Jelly Beans, Fins, Marilyn Monroe…Old Iron AZ
On a recent trip to Phoenix I was driving along I-10 with a group of other vehicles. They all look alike; I could not tell one car manufacturer from another. Until I was close enough to see an emblem or a manufacturer’s name. They all look like Jelly Beans driving down the road. In the 1950’s, there was no doubt what you were looking at, you could easily distinguish one manufacturer from another. You could look at a vehicle from a distance and at any angle and know it was a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Pontiac, BMW, etc. Now they all look the same. Even the pickups look similar.
About a year ago I was cruising looking for cars, when I passed a storage facility and I noticed sticking out between an old boat and camper were fins you could tell from a distance that they were the Iconic fins of a 1959 Caddy. Well, I had to stop. I went into the storage facility and inquired about the car. The attendant told me the car belonged to an elderly gentleman who came around occasionally. I asked if I could see the car. He said ok, but don’t take anything off the car. I said ok and walked toward the Caddy. As I got closer, I noticed it was not in the condition I had hoped. It was abused, the windows were broken, the interior was all ripped up, the mice had eaten the upholstery and there was a lot of sun damage on the dash and interior. It was sitting on 4 flat tires, some of the chrome was missing or damaged. I was able to open the hood and there was the motor, missing the intake and one head was off. I looked in one of the cylinders and the piston was damaged and noticed a hole in the oil pan. I walked around the car and the body was in bad condition – dents, rust and even some bullet holes in the trunk.
What a way to end up for such an Icon of the 1950’s – abused, neglected, assaulted and finally left to rust away in the Arizona desert.
Every time I see a 1959 Caddy with those beautiful sexy lines, I always think about Marilyn Monroe with her looks and beautiful lines.
The 1959 Caddy had to be one of the most beautiful and sexiest cars of the 1950’s.
Jelly Beans, Fins, Marilyn Monroe…
Keep Them Rolling!
Bill
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