Return to Cars and Cruisers. Click Here

Return to Car Guy DVDs Main Page. Click Here

Car Guy DVDs

Owners: Jay & Diane Skow

Quincy, CA

This is one of the best stories I’ve heard regarding a car and its owner in a long time. It reminded me of myself and many other young men.

Jay bought his 1952 Ford when he was fifteen years old for a project to work on in auto shop at school. Like so many of us, he did odd jobs including cutting lawns to earn the money for the car. However, I knew he really wanted this car when he told me he sold his model train set to get enough money to purchase the car. You have to understand, in that time, a young boy’s model train is one of his most cherished possessions and that would have been the ultimate sacrifice.

I too did many odd jobs to earn the money to buy my first car when I was thirteen, so I can really relate to Jay and his story.

Jay is from Quincy, CA. I have great memories of Quincy. I worked for Oldsmobile for my entire career. In 1986, during one of my routine meetings in Quincy, CA with the local Oldsmobile dealer, the dealer talked me into going to Reno for “this new car show”. The rest of that story, as the saying goes, is history. I have only missed that “new car show” in Reno three times since then.

Jay wound up paying $587.50 for his first car, which is also the same car featured in this article. I only paid fifty dollars for my first car and I sure wish I still had it. Needless to say, Jay has rebuilt his car more than once over the years. The car was just redone in 2012 and was an immediate winner.

This car has to be carefully studied to find all that has been done to it. Of course the Aqua Mist and Frost White, high quality, two-tone paint job complimented with ’55 Pontiac moldings makes the car pop. 1958 Lincoln headlights have been very skillfully fitted into the car. The ’58 Buick grill looks like it was designed for the car. The ’56 Packard taillights are almost unrecognizable. All the common customizations have also been done including the removal of moldings, door handles and identification. The bumper bolts have been welded to the back of the bumpers and the holes welded up and ground down.

Jay blocked down the size of the rear window and made the top so it can be removed with a lift that he also designed. The custom shaped rear window and a narrow seam along the bottom of the top are the only indications that the top is removable.

The flathead V8 engine has been replaced with a modified ’57 Thunderbird 312 overhead valve engine.

This car is truly a winner throughout with a great story. Congratulations Jay on a job well done!

Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs Car Guy DVDs
Return to Cars and Cruisers. Click Here

Go to Car Guy DVDs Main Page. Click Here

Go to DVD Catalog Page. Click Here