Hi there. My name is Old Blue. I was bought brand new at Tommy Thompson Chevrolet in Ulysses, Kansas, in 1947 by Arthur Newby. I am 69 years old and am only on my second family.
I have been passed around and through those two families.
My original owner, Arthur, wasn’t very good about changing my oil. He would buy one quart of oil, drain a quart out of me and add the new quart. Nowadays, I get my oil changed on a regular basis, every spring Chase pulls me into the shop and changes my oil and checks me over. Chase and Gary take wonderful care of me.
I have a 6-cylinder, 216-cubic-inch engine, three-speed transmission and absolutely no rust anywhere on me.
I was originally maroon, but that faded pretty quickly, Arthur had me painted green. After Arthur passed, I was passed on to Willie Patton, Arthur’s nephew by marriage. Willie didn’t like me green, so I was painted blue. That was 40 years ago.
I am still original, except for just a few little things like my water pump and fuel pump.
Willie traded me in for a newer Chevrolet in 1987. I was traded into Riley Ford. Sherie, the owner, thought I would be a great gift for her husband, Gary. After I was traded in, Alvin Lance came to talk to Gary, he was afraid that Gary was going to turn me into a hot rod. Gary promised Alvin that he would not do anything like that, he said that I would stay exactly as I was.
But he did say that if he ever did anything to me, he would restore me back 100 percent original. Alvin and Gary became great friends, when Alvin and his wife were chosen “pioneers of the year,” Gary drove them in the parade. Alvin and his wife wanted Gary to haul them in my bed but it was too hot that day so Alvin’s grandson drove me while Gary hauled Alvin and his wife in a newer air conditioned car.
While I was still being taken care of by Gary, a kind employee decided to clean my engine bay up, in the process of that he spilt brake cleaner on my right front fender. That is why it looks like my paint job isn’t very good on my fender.
Gary has taken care of me until his grandson, Chase, got his driver’s license. That was 2013. Then, later in 2013, I was passed along to Chase.
You may have noticed that my driver side windshield wiper is broken off. When Chase was about 3 or 4 years old, he was playing in me one night. I guess it was raining in the garage, because Chase was leaning out the window and ran the wiper with his hands. Needless to say, he got a little violent with me and broke my wiper off.
Unfortunately, Arthur passed away in May of 1982 at the age of 67. Everybody else who has owned my is still alive and well. Harold Lance, Willie and Marcella Patton are now well into their eighties but still come out to see me when their grandkids, who are now fully grown, come back to town.
That is my life story, thank you for taking the time to read it.
— Chase Trahern, Ulysses, Kansas
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