My Story of The Last Flight of the New York

[FOXBAT008]

Hi Everybody

I'm new to this site and I am very happy to be part of this family.

I guess everyone has a fond memory of their first Car and the a thrill of ownership - building  - customizing it and going for it first Show Down = Race.

I want to share my true story that takes place in Newark New Jersey 1967.

I came from a family of 11 brothers and sisters and living in a town that had just months to live. That did not bother us cause we were used to it.
And we had something new to distract our attention.........

     My story is titled "The Last Flight of the New Yorker"

Its about my brother's first car - a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker that packed a HEMI and me as his younger brother who knew nothing about cars and was going to find out that this faded blue bomb was going to become a legend.

At first I looked at this monster that my brother bought as nothing but an out dated big finned behemoth that  was totally out of date in 1967

I was more concerned to keep my brother Jacques(Jack) out of trouble with this new so called Super Car of his?

I want to share my story of this true account with all the folks of this fine site - Anyone who loved the Music - Car Culture - Fast Races - Close Calls
and beating the odds will love this story

Please Click on to this Link and Hold on Tight - Cause there are No Seat Belts

Here is a little Preview of what it in the story

Jacques Started cruising the Ave.
I tried to strike up a conversation to settle Jacques down.

All of a sudden Jacques sees something ahead.
He starts waving in and around slower traffic ahead of him.

(Sort of like a Cheetah weeding out the heard looking for a kill)

I spotted it a half a block ahead, slowing down for the changing light.

It was a Sleek Low to the ground fully decked out 1960 White Pontiac Bonneville.
This thing looked wicked and loaded with all the right do-dads, Rear fender skirts – Twin Antennas on the back trunk - Side Pipes, Spinners on all four wheels and the Lettering Flanking the front quarter panel in Black reading RESPECT!

Its Gloss white Paint "Glisten" in the Florescent lights from the Ave.
It was the "Millennium Falcon Star Cruiser"

To Myself I said NO!  Not this car!!  It going to make Jacques ride look like a "Hay Wagon"!

It's gleaming shinning profile, it's low to the ground grouse and the sweet sound resonating from it's twin side pipes had me convince that this car might be too much to take on.

I then looked at Jacques to see if he did not notice this challenge.

Jacques went from a mild manner Clark Kent to this Street Gun Fighter.
A serious look came to his face – His Thick Black rimmed glasses looked like Phase Array Radar that had locked in on the Bonnie.  

As we pulled up right next to the Bonnie door handle to door handle
I looked at my buddy Jim – acknowledging It was on!

Again Thanks to the Site Admin for providing this fine sit and letting us share our stories.

Personal Note:  I love going  to Car shows and seeing all the fine Cars, be it Customs - Original - Work of Art - it is so impressive to see these Time Capsules of American past in flowing sheet metal - What I hold most dear is the people that these car belong to,
These are the last great Americans from an era that will never be again!

I say God Bless them all - when they all go to that big Car Hop in the Sky America will never be the same - so lets enjoy it while we can.

God Bless America
John Desranleau - Flanders New Jersey
johndesranleau@hotmail.com

[Fat Cat]

Greeting John. Welcome to our site. You will find that the links in your post have been removed. Our membership are a lively group that enjoys a good story just as much as the next guy. However I personally find it slightly insulting for new members to post their first message on this site and include offsite links to something that could very easily be posted on the forum. Once you have established yourself on this forum the links you posted would be fine. But I just don't feel right when new users do it.

Stick around and tell us a little about yourself.

[FOXBAT008]

In Responce to your letter

Sir - Sorry - I did send you an EMAIL stating that this was a Short Story
and If you wanted me I could Copy over the whole story into one bloge or give it to you as an attachment

I did not mean to take advantage of your hospitality

I Did give you a history of myself Saying I loved your site and wanted to share my story with your readers.

As noted in my first post
Again Thanks to the Site Admin for providing this fine sit and letting us share our stories.

Personal Note: I love going to Car shows and seeing all the fine Cars, be it Customs - Original - Work of Art - it is so impressive to see these Time Capsules of American past in flowing sheet metal - What I hold most dear is the people that these car belong to,
These are the last great Americans from an era that will never be again!

I say God Bless them all - when they all go to that big Car Hop in the Sky America will never be the same - so lets enjoy it while we can.

God Bless America
John Desranleau - Flanders New Jersey
johndesranleau@hotmail.com

[Crosley.In.AZ]

welcome aboard the RRT board.

[EMSjunkie]

Howdy John, welcome to the RRT

Vance

[58Apache]

WOW, what a colorful and dramatic guy. A fine use of color, font size, and many other text modifcations to make the story more dramatic.

That name sounds like it has a story behind it as well? Does that have anything to do with the fighter jet?

Something tells me there's a lot more to you than whatwe have seen so far. I am standing by to be entertained as the stories unfold.

                                           Steve

[FOXBAT008]

Gentlemen - Thanks for the Kind words
Yes! I do like Aircrafts
Many fifties and early sixties car were crafted to look like
they could go to the Moon and Back.

Going Back to the story "The Last Flight of the New Yorker"

The Site Admin removed the link that takes you directly to the story on OLD Newark.Com <-- This site has nothing to do with cars, but because my story did take place in Newark New Jersey that's where it was first posted.

(What was Cool about it on that site (O.N.C) I had Pictures and Music to go along with the story - maybe the Site Admin would place the Pictures also in the story here)

So I decided to Place the Story on this Site One Chapter at a time (reason the story is quite large)

So Stay Tune Bring your Seat Belt and get ready for A Wild Wild Ride to the Final Crash --- You'll Enjoy it

First Chapter coming up soon

The story will really relate to the Guys & Gals that grew up in the sixties
it describes what it was like back then --- No the Cops would not give you a ticket for doing a Burnout at the light like today! (It was sooooo common then)
Boys were Boy and Cars were Fast and Drag Racing was everywhere.

I talk about the culture and music and include lyric to many of the popular songs. Even If you were not around then I know you will like all the races we had back then - especially when you get to meet Jacques alis Jack alis Captain Outrageous
You would have wish you were there - So in this story you will be.....

See Ya FOXBAT008

[slocrow]

The story will really relate to the Guys & Gals that grew up in the sixties it describes what it was like back then ---

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!  So, are you 56 John?  Are these forth coming stories necessarily first person experiences. A lot of difference back then depending on your age as things were happening very fast both on the street and on the strip. What's the data background and "was ya there, Charlie"?

By the way, FatCat isn't so bad he's just very protective of his baby and naturally suspicious of newbie's that throw down a lot, out of the box.
Also, there is a place for stories under forums at All Time Great Stories. If that fits you then you'd only have to post a reference to the new chapter, here.

Welcome to the RRT........................Frank

[58 Yeoman]

The story will really relate to the Guys & Gals that grew up in the sixties it describes what it was like back then ---

Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!  So how old are you John? Your bio states 56 which should make you zip in 1960 an 10 in 1970. Even if I'm light 1 in 60 and 11 in 70 means these forth coming stories might not be necessarily first person experiences.
Ten years made a lot of difference back then as things were happening very fast both on the street and on the strip.
So, what's the data background and "was ya there, Charlie"? A lot of gray beards here to authenticate your upcoming facts and fiction word groupings.

By the way, FatCat isn't so bad he's just very protective of his baby and naturally suspicious of newbie's that throw down a lot, out of the box.
Also, there is a place for stories under forums at All Time Great Stories. If that fits you then you'd only have to post a reference to the new chapter, here.

Welcome to the RRT........................Frank

Frank, if he's 56, he was born in 1950, same as me.  Makes him 10 in '60 and 20 in '70.  Your calculator needs new batteries.

Welcome to the board, John.

[slocrow]

Thanks, I re did it after my noted math error. Appreciate the input..........Frank

[FOXBAT008]

Your Right
Born 1950 - 10 in 60 17 in 67 - This is how old I was in my story
That means I was there for a lot of happenings

As far as Car racing goes done my share, I worked on  lots of cars

Been there done that.

I've seen the birth of the Muscle Car Era
I had a job hustling to Car on the street and saw these babies first hand

I've been in many many Car races - My car was a 66 GTO with a Grand Prix 421 Tri Power power plant in its bay - It was a front tire lifter and would burn out a set of rear tires in one day

About the Story of T.L.F.O.T.N.Y This is a True story - No Fluff added - None was NEEDED.

I was there and now have written it down as a story so other can experience what it was like back then.

The Main Characters are my Brother - Me - and the mighty 58 New Yorker

Give it a read when I post it and then tell me what you think

If you like excitement and hairy Car races this is your Pill

Stay Tune

              JD

[FOXBAT008]

Introduction  The Last Flight of the New Yorker (or The Newarker)

Gasoline: The cologne that transforms a young man into Manhood.

This is a true short story that encapsulates the life of three boys living in the Westward section of Newark New Jersey
before the cataclysm of the summer July 67.

It's about a boy first car and the adventures that it goes through in its short life –
ending on the eve prior to the night that forever changed Newark.

The story is written to bring you back to the spring of 1967, it tells of the Music, the culture and  it is a snapshot of what it was like living in the West Ward of Newark after the main white flight migration had taken its toll.

There are no ill feelings, just 3 boys experiencing and doing the best to enjoy the excitement and experience of a first car.

It's a story of a Father and son going to buy a Car and a younger brother and his friend that get wrapped up in it.

Be there for the first race – Feel the excitement and thrill of a ride in Jacques Super Car.

So reserve yourself a place in the back seat and hang on for an Exciting ride.

                                          Main Characters
My father, A quiet conservative religious man doing the best he can raising 11 children in a changing city.
 
Jacques my older brother who is buying his first car and has lots of dream on what he wants to do with it.
He is a culmination of 4 personalities
One Part Marlin Brando from The Wild One --- "Defiance"
One Part Charles Bronson   ------------------------"Tough"
One Part Lee Marvin again from the Movie the Wild One  ----- "Crazy"
One Part Elvis Presley ---------------------------- "Pure Raw Energy"
Put them all together and you have  "Jack!" The name that everyone in Newark called him

Me: Jean / John  his younger brother by 2 years
Alias: Granny – Scared of High speed racing on city streets
I was Jacks conscience, trying my best to steer him straight and keep him out of trouble.

James Connelly = Best Friend – is like a member of our Family
Alias: Skinny Irishman who went alone for the ride of a life time.

And the 1958 Chrysler New Yorker that is going to be rebuilt and glorified for its final end.

This story is dedicated to my brother Jacques who, with out him, I would have missed a life time of adventures.
I just wish you also had a wonderful brother like him.


"You've got to Stand for something or your going to Fall for anything".
Quote: from John MellonCamp

The Opening Scene

It's a quiet Friday evening in late April  in the West ward section of Newark.

Cars are heading up and down South Orange Avenue.

The street lights have just come on illuminating the cars parked on either side of South Eleventh Street.

The corner of 11th Street and South Orange Avenue is one of the few blocks that does not have a traffic light. On the corner sat a small forties looking Texaco gas station; on the opposite corner an ultra-modern looking One Hour Martinizing Dry cleaner.  Across the street stood the infamous "Sparkies Bar" with its door elevated a few steps off the main thoroughfare of South Orange Avenue.

There is a faint rumble and slight tremble in the air that can be heard and felt in my brother's basement apartment of our house.

I go closer to the two front facing slightly tinted green jalousie windows that were ground level to get a glimpse of the flyby that is taking place at the corner of 11th and South Orange Avenue.

The sound that emanated was from the great gasps of air being sucked down the throats of massive four barrel carburetors of two large Motown manufactured chrome laden chariots facing down one another before coming down our street.

The roar grew as these two meteors were now thundering, descending down my block just reaching their full velocity as they passed our house.

The sound of these two passing hunks of charging steel with inches of space between them and the cars parked on either side of the street created a vacuum as they pushed aside the still night air which added to the excitement of an impending crash.

It was like two locomotives passing side by side in a tight tunnel. The feel and power rushing by was exhilarating.    

Then the roaring sound descended to the end of the block as the power sound echoed from the "Glass Pack and Cherry Bomb" mufflers exhaling the spent octane.

It was usually a quick slow down, a fast check and then the burning rubber and thunderous scream of horse power being let loose as they resumed their charge toward Central Avenue four blocks up.

Friday and Saturday nights were when the main action usually took place.

I would sometimes sit on my father's Captain chair (which was bolted down) on our front porch and wait for the next dual.
All across the nation this scene was becoming a phenomenon.

But down here on Eleventh Street it really took hold when "Mustang Sally" recorded by Wilson Picket became a nation wide Top Forty Hit on the AM Airways

11th Street seemed to be the place where most of these races occurred in my neighborhood.

The main avenue, South Orange, seldom had any races;
I guess it was because it curved a little bit by the Fairmont Cemetery.
There was one exception,,,, which will be revealed in a later chapter...................  

                      Just like the Call Of The Wild    
It was just a matter of time that this beckoning would stir the "need for speed" in my brother, Jacques.

He, too, would become a legend of terror on the side streets of Newark on the hot summer nights of 1967.

To be Continued.............................

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I am real happy for you.

[FOXBAT008]

Chapter II

The Last Flight of the New Yorker
It's Good to go back to a simpler time – before Political Correction /Multi-Cultural/ Diversity/Law Suits madness – Japanese cars running amuck –  "Everything Made in China"

No difference between political Parties – Mexican's over running our borders and let's not  forget like Arnold say's today's "Girly men".

Rap!  They call that music???

Let's start It's the Spring of 1967

It was the Dawn of the Summer of Love

Psychedelic and Flower Power had yet to reach their peak!

The Vietnam War looked like it was Winnable.

The Major Cities had not gone through their civil unrest yet.

AM Radio was King –
Every Song that year was a great one, many should have reached  Number One but because so many of them were producd and released at the same time they had to accept the ranking that they got.

The Music made you happy it was like looking at a crystal blue sky.  The DJ's; were like a good friend on the air and kept you smiling with their joking ways and funny commercials.

These were the days before the """Shock Jocks!"""""

The Music invasion from the Brits had been met with the newly formed US bands such as the  Doors, The Young Rascals , Tommy James and the Shondels, The Turtles and "Mo Town" was producing and laying down it's finest tracks.

There were no message Songs – No out right Protest! – Even Peter Paul and Mary sang about  "Digging the Good Rock and Roll Music"

All instructions were in English –
A Live Operator to assist you who you could understand.
Speaking of English it was understood. It was the only language spoken and understood nation wide.

– It was the Younger Generation in its Full Blossom of Innocence.  

The All out Muscle Car Phenomena was still a year away.  

You could get away with so much, the older and greatest generation let us be.

American's Definitely had the "Can Do Attitude"
We were preparing to send men to the Moon
The Gross National Product was almost at its Zenith
A guy graduating from high school could land a good paying job with a great company such as Ma-Bell-Ford-GM-General Electric-Etc.
He then could surely afford to buy a brand new car coming out of Detriot.
Price of a Hersey bar still 5 cents a 16 oz Coke 16 cents - a Dollar was a Dollar then - O yea a pack of smokes - 35 Cents

I was seventeen in '67 and felt so proud to be an American knowing everything that I owned or bought was made by someone in this country, it was that fabric that knitted us as a nation.
People around the world looked for products made in the USA. It was an assurance that they were getting the very best.

The kids learned values in school and even talked about George Washington as a great man – Imagine That!

Cigarettes was the Weed of the Day.
Boys and men dressed and looked like boys and men.
The Gals in their Mini Shirts with wide band ribbons keeping their teased hair looking so stylish and added awe to any scene.

The song by Sonny and Char "The Beat Goes On" best describes 1967
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da
History has turned the page, uh huh
The mini skirts the current thing, uh huh
Teenybopper is our newborn king, uh huh
The grocery store's the super mart, uh huh
Little girls still break their hearts, uh huh
And men still keep on marching off to war
Electrically they keep a baseball score
Grandmas sit in chairs and reminisce
Boys keep chasing girls to get a kiss
The cars keep going faster all the time
Bums still cry hey buddy, have you got a dime


And Now to the Story

My Father, Jacques and I venture to Springfield Ave at the edge of Irvington to  Stanley Motor (Used Car Lot)
My Father (as many fathers would do, followed along to investigate what his son found as his first car) Would he judge his son's choice by his own values? I remember sitting in the back of my Father's Black 63 Chevy Bel Air Station wagon and seeing my brother pointing and leading my father to his prize. I was not asked to join, thinking my Father would have enough to contend with my brother's comments and not needing a second opinion from a younger sibling who knew nothing about cars.

There, they are venturing back, My brother doing every hand jester and body language to convey  that "This Is The Car and Only This Car" would do.  To that day I had never heard my brother address my Father as "DAD" and when he'd said it, it sort of echoed inside of me.
At that very moment I wished that Jacques would address him like that more often.

Well, they both got into the car, Jacques immediately turned around and said "Jean You've got to see this car – it's the Batmobile!"

He then started painting all the images of what this great Stallion's attributes were.  My father hearing the excitement in Jacques voice, stepped out of the station wagon and went to make an offer on the New Yorker. When he came back a deal was made and Jacques was to go over there tomorrow after work and plunk down the rest of the oats.

My Father's comments about the car went like this" A Chrysler is not an ordinary Car, it's an Upper Class type of car. Normally people who can afford to purchase such a car are the ones that buy them." This right away told me this must be some car.  This did not dish sway Jacques in the least. Jacques always had high taste (Most of the time way over his dream line). Over and over "Jean you should see this –You should see that." I must say this was one of the most happiest that I had ever see my brother. But something deep inside me stirred with fear and nervousness – let's just say an early premonition.
This feeling got  more of a jolt when Jacques describe this thing as a SUPER CAR?

It must have been the day. I had never seen Jacques and my Dad get along so well. Pop, as we called him behind his back, even took Jacques and I to the Blue Castle Hamburger joint on Stuyvesant Ave.
( I know what you're saying – no-this place was called the "Blue Castle" with the 15 cent flat meat patties smothered with onions that were pounded in with a Spatula) They were unique to North Jersey and their burgers were great!

I saw the little boy emerge from my Father and will always remember that day.

For the next few days I daydreamed on what this car was going to look like. My thoughts and images were way off when I first laid eyes on it.
It was a Friday and I had just walked home from Vailsburg High School

Walking in the house I was greeted by "Did You See It!"
Come –On
It was parked  two houses down in our neighbors very large fenced in parking lot.

There it was facing out with it backend against the wall.
Swinging open the gates my eyes tried to analyze what I was about to see. All the attributes that Jacques bestowed were rapidly repeated with each step forward that I made,  Just Look at It! he kept on saying.

My take was that this thing looked like a Star Cruiser – Big Finned – and Menacing.
It looked like it could easily do a hundred with one thrusting leap.
The backend had angled wings that housed two "Big Red Lamps" that pointed outward looking like  flame tips of an afterburner from a combat jet..
From the Front to the rear it had what Chrysler Coined the year of it's conception "The Forward Look"
The frontal bumper looked like it could tangle and tear apart any opponent's sheet metal!

As I gazed Jacques pummeled me with more adjectives Super/Powerful/Fast/Aerodynamics/Built like a Tank and then all definitive attributes were encapsulated in one word "It's a Chrysler"

Then came the Car Jargon  - Hard Top / Push Button Command Center/
Torqueflite Transmission / AFB Carter 4 Barrel Carburetor / Torsion Bar Suspension / Full instrumentation / Power Everything / Positive Traction/ Last but not least the Infamous  FirePower HEMI Engine......................

I  pondered the first Jargon HARDTOP??

My brother swung out the door and placed four fingers on the inside door panel as Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
All Four Window obeyed - the command and disappeared into each door ----WOW!
The Top now took on a shape separated from the lower fuselage.  
With all four windows concealed the true meaning of Hard Top was revealed.

(My father's cars were never power this or power that –the most his cars had that had some bragging rights were Backup Lights and a heater!)

The Car was paint lighted Blue (No not the fairy Baby Blue of Fords or Chevy) It had a man's  look of  Blue and the Top was Pearl White – Neither color had any real gloss  left to them – (Sort of what you would expect from a Star Cruiser re-entering the upper atmosphere-slightly singed.....

I went and tapped the top of the roof to hear if it had a solid feel to it.
Hell Yes!  It and the rest of the sheet armor of this behemoth had the feel of a cast Iron Bath Tub......

My best friend and I used to judge the make of a Car by tapping the fenders and hearing if it felt solid – (Kicking Tire to us made no sense at all)

Jacques Car easily passed the "Solid" Test - By a Wide Margin!

The Car was a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker 4 Door Hard Top.

This Car had won Car of the year award when it débuted in 1957

            Jacques Now Had his Ride

 Now! The Adventure Begins

The Next Chaper ------ The FORWARD LOOK

[donsrods]

Didn't John Travolta star in this one awhile back??      As I remember  there were some "Pink Ladies" or something like that also.

Don