Tuesday, June 15, 2010

the sunday-go-to-meetin' car...

We have a car that spends most of the time in the garage
...sitting pretty.
 
But during the summer months...we like to take it for a spin on occasion.
 

Last week we fired it up for the first time this season...and went around the block.
 
We stopped by the farmyard...and laid on the horn...
to see if any would-be passengers might want to join us. 
Two of them hopped in. 
Emme wondered aloud...Is this car safe? 
Hmm...no seatbelts to be seen...
and no boosters or car seats.

They won't be coming on any roadtrips with us anytime soon...
not in a 1947 Monarch anyhow.

But they quite liked the leg room...and the head room.

Since it had no problems rolling around the country block...
and since the sun was shining early Sunday morning...


...it seemed like a fine idea to take the old car to church.

By the time we left the church yard...the clouds were rolling in...
and the rain was threatening.  We thought we had better head straight home...and put the car inside.

About a mile down the road...she sputtered a few times...and died.

I know that I should always wear comfortable footwear when traveling in the Monarch...
but for some reason that never occurred to me this time.
My shoes weren't up to walking the remaining  four miles home.
And there was no calling the kids...as they were all out of reach.

Just then some friends came by...
and realized that we would not be sitting beside the road just for fun...
and came to the rescue.

Since the gas gauge is less than reliable...we thought we'd bring fuel...
and all would be well.


But that didn't seem to solve the problem.


By now it was raining...and our Sunday-go-to-meetin' car had no intentions of going home...
and so it got towed to a neighbourhood repair shop.

There it sits...still...looking pretty...outside...
whatever the weather. 

Old is good...just not always reliable!

20 comments:

  1. My husband was intrigued to know it's a '47. He said the differences btwn the pre-war cars and post-war were minimal because they stopped making cars during WWII. He had a '39 Ford as a teenager. He initially thought this was a '40 Ford. Is a Monarch a Mercury?

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  2. OH boy. . .I hope that is not a sign of things to come for our merc.
    I am so amazed at how your old monarch is still in amazing shape. . at least on the outside. I hope they can give it a bit of a tuning and you can rest assured in any footwear you choose to wear.

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  3. California Girl...
    The Monarch was Canadian-built version of the Mercury and differed mainly in having its own distinctive grille. It was introduced in 1946 looked the same until 1948.

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  4. Hmmmmm I saw a car that looked an awful lot like that one sitting forlornly in front of a country garage the other day......I think you'll want to put a pair of hiking shoes into the trunk 'just in case'!

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  5. Oh I love older cars that have been taken care of so lovingly. My ex-husband had a 1970 Dodge Challenger that he got for his high school graduation. He and his father redid the car together so it had even more sentimentality than something purchased himself.

    We would go to car shows all the time and I just loved seeing all of the beautiful oldies. Hope she gets well soon! :)

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  6. I'm so glad some friends came by. That is a long walk without sensible shoes :0)
    What a great old car, though.
    My body is becoming a little less reliable these days, too!!

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  7. Gosh that car looks like the car my mom had when I was a pre-schooler. It was a studabaker, and I used to ride up in the back window area sometimes! That was between 1954-1958; the car was a "hand-me-down" from my grandmother.

    I always keep comfortable walking shoes in all my cars...having to hoof along in rain in heels taught me that one sad day.

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  8. I hope your antique car can be repaired and become a "Sunday -go-to-meeten' car" again, Judy!

    Then I'd make sure to keep some comfortable shoes in the trunk, along with a few umbrellas, just in case!

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  9. It's a beauty....my Father had a 56 Chevy truck and 56 Belair. He also had a car that was a 44 Ford.... Those old cars brought him such joy....even just sitting parked :-)

    Sorry to hear about the poor thing sitting out in the weather....glad you shared the photos.

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  10. What a great car...even when it strands you!!! Glad your friends came along... God's provision!Hope she can be fixed easily.

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  11. I think I remember when you took your sunday-go-to-meetin car out last summer. I'm thinking maybe it was to get an ice cream cone?
    I loved that post and I think this one is charming too, although I am sorry to hear that the car is under the weather. Hope all will be well again soon.

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  12. Oh dear! And the kids standing up that way took me away back to my childhood when we stood up hanging over the front seats by times and driving parents crazy. It must be like having your sofa in the back seat. Hope that the fixes are minimal and that it doesn't sit outside too long.

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  13. I'm so happy that we could hitch a ride with you last year....
    Next time I'm sure I will pack my runners along just in case.
    Hope it doesn't take too much to keep it rollin.

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  14. I'm glad that we hitched a ride last year...Next time I know to add an extra pair of shoes.
    Hope you can get it back on the road with out too much cost.
    I'm looking forward to a few more DQ trips.

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  17. I really enjoyed reading this...it was very sweet and made me smile!

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  18. My husband would have been thrilled to see someone sitting by the side of the road in this car. He would have stopped and just stared at the car, probably forgetting to offer you both a ride. His grandfather was a Ford dealer, and he has wonderful memories. I bet you all looked great riding in that beautiful car.

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  19. A beautiful car, is the Monarch,
    they don't make them like that any more
    so the trouble it may sometimes cause you
    Are worth it...I've said it before,

    When I had me a beautiful Austin,
    a Baby one; A35,
    and I polished and oiled and loved it,
    and took it for many a drive;

    In the time that I had it, it never
    once let me down, bless its heart,
    then in traffic one day I was waiting
    to turn right; and I came apart...

    When a car overtook right behind me,
    where traffic had been building up,
    and slammed into my baby Austin;
    A write-off...such a bitter cup...

    Urban roads in this country are narrow;
    not made for such high traffic flow;
    She was my first car ever...I miss her
    even now, 64, and I'm English you know.

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  20. What a sweet car! I hope her repairs don't cost you too much!

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson