DALE & PATRICIA PECK 

1959 Thunderbird, Flamingo Pink, diir. Hardtop

This car was purchased by an elderly couple new in 1959 and he passed away shortly after that. She only drove it to the hair dresser occasionally and the rest of the time was in the garage. She was in her 70's then so hardly drove it. Her son would come up a couple times a year from Arizona and would drive it also during the summer when he was here. That is how the car got so many miles on it. 10,700 when I bought it in 1975.

Here is the story. One Thanksgiving day the hair dresser got a call from this elderly lady and she said do you still want that car. The hair dresser had always liked it when she came to get her hair done and she remembered that. She asked who this was and she told her. After talking a little, she said yes she would be interested and how much did she want. She said "Oh no", you can have it. After discussions and looking the car over they ended up giving her $100 just to make it more legal. He was a mechanic at the dealership and really would rather have the money so put it up for sale at the Ford meet at that next year, 1973.

I went to Formlo Ford for the Ford meet and the car was there with the doors, hood and trunk open and a for sale sign on it. I asked how much and he wanted and it was $2000.00. This car was absolutely new but who would pay that kind of money for a box bird. Next year I again went to the show with our club and it was there again so I decided to buy it after all. I went up to him and told him I would buy it and he said to me "Do you know how much it is and I said yes, $2000. He said no that now he wanted $3000. I said that was too much and passed. The next year came and it was there again and I decided again to purchase. Same scenario, he wanted $4000. The next year came and the same thing, $5000. I told him that you know I have been trying to buy this car for 4 years and wouldn't he work with me on it. He said that if he did not sell it at this meet he would talk to me about it. He called late Sunday after the meet and we agreed on $4400.

I have put stainless exhaust on the car, detailed the engine compartment some, but other than that it is all original with the original tires and the new spare in the trunk. 31 years later since I bought the car it now has just over 11,000 miles.