Admittedly, I am a certifiable and incurable car nut (automobile enthusiast is the politically correct term). It is a widely shared affliction, but more on that later.
Our first car was a used 1935 Ford delivery van purchased for the princely sum of $35. It was necessary to invest another $35 for a SouthWind gas heater (the flathead V8 was so efficient that there wasn't enough scavenge heat to warm the cabin), in order to use it for courting my girlfriend, Janet Hirsh #) later to become Mrs. Harold Miller. In order to cover the cost of gas and upkeep, we started a grocery delivery service for a local market after school and on weekends.
Thus began my first venture as an entrepreneur at the tender age of 17 in order to fuel our passion to own an automobile. That Henry Ford could build such a handsome, ruggedly built car with a V8 engine, and by selling it new for under $500, it was nothing less than a miracle of engineering, design and manufacture.
America ruled the automotive universe for most of the twentieth century with its zenith occurring in the 1950s. The big three - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - had all accomplished a post war redesign of its cars and most were stunning examples of America's newly discovered flair for creating automobiles as an art form. Cadillac crafted tailfins on its models that mimicked the twin tail booms of the P38 Lightning fighter plane of World War II. This started a design trend that lasted for almost 20 years. Chevrolet introduced the Corvette, America's only true sports car, in 1953. The bar was continuously being raised, and competition became fierce among all of the manufacturers. Ford threw its hat in the ring with the 65 Mustang, which started the Pony Car era (implanting a powerful engine in a compact car), and Chrysler won the Carrera Pan American Road Race in 1955 #) previously the domain of foreign sports cars such as Porsches #) with its mighty “Hemi” engine.
The '50s and '60s were the halcyon years for car lovers, and except for a brief period in the 1970s when “Naderism” reared its ugly head and our government tried to make automobiles into appliances, the love affair continues unabated to this day.
Soon after WW II car clubs sprang up everywhere. One of the first, and to this day one of the best, is the Prison City Ramblers founded in 1954. No one seems to remember exactly why but there was a loose affiliation with the Auburn Police Department, which gave the club its name. Early meetings were held in the courtroom of the police station.
The purpose of the club was to celebrate and promote the emergence of “performance” cars. Dick Lippert, one of the original organizers, built the first customized hot rod in Auburn. The Ramblers organized its first car show in 1990, which was held at Cayuga Community College. Shortly thereafter, the show moved to its present location at Emerson Park. This well-organized, well-run automotive extravaganza attracts participants and spectators from all over the area and has become one of the largest car shows in the northeast - this year fielding 430 entrants and 80 club cars.
The Prison City Ramblers celebrated its 52nd anniversary with this year's show. Starting promptly at 8 a.m., the beautiful machines, mostly from the 1950s and 1960s, came through the gate and took their place in rows alongside the sparkling waters of Owasco Lake.
The money generated by this show goes to support local charities such as the Matthew House, I Can Cope (cancer survivors), the American Red Cross and a host of individual cancer patients and disaster victims.
Americans love their automobiles and always will. Cars represent our freedom. Our culture still includes shining up the family buggy and taking a ride on Sunday.
Car shows, which spring up all over the country as summer settles in, celebrate our love affair with automobiles and the American way of life. May it never be otherwise.
Harold Miller is a businessman and Auburn native. He may be reached at hmillermod@aol.com
Thus began my first venture as an entrepreneur at the tender age of 17 in order to fuel our passion to own an automobile. That Henry Ford could build such a handsome, ruggedly built car with a V8 engine, and by selling it new for under $500, it was nothing less than a miracle of engineering, design and manufacture.
America ruled the automotive universe for most of the twentieth century with its zenith occurring in the 1950s. The big three - General Motors, Ford and Chrysler - had all accomplished a post war redesign of its cars and most were stunning examples of America's newly discovered flair for creating automobiles as an art form. Cadillac crafted tailfins on its models that mimicked the twin tail booms of the P38 Lightning fighter plane of World War II. This started a design trend that lasted for almost 20 years. Chevrolet introduced the Corvette, America's only true sports car, in 1953. The bar was continuously being raised, and competition became fierce among all of the manufacturers. Ford threw its hat in the ring with the 65 Mustang, which started the Pony Car era (implanting a powerful engine in a compact car), and Chrysler won the Carrera Pan American Road Race in 1955 #) previously the domain of foreign sports cars such as Porsches #) with its mighty “Hemi” engine.
The '50s and '60s were the halcyon years for car lovers, and except for a brief period in the 1970s when “Naderism” reared its ugly head and our government tried to make automobiles into appliances, the love affair continues unabated to this day.
Soon after WW II car clubs sprang up everywhere. One of the first, and to this day one of the best, is the Prison City Ramblers founded in 1954. No one seems to remember exactly why but there was a loose affiliation with the Auburn Police Department, which gave the club its name. Early meetings were held in the courtroom of the police station.
The purpose of the club was to celebrate and promote the emergence of “performance” cars. Dick Lippert, one of the original organizers, built the first customized hot rod in Auburn. The Ramblers organized its first car show in 1990, which was held at Cayuga Community College. Shortly thereafter, the show moved to its present location at Emerson Park. This well-organized, well-run automotive extravaganza attracts participants and spectators from all over the area and has become one of the largest car shows in the northeast - this year fielding 430 entrants and 80 club cars.
The Prison City Ramblers celebrated its 52nd anniversary with this year's show. Starting promptly at 8 a.m., the beautiful machines, mostly from the 1950s and 1960s, came through the gate and took their place in rows alongside the sparkling waters of Owasco Lake.
The money generated by this show goes to support local charities such as the Matthew House, I Can Cope (cancer survivors), the American Red Cross and a host of individual cancer patients and disaster victims.
Americans love their automobiles and always will. Cars represent our freedom. Our culture still includes shining up the family buggy and taking a ride on Sunday.
Car shows, which spring up all over the country as summer settles in, celebrate our love affair with automobiles and the American way of life. May it never be otherwise.
Harold Miller is a businessman and Auburn native. He may be reached at hmillermod@aol.com
The Citizens' Say
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