There will come a time when I run out of childhood pictures, those grainy snapshots that have more meaning than any current digital photographs will ever have. I say to myself, “What will I do? How will I be able to recall past events without these visual clues?” Let me be honest here: my memory isn’t as keen as it once was. I need something to kick-start the ol’ noggin.
I’ve tried to peel those black and white pictures from the discolored pages of photo albums, some with success, others to no avail, their backs fused onto the sticky page. I’ve found more depth and more substance in those old black and whites where my brother and I pose in front of an old car or motorcycle, evidence of the time period we had once lived in, knowing mom or dad captured that specific moment with the best of intentions, with dreams of improving our family status.
In this shot, my brother and I are standing in our driveway off of 23 Mile, a two-lane road. Immediately behind us is dad’s Ford Falcon (or is it a Fairlane?). I have difficulty identifying the make, especially since I’m ninety-nine percent certain that the automobile in my last post, the one on the beach, was a Falcon, and this car, although similar, is not the same. Back then, our dad purchased a new American made automobile every two or three years. With less choices in styles and models, you would think that I’d be able to recall the specifics. I do know this: the picture was taken in 1968.
Or was it 1969?
11 comments:
Nice car. I think my mom had one just like--except that that was in the early eighties, so it wasn't quite as nice as it must have been in the sixties. God love it, regardless.
The Russian-style fur hats are a trip. Luckily, global warming has made them obsolete.
Once again, god love the big fat American automobile.
It looks to me more like a Fairlane more than a Falcon '65 or newer because the Falcon did not have the partially closed rear wheel well. The falcon had four circular wheel wells.
I am fairly certain it is not a "64 or older because both cars had a flattened (layover) fin in the rear.
And the Falcon during those days was one of Fords answer to the Muscle car that was just starting, small square body large eight cylinder engine and fast as hell.
No comment on the memory thing.
Peace
mark
Yeah, those visual memories are important to our sense of who we are. I have a few shots like that (if you can't get them out of the album, use your camera to take a snapshot of the snapshot) but sadly, a major chunk of my past disappeared somewhere with my parents' divorce in the late '70s. I treasure the bit that I have left.
We had a black '63 Ford Falcon, then a "mod" green '67 Dodge Polara. The later, a big, hulking hunk o' steel. Crazy days. ;-)
For those of us who are older, the time period of those pictures is almost an alien world. Not to us so much, who remmeber it, but to those who move around us like new born wraiths.
I know what you mean about not being quite sure of the type of whatever, the year, and trying to peel those old black & whites off the sticky page. I just went through all that for my Dad's celebration of life so I could make posters showing him and the family through the years. Good post.
Ford, circa l967, is all I can say.
My first thought before I read the post was that it was either an old Chevy Rambler or a Ford Fairlane. The only foreign car I ever bought was a Volkswagon Rabbit and it was the worst car I ever owned. I should have listened to my Dad who always bought American, but he was many states away. I love your old pictures because they look a lot like our old pictures. And a large putty knife will help you remove the photos, just be very patient and work slowly.
Nice pic. My Dad had a Ford Fairlane 500 and I believe it looked like that. I have to agree with TWM. Your Bro should know?
Nice read. MW
I should go out right now and photograph our kids with the car. Some day it will bring back memories.
We had a Rambler station wagon, as I recall, though I can't remember what year it was, or whether it was a Ford or a Chevy. What's really fun is to see the political bumper stickers displayed.
I too like the black and white images! There is something about them that can never be replaced. Still if you have a scanner you should try to preserve them on CD, just in case something were to happen to the originals, you'd have a back up.
-P
Jim, Nice photo of us in those old hats. At least they look warm even though it made us look a like AGAIN! That vehicle was a Ford Fairlane I believe 66' or 67'. Will ask Dad the actual year. I love these old photos. Agree, that we should scan every one of them and put on a CD!!!!! --Bro, Ron
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