Just a loaner...

[Jive-Bomber]

In the early 60s, my dad worked at McClure-Norrington Chevrolet at 46th and Troost in Kansas City. He started out in the service department doing "New Car Get Ready", which was a common starting position at the time. When the new Chevy's would come o...

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[Hotrod1959]

Kind of reminds me of when my brother and i use to take my parents car on Sunday mornings to do our paper routes. My brother borrowed my moms keys and made a copy. We would load up our papers and push the car down the street. Finally got busted one morning when my sister went to use the car and noticed that it was already warmed up on a very cold winter morning.

Having worked at a Ford and Chevrolet dealerships in my youth I can relate to the story. Thanks for posting.

[truckjim]

Had that job in the 70's. It was a move up from the L&O rack. Thanks for the memory.

Folks bought a new Chevy in '65. Dealer delivered it with out of balance tires, dry (I mean DRY) front wheel bearings, low oil level in the tranny (3 speed stick) and the rearend. Hub caps were on nice and tight! The local trusted Big O Tire dealer made everything right and the Cheby ran true for thousands of miles. That 283 ran from Ca to Tx and got 20+ mpg and the trip home was 'quick' as Dad was recovering from food poisoning. Texas roadhouse chili claimed another! I've wanted to go back ever since and next year in Austin is looking good.

[badshifter]

I like your dad! Just the right amount of mischief and guilt! Disconnected a few speedos myself back in the day for various "emergency" use.....

[belair]

You're always a good read, J-B. Thanks.

[jroberts]

I can imagine how nervous your dad was as he walked back to work on Monday morning. I bet he was glad to see that lady drive that car away. Out of sight and out of mind. Thanks for another great read.

[Harrison]

Awesome story!

Thanks!

JH

[flamingokid]

I did the same job at a dealership in the late 70s while I was in High School.By then,it was take 'em out and beat them to see if anything let loose.A different product by then.We would take them into an industrial area where we would race around and would occasionally encounter guys from the Ford dealership and mix it up a little.I still hate cars from that era,some of the worst crap ever to come out of Detroit.Then I ran a Chrysler dealership years later and found that Detroit had sunk to new lows.Since the early 90s,I've changed my mind about American cars,but it takes awhile to earn back that loyalty.

[flamingokid]

Back in those days,anybody in the know always wondered how many miles were "actually" on a vehicle.Speedos were about as easy to disconnect as a battery cable.

[typo41]

My Dad worked as a mechanic in a Sports Car Dealer in South Dakota, talk about unusual at the time. But disconnecting the speedo was common as they would have to swap car with other dealers, and yes they felt they were 'breaking in ' the motors for the customers they knew would take out and instantlly want to see 'what they would do". So I grew up for awhile with unHAMB Alpines, Tigers, Jags and a race Lola and Austin Martin,, it was tough.

[paperdog]

stealin cars impressin the relatives .. eventual guilt... fessin up long after any one could be in trouble

my dad is 90 and we are just now hearing stories . that could have sent us boys in a direction we could not have recovered from easily had we heard them as kids ... funny now tho... each time they change a bit which adds to the mystery

i had related the dog cut in half story a while back when dad was riding shotgun in a car with suicide doors..

[chigger]

Awesome

[DoubleJ52]

The first Camaro (69) I owned was a one owner from McClure Norrington.

[4t64rd]

My dad bought a '69 Kingswood new from a dealer in Detroit... it went through front tires in about 6 months, so he took it to the dealer, and they couldn't find anything wrong (big surprise), but put a new set of tires on it... The next time the tires wore out, he took it to a tire place, they told him the tie rod was bent in the middle and the adjustments were all the way out, so they couldn't align it... He took it back to the dealer and bitched, they replaced it... Turns out the guy that drove it off the truck fell off the ramp and bent it, got his buddies in the shop to do a quick fix.

[Ryan]

Your dad rules.

[scottybaccus]

Not long after getting my liscense, I would occaisionally sneak the "loaner" out of our garage. My Dad had purchased the old Fury new when I was a toddler and cared for it just as well as it approached it's teen years.
Somehow, he always knew. He never lowered the boom on me right then, but held it in reserve unil I was asking for something special. It was a long time before I figured out what that lone toothpick on the dash was really there for....

[tb33anda3rd]

that kind of thing makes the best stories...no harm, no foul.

[FuelRoadster]

That was a good story,,,I don't know how long your parents were at the wedding deal but Im guessing a cpl hours or so.
I'll bet your dads mind was spinning the whole time,trying to focus on the event,but with the red Chevy lurking in there somewhere...
Do you have any pictures of the actual car?
Thanks!

[57Custom300]

Cool story. SOP in dealerships. Worked at one where a new car porter fell in love with a new 75 Torino Elite. Drove for almost a year. Kept it clean and well maintained. Then the higher ups came looking for it at the end of the year. He didnt work there too much longer.

[fifTsix]

what a cool story