughn Monroe where he broadcast his weekly national musical radio program, Shoppers‘ World was one of the nation’s first suburban shopping malls, with 44 stores. Open at one end, it was anchored by the big dome of Jordan Marsh Department store at the other. The plan was of two-tiered parallel rows of stores fronted by covered walkways and separated by a gardened walking plaza where all kinds of banal but harmless promotions took place, like traveling petting zoos and fishing competitions in the reflecting pool. There were a few open stores on the lower level, so the shopping center made one available for the effort.
As the relief gained momentum, the Framingham News decided to run a front page story on June 8. In a photo of the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Shoppers’ World storefront, Mom is flanked by the executive secretary of the local Red Cross chapter and the mall’s manager, who wields the scissors. Mom is quoted as estimating the final shipment of clothing at “between 8 and 10 tons”. She must have been so proud! Mom believed in the traditional woman’s role, but here was a chance to shine in a meaningful way beyond the everyday, making a difference on a bigger stage.
And this is where the Rambler gets its fifteen minutes. It was the main mule bringing donations to the collection center. The manager of Shoppers’ World would let Mom drive the Hudson through the middle of the mall to make clothing deliveries to the storefront. Strolling shoppers would have to move aside for the “Coral Relief”. Imagine how cool that seemed so us kids! And the Framingham News photographer apparently thought the car was photogenic enough to snap this picture on the walkway in front of the store, a place normally inaccessible to vehicles except for landscaping trucks and the odd electrician. It’s a favorite family auto artifact of mine. Apparently, they didn’t think to use the Rambler’s roof rack, but they were probably erring on the safe side.
What became of the Rambler? Worried about rust holes peeking through the rear footwells, Dad took the unibody AMC to his buddy Tony at DeCollibus Auto Body and put it up on the rack for a look-see. The Hudson was traded in posthaste…on another Rambler, this one a snappy red and black ‘58 Cross Country wagon like the one above (but with full wheel covers). When I asked him today why he replaced a rusted out car with the same brand, he answered, “For the mileage. Ramblers were good on gas”.
He continued his assessment thus, describing the car as “not very fast”, and possessing one other characteristic besides being rust prone that was hard to live with.
“The brakes were terrible!”
So that’s the story. Does anyone else have memory of a family vehicle that had a bit of “hero” in its DNA?
So what’s the story behind the last photo?? 🙂
That’s just one I found on the net that I thought spoke as a joke to bad brakes… and rust… both of which contributed to my Dad’s trading in the Rambler. Sorry if it didn’t play as well as I’d hoped.
Note: the pic by Ted Holman is the one of the car in the museum setting; the candid outdoor shot was by Tom.
Your sense of humor was not wasted on me. Thanks!
Unlike many CCs, that Rambler looks right at home next to today’s upright CUVs.
Now, there’s an idea! How about FIAT-Chrysler coming out with a small run of a retro Rambler CUV? Maybe imagineering one would be a good snowday project for me tomorrow (two feet of snow expected overnight here…).
Barko, it is a pity that so many nice cars from our past have to succumb to rust caused by salted roads in the winter. Feeling for you and your 2 feet of snow while we linger in the warmth of western Arizona. I use to live in Jersey, so I know all too well about rust.
Both of these Wagons are beautiful to me .
When SWMBO said I had to get her a Station Wagon , I found a 1959 Rambler Cross Country fully loaded with Factory AC , three tone paint , Westerner interior , roof rack , overdrive ~ the works .
She said no way and so got a beige Mercedes Diesel Wagon instead . oh well .
Just for fun , look up who was the Model for Petty’s famous ” Flying Lady ” hood ornament .
-Nate
(who used to go to Shopper’s Wold Mall)
I had researched that. First his wife, then his daughter! The hilariously staged attached image was made in complete seriousness in the early 1950s. Apparently, George was a Hemingwayesque character– big, burly, avid hunter and all that.
Terrific photo. Who woulda’ thunk?
Great story, and obviously big hearted people too.
Great story. My Dad was born in Santiago, Chile and he was 3 years old when the Valdivia earthquake occurred. The family was Very lucky as they had no injuries and their home only had minor damage as they were further from the epicenter and it was one of the first homes in the city built with the ability to withstand earthquakes in mind. Great story about the car too. thanks for sharing
Isn’t this blog great? You learn so much, and make amazing connections.
A wagon that was used as it should have been. My cousin (much older) had one like the next one he got. Spent some miles in that one. They were good cars for the time.
i tried out a 54 maroon and white wagon about 4 years ago that needed some work. It was overpriced for its condition and pretty slow (Hydramatic). I was a bit shocked by the close quarters inside compared to the width, especially at the shoulders. As the “X-Ray” brochure shows, these cars were 73″ wide–nearly an inch wider than the larger ’58 at the end of the article! Still, I’d love to have a nice one… they are so darn cute, and all of a piece stylistically. Now, if there was just enough room to drop in a Slant 6….
Thanks for sharing the story Barry, very interesting.
Great story, but it hits a wee bit close to home. The Cascadia subduction zone is just offshore from Oregon is getting a bit overdue for one of its every 250-300 year cycle major remodeling of the coast and inland areas. When it goes, it is expected to be around 9.0. I sure hope it’s not on a day we decide to got to the beach.
Be sure to back the car into the parking spot from now on just in case…
The New Madrid fault is also overdue for a big one. It can happen almost anywhere if you give it enough time.
So…where is the museum where the museum shot was shot?
It’s a private collection in Elizabeth, CO. Nash fan, Terry Gale has a 600 car museum there. I never knew about it until I researched this story. The photographer is Ted Holman, who is identified as a writer for the Fort Collins Examiner. The article is from 2013. I am writing to him with a link to my story, and to thank him for access to the photo.
Here’s the story: http://www.examiner.com/article/rambler-ranch-corrals-american-motors-cars
Huh, I will need to look into that, should be fairly close to me. Thanks!
Thanks for the info, though it’s probably too far from anywhere I am likely to be.
It seems one can’t visit the museum unless with an organized group or car club, on a prescheduled visit. The owner has liability concerns, so a hastily organized CC group wouldn’t qualify.
With 600 cars, he MUST have a Hudson Rambler Station Wagon in the collection someplace, one would think.
Great story Barry. I live since 2010 in Valdivia and, until today, you can still see the incredible effects of that earthquake. All the region around Valdivia sunk about 1.8m (6 ft), in some places more, in others less. I live in front of a fjord that, before the earthquake, was just a river! (I was careful enough to buy about 120 ft above water level, no tsunami risk I guess). My grandparents and my mother lived near to Valdivia and had a summer house near the beach that completely disappeared. Luckily, they were not there that day. Otherwise, I probabiliy wouldn’t exist and wouldn’t be writing this!
I found a collection of old pictures in a house I used to live in. Here is one of the few ones with a vehicle, so I post it here. I can share more if you are interested.
Wow! Great picture, and sobering to think the effects can still be seen 55 years later. It’s fascinating that the reach of CC brings out such memories. I guess when your family has lived near a fault line as you and Paul both do, it’s always in the back of your mind. Many in my family live in the Puyallup Valley of Washington State, which is the mud plain from the last time Mt. Rainer blew its top around 10K years ago. That mountain is said to be overdue for an eruption.
I’ve got a foot-long shard of wood that I surreptitiously palmed from the blast zone of Mount St. Helens 5 years ago to reminder me of the awesome natural forces that the crust of our earth struggles to contain.
Since you have a vehicle in there, I must comment. A FARGO! The foreign built Dodge truck.
Certainly, given the devastation and loss of life, this next is a very minor point, but it must be said that wine lovers everywhere were probably secretly relieved that the Conch Y Toro vines were not decimated… they remain the oldest uncompromised grapevines in the world.
Just sayin’.
As far as I know, Fargo trucks were not foreign made, but made for export. Allpar has an article: http://www.allpar.com/old/fargo.html
And being Chilean, on this article I only want to say, thank you for all that help, 55 years ago!
A beautiful Rambler and a great story as well. Thanks for sharing with us!
“So that’s the story. Does anyone else have memory of a family vehicle that had a bit of “hero” in its DNA?”
Well, I have a memory that goes back to the days before the double-nickel speed limit. Back when the 18 wheelers were mostly owned by the operator and they ran bored and stroked and hotrodded engines and did not care about speed limits. They carried multiple driver’s licenses from more than one state and loaded firearms in their cabs. Their hotrodded motors belched black smoke like an antique steam locomotive.
My grandfather had a fancy dark blue Cadillac Fleetwood, late 60s vintage. There were fold down foot rests for the back seat passengers. It had a really big engine and he liked to drive fast and talk on the CB radio to the truckers. One time a semi went flying past us like we were sitting still, belching the black smoke whenever he went up hills. My grandfather floored the accelerator and followed that semi, drafting him at over 100MPH, talking to the driver on the CB the entire time.
At that moment I became a car nut.
The Eure-kar Moment!
Thanx for the pix Gonzo ! .
-Nate
Yes, Gonzo. You don’t see color pix online of the damage. There’s probably a database you can contribute to about the Earthquake, if you haven’t already. Thanks!
What was the story with Brownie?
He was our beagle. Brown and white, no black.He must have had some cat DNA because though he wasn’t allowed off his yard screw, he did get into trouble, and always seemed to have another life left. One time he dragged himself home, having likely been hit by a car, and recovered fully. There was a viaduct across the reservoir where our house was built, and somebody driving by saw him struggling in the water and called the fire dept. As you see, they got to the pond just in time to see Brownie save himself. Not so in the other instance, when he fell through winter ice, and the firemen laid a ladder bridge out to where he was holding on to pull him to safety. He lived to be 16 years old.
Great write up and story. Nice to see your family had the forethought to keep those old newspaper clippings.