'62 Chevy Impala ~ '69 Dodge Charger

I was only planning to stay a year when I moved to Phoenix, AZ in 1977 with my best friend Linda. But 2 months before we returned to WI, I met my future husband. I immediately knew Randy was the one. We wrote letters that summer and I soon made plans to return to Phoenix. I was thrilled when he called and asked if I wanted to buy his Mamaw Bean's '62 Chevy. I had never owned a car before, and had no clue what a '62 Chevy even looked like! So Randy's Dad sold it to me for $500 (sight unseen), even though he had neighbors offering to buy it for $1000. This car was a gem!

But then... I found out it was a standard on the column. So when I arrived back in Phx. Aug. 28th, 1978, Randy spent every Sunday afternoon for weeks teaching me to drive it around the Luke AFB area. Finally I was ready to drive it to the rental house I shared with 2 roommates. 

Oh how I loved that solidly built boat with the ginormous steering wheel. And you better believe I quickly removed the original clear plastic seat covers that were installed in 1962! Yes, they got so hot that when I got in the car wearing shorts, I received some pretty bad burns. Although the turquoise naugahyde seats weren't much better. 

 

So what was Randy driving when we met? His beloved '69 Dodge Charger. He practically rebuilt the entire car. He poured gallons of blood, sweat and tears into that car! Literally! 

Oh how he loved that car! 

But then... there was that Sunday afternoon when he drove it over 100 mph ~ at the urging of a college friend in the front seat with him... while on our way to sing at a tiny Baptist church in the little town of Maricopa in 1977. Omg, the G-force seriously pinned me to the back seat of the Charger. I was so scared out of my mind that I started crying. I thought I was going to die. Needless to say, he never went that fast ever again. 

That I know of... 

You can read the blog post I wrote in 2007 about moving to Phoenix and meeting Randy 6 months later ~ HERE