1958 Lincoln – the Star of the Fabulous 50’s
My father followed our failed 1958 Edsel with another Ford product- the flagship of the Ford Motor Company, a Lincoln. This was the most magnificent automobile – in my humble opinion- he ever owned. It was huge, substantial with a cavernous interior. It had magnificent broad shoulders and big protrusions at every corner. You were never in doubt about the location of any extremity on that car. It wasn’t lithe. It rode more like a boat – or perhaps a cruise ship but driving that car, I always felt like the center of attention – pretty good for a nerdy 17 year old kid. Ours was navy blue- a more fitting color than the white in the picture giving it an imposing presence. This was the car I drove to my Senior Prom. This car hauled my stuff from Kansas City to Chicago for college and brought me back for summer. My father was on a roll in the late 50’s because our other car was my runner-up favorite.
I was heartbroken when, during my second year at college, my folks told me that the Lincoln had burst into flames as they crossed an intersection after a stop sign. They escaped unhurt but the car was a total loss. I was disappointed when my father replaced it with an ordinary Cadillac. He never said but perhaps living with this beautiful beast was not as pleasant as I remember.
