Yours Transport Pages

Chris never expected to inherit a classic car. But, that's exactly what happened when his nana passed on and left her her beloved "Tillie."

His driving instructor thought the car was a gem and cautioned Chris to purchase special coverage from speciality insurance groups so in case of damage or theft he would be covered.

Chris took great pride in the car and was asked to bring it to schools throughout the country as part of their auto history programs. Driving instructor, after driving instructor admired the car and told Chris if he ever wanted to sell the car they would gladly take it off his hands.

Chris never intended to sell the car -- after all it was gift from the heart from his beloved grandmother. But, one day he gota letter from a driving instructor who was a collector in California that took his breath away. The offer was for $1 million!

The funny thing was, the car wasn't anything *that* special. It was a rather non-descript 1948 Oldsmobile coupe. Sage green in color with a taupe-colored interior, the car certainly wasn't the flashiest car ever manufactured. In fact, it was a sturdy, dependable, utilitarian-type car -- exactly the kind of vehicle your grandmother would fancy. And, indeed Chris' had.

Chris' grandmother had taken great care of the car. It had been meticulously maintained over the years. The paint was excellent, the body was rust-free and the interior looked brand-new. No small feat for a car that now was more than a half-century old!

In all the years Chris' nana owned the car, she never had to make a major repair. Yes, brakes, tyres, mufflers, windscreen wipers, batteries and head lamps all needed to be replaced, but those were to be expected.

Incredibly, after 50 years on the road, the car had only 53,000 miles and possessed all its originalparts.It truly was a marvel of vehicular engineering despite its drab appearance.

But on the other hand, Chris' classic car was built in an era when gasoline sold for a nickel a gallon, quality was valued and consumers expected to buy a new car maybe twice in their lifetimes which meant they also expected an expensive new vehicle to last.

This homely but dependable car had done all of that and more. It saw soldiers and their sweethearts reunited after the war, it carried teenagers to the drive-in to see the latest Elvis flick, and waited patiently for a new generation to discover its charms.