I love the drama of classic cars of the 40s, 50s, 60s. The big fenders, smooth lines, toothy grills, and plenty of chrome. Imagine my delight of stumbling on this “barn find” on a Seattle street in 1972! Wayne Carini of “Chasing Classic Cars” would love this! A 1953 Buick Super Estate, one of 1800 produced. A rare woody for $250! I had to have this beauty. So, I drained my checking account, got a small advance on my $125 salary, and borrowed $100 from my cousin. When I drove it home, I was flat-broke, but I felt like the luckiest kid in town. We called her Bertha. Make that Bertha Butt. (Inspired by “Troglodyte’ by Jimmy Castor) A big girl with a beautiful rear end!

Bertha was our college escape vehicle. Taking a break from college studies, or skipping out of chapel, we would load a bunch of friends, and drive to Green Lake, or the beach scene at Golden Gardens, singing Sweet Caroline, or Crocodile Rock with the AM radio blasting from KJR, Seattle’s rock n roll station. Although Annette Funicello, never joined us at the beach, these were the halcyon days of our youth.

Over the next four years, Bertha was repainted, rechromed, and restored, adding fat white walls and chrome wire wheel covers for some flash. This was not just a car, this was an amazing example of automotive art. The original interior of red and ivory leather, never faded, all I had to do was replace the burgundy wool carpets. Although she could cruise the freeways like she owned the whole darn road, she spent most of her days being washed, waxed, and paraded...She was our special treasure for 23 years, until sold at a high-end auction and shipped to Ohio. Bertha provided good vibrations everywhere she went, and in the end, provided college funds for the next generation.

Wayne Carini Would Love This

A Gem of a Deal

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