A Faithful Xmas
With my girls here, and never knowing when there'll be another, I didn't want Christmas Day to end. Ended anyway, Ray took Lilly home, Malinda and Kristen went home just down the street but will be back for Boxing Day dinner about noon. Xmas was special. It isn't necessary for me to talk or even to hear what's being said, I just need to be where they are, in the room with.
Being faithful means watching "A Christmas Story," and it doesn't matter where one tunes in, because it rolls over and over again for about twenty-four hours, and I see it through at least twice: half and whole and half. The important thing is the Oldsmobile, Ralphie's father was an Oldsmobile man. He drove a 1937 Olds Six, the six has the bold horizontal front grill, the eight has a more expensive looking mesh grill. In fact, here's Ralphie's dad's car, the touring sedan with built-in trunk, not the model with spare tire on back. Ah, the good ole days --
This year we had one medium size turkey, and Linda was wrong, it was plenty. There’s turkey left over plus turkey soup working, and we didn’t even cut into the dark meat yet. Except the two drumsticks were gnawed. Corn pudding, broccoli casserole, dressing and my oyster dressing. All sorts of sweets. Wines, eggnogs weak and strong. Cheeses.
Being faithful means watching "A Christmas Story," and it doesn't matter where one tunes in, because it rolls over and over again for about twenty-four hours, and I see it through at least twice: half and whole and half. The important thing is the Oldsmobile, Ralphie's father was an Oldsmobile man. He drove a 1937 Olds Six, the six has the bold horizontal front grill, the eight has a more expensive looking mesh grill. In fact, here's Ralphie's dad's car, the touring sedan with built-in trunk, not the model with spare tire on back. Ah, the good ole days --
This year we had one medium size turkey, and Linda was wrong, it was plenty. There’s turkey left over plus turkey soup working, and we didn’t even cut into the dark meat yet. Except the two drumsticks were gnawed. Corn pudding, broccoli casserole, dressing and my oyster dressing. All sorts of sweets. Wines, eggnogs weak and strong. Cheeses.
For today there’s beef, delicious salmon beautifully cooked on cedar planks by Chef Ray. Coffee. Chocolate. Which brings me to my subject.
A friend gave me a chocolate car, a 1928 Chevrolet series AB National coach. It’s too cool to open it and eat the car, way too cool, not happen. I'll bite the ears off a chocolate Easter rabbit but cannot bite a wheel off this car. Instead I’ve done my research.
Chevy’s slogan for the 1928 model year was “Bigger and Better,” so I’ve gone online to see if they’re lying. Turns out it was true, it is bigger than 1927, the engine's beefed up, more details to remember for when St. Peter asks his questions at the pearly gates.
What do I know now that I didn’t know this time yesterday.
The 1928 Chevrolet AB National is bigger than the 1927 Chevrolet AA Capitol. We’re looking at the coach model, which is what auto manufacturers called their two door sedans during the 1920s and thirties. Except Ford was cute, calling his sedans "Fordor" and "Tudor." My parents had a 1935 Chevrolet Master Deluxe coach when I was born and that I grew halfway up riding in. Ours had WSW tires and yellow spoke wheels, but this exact car:
1935 was the first year Chevrolet (most all of GM except Buick and some Cadillacs) had the all steel "turret body" instead of the old style with the fabric top insert. Though the Chevrolet Standard continued, the last year with the old body style. This, old model Chevy Standard, is what our rector, Father Frank Dearing drove, and also my friend Weldon:
Weldon liked that the fabric top on his Chevy Standard eventually leaked onto the far right side of the front seat such that his girlfriend had to squeeze over by him to keep from getting wet.
Anyway, this is about the 1928 Chevrolet. Here are some of the specification details that St. Peter will be asking, along with a few pics so he can’t stump you with his flash cards. Learn this stuff, don’t let your salvation hang in the balance. Here we go, 1927 first, then 1928:
1935 was the first year Chevrolet (most all of GM except Buick and some Cadillacs) had the all steel "turret body" instead of the old style with the fabric top insert. Though the Chevrolet Standard continued, the last year with the old body style. This, old model Chevy Standard, is what our rector, Father Frank Dearing drove, and also my friend Weldon:
Weldon liked that the fabric top on his Chevy Standard eventually leaked onto the far right side of the front seat such that his girlfriend had to squeeze over by him to keep from getting wet.
Anyway, this is about the 1928 Chevrolet. Here are some of the specification details that St. Peter will be asking, along with a few pics so he can’t stump you with his flash cards. Learn this stuff, don’t let your salvation hang in the balance. Here we go, 1927 first, then 1928:
1927 Chevrolet. Series AA, Capitol coach. 4 cyl, 2.8 ltr, 26.8 bhp ohv engine, 102” wheelbase, 148” overall length. Price $595 fob Flint, Michigan.
Back to the Bigger and Better. 1928 Chevrolet. Series AB, National coach. 4 cyl, 2.8 ptr, 35 bhp ohv engine,
106” wheelbase, 152” overall length. Price $585 fob Flint:
See, Peter doesn’t ask Bible verses, he thinks we know all that stuff, he’s a crafty one. He asks what one least expects. And if you can't tell a 1928 Chevy National from a 1928 Model A Ford (see below)
(1928 Model A Fords above) expect Peter to pull the lever that opens the trap door into the hell chute. Now back to the 1928 Chevy:
(1928 Model A Fords above) expect Peter to pull the lever that opens the trap door into the hell chute. Now back to the 1928 Chevy:
Here's the full line for 1928, just in case. Note that the Imperial Landau is the top of the line, at $715. The other closed cars are a bit less, but the open cars are cheap: you can get the touring car or roadster for $495 --
