Way (ot)

[1940plymouth]

Going thru the website that Greg up up I found this photo of Harry Truman while visiting Washington State.

I am reading a book by David McCullough on President Truman, he was President when I was born in 1948 and I find him to be a very interesting man.

I know it if off old Plymouths, Dodges, Chryslers, etc, but I had to share by thoughts

[David Strieb]

looks like a '39 ply with sealed beam headlites in the upper right

[Young Ed]

David you are right.

[BobT-47P15]

You know, Harry actually owned Chryslers.......

Chrysler Cars Information

Two years ago, the Chrysler Corporation began restoring the cars, which now appear much as they did when Harry and Bess Truman first purchased them from the showroom floor 58 years ago. The cars are now on display at the Truman Library.

Although both cars have been in the Truman Library collection for years, they had lost much of their original historical integrity, having passed through a series of other owners once the Trumans moved into the White House in 1945.

For the past two years, a team of restorers has worked meticulously documenting the existing condition of the cars and establishing a restoration plan. Detailed production records from the Chrysler archives were consulted to determine paint colors and options which were originally included on the cars.

Some damaged and missing parts were re-fabricated at the Chrysler Technical Center, often by engineers who normally build prototypes for the cars of the future. In all, about $120,000 was contributed by the Chrysler Corporation for out-of-pocket restoration expenses.

The Truman Library and Museum is located at U.S. Highway 24 and Delaware in Independence, Mo. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a. m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is $5 for adults, $4.50 for seniors, $3 for children ages 6 to 18, and free for children 5 years and under.

The Harry S. Truman Library is one of ten Presidential Libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is one of thirteen Presidential Libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration.

500 W. US Hwy. 24. Independence MO 64050

truman.library@nara.gov;

Phone: 816-268-8200 or 1-800-833-1225;

Fax: 816-268-8295.

Here's a link to another story about his cars......http://www.trumanlibrary.org/news/cars.htm

^P

[BobT-47P15]

That Cadillac convertible Harry's riding in resembles this one owned by the

late J C Penney and still located in his home town of Hamilton, MO.

I saw it there a few years ago.

Link to an article about it.....http://www.familycar.com/Classics/47Cadillac/

And.....here's another story about J C.

http://jerrypetersonbooks.com/blog/?p=382

Just to show how small the world is sometimes......J C Penney's first

wife was my grandmother's sister......or, my great aunt. My grandfather

and some other relatives worked for J C in the early days.

Berta Alva Hess (1875 –* 1910) .... (my great aunt)

Berta Alva Hess was J. C. Penney's first wife. She was born on September 25, 1875. She and Penney met in Salt Lake City and married in 1899. In 1910, she contracted pneumonia. She died in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 26, 1910.

And so, J C eventually married again and became part of another

family. So, I don't get the "nephew" discount at those stores.

Here's another link to info on J C and how the chain began....from the

Golden Rule store in Wyoming......http://shs.umsystem.edu/famousmissourians/entrepreneurs/penney/penney.shtml#golden

[1940plymouth]

Bob,

Thanks for sharing, very interesting

[Uncle-Pekka]

The Caddy Harry is riding on looks more like '48 or '49 - J C Penney convertible is '47 - Both are stunning cars just like the '40 Chrysler Royal he bought privately.

[1940plymouth]

If memory serves me correct, he traded in a '35 Dodge for the Chrysler

[B-Watson]

After the Trumans left the Whitehouse in January, 1953, both Harry and Bess each purchased a new Dodge. In 1960 the late Floyd Clymer was conducting a cross-country test of a new Ford Falcon for his magazine, Auto Topics. When he stopped at Independance Clymer ran into the former President.

The article had a photo of Clymer speaking with Truman standing beside his new car, a 1960 Dodge Polara 4-door hardtop. It seems Harry preferred 4-door models while Bess went for 2-door coupes or hardtops.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

[DLK]

After the Trumans left the Whitehouse in January, 1953, both Harry and Bess each purchased a new Dodge. In 1960 the late Floyd Clymer was conducting a cross-country test of a new Ford Falcon for his magazine, Auto Topics. When he stopped at Independance Clymer ran into the former President.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

A book was published in 2009 about a trip Harry and Bess took in his new 1953 Chrysler New Yorker to the east coast. It is titled "Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure". It sure was a different time they traveled alone and spent a lot of time with everyday folks on the way. Also if you go to the Truman home in Independence they still have his last car purchase (a 1971 or 72 Chrysler 4 door) in the garage.

[desoto1939]

If you look athe the first picture with Trumen riding in the open cadillac you will notice tha cars and trucks are coming down the opposite side of the street adn that the people can reach out and almost touch him.

Boy has live really changed. Now aday they entire street is blocked off, the president is in enclosed bullet proff car, Secret Service is now totally around the car and the windows are bullet proofed.

HAve we really improved in society. I would like to go back to the 40's. It was a more pleasent way of life, yes it was hard but people respected each other more in my opinion.

The good ole days they are gone and men wore top hats and ladies wore hats and dresses and people were polite. What has happened???????

Rich Hartung

[eric wissing]

Nostalgia isn't reality. We all tend to think back to a time that we thought was better. It is usually when we were kids and had no responsibilites or to time long before we were born. The 1950s were not the best time to be a minority, poor or not mainstream. Jim Crow Laws were abundant. Harry Truman had just integrated the military. The John Birch Society was going strong. So I will take today and am hoping for an even better tomorrow. I really like older cars but can you imagine how upset we would be if they had stopped improving cars after 1950. Even "TIDE" is new and improved every six months. Eric