This 1961 Chevrolet Corvette matches well with the 1957 Ford Thunderbird
Lynn, a car enthusiast from Pinellas County, Florida, is proud of her 1961 Chevrolet Corvette and her husband’s 1957 Ford Thunderbird. Lin says he has owned more than 20 classic cars in his life.
Fox – 13 News
Have you ever seen Jim Biddle’s 1951 Pontiac Chieftain driving around Bloomington, Indiana?
It wasn’t until a recent afternoon that I noticed the back of a really cool old car up ahead.
Yes, I followed you. When the driver turned west, I also turned west. The driver’s fingers trembled as he realized his destination was just around the corner, and two blocks later the Pontiac’s right turn signal began flashing and the old sedan veered into the Blooming Foods grocery store parking lot.
I said “Eureka” or something to that effect. No need to chase cars and drivers around town and beyond. I certainly did.
Jim Biddle was behind the wheel, with his wife Holly in the passenger seat. The Bloomington man explained that he has actually owned the Pontiac for 46 years and has kept it even after moving across the country several times.
It’s a beautiful car with no decorations beyond the original equipment, such as the illuminated hood ornament. Original but faded paint, dings and dings here and there, nice worn upholstery.
This isn’t Biddle’s first vintage Pontiac. He owned a 1951 and a 1953 car a long time ago, but both were involved in accidents and taken to a salvage yard.
“This is the third time,” Biddle explained. “Both of my previous Pontiacs were wrecked. In 1953, my brother was driving down Walnut Street and someone left a child in the car and the kid got in the car and it hit my car. The other one was wrecked on a sharp curve on Smith Road.”
In 1979, he was looking for a 1949-1952 Pontiac and found a Chieftain for sale in Colorado. He took off and drove back to Indiana. The car was in original condition with all its upholstery and original paint.
“I’ve always loved General Motors cars from that era,” Biddle said.
The V8 ran great then and is still going strong 46 years later. Biddle took the time to make minor repairs to the engine and put about 40,000 miles on the car. The Chieftain, with its cone-shaped glowing bonnet decoration, is washed and drained when cold weather sets in and spends several months in a heated garage.
“This 50-degree day in late fall is a good time to drive,” he said. “But we are preparing for winter.”
Biddle has another cool car. A rare 1979 German Opel. However, it’s not actually his, but instead his dogs, Rocky and a rescue terrier named Zeus. Every day, he takes me for a drive down the one-lane road near my house, covering five or six miles at 10 miles per hour, stretching his hairy head out of the open window.
“They love their cars,” Biddle said. “They want to drive.”
He promised that I could join them on their road trip adventure. I can only imagine the amazing photos it will take.
stay tuned.
Want to talk about cars and trucks? Contact Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.
