Posted on 04/02/2012 12:10:23 PM PDT by rawhide
After 576,000 miles--or more than a trip to the moon and back--in the same 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente, the 93-year-old Orlando grandmother is stepping on the brakes due to age-related macular degeneration in both eyes. She realized her vision had completely failed her in early March after running a "bald-faced red light," Veitch told FoxNews.com.
"I am legally blind, so I can no longer drive my lovely Chariot," she said by phone. "They dont have to take it away, I would not dream of driving that car again."
Veitch,a retired nurse who told FoxNews.com in July 2009 that the car had outlasted three marriages and three sets of shocks,said she last drove on March 9.
"I know I'm not safe enough to drive,"she continued."But I have taken it in stride."
Veitch bought her beloved ride for $3,289 in February 1964 from a dealer in Sanford,Fla.
She credits her near-obsessive dedication to the car as the main reason why it's spent nearly half a century in her care.
"When I buy gas,I write down the mileage,the date and how many miles per gallon I got,"she told FoxNews.com in 2009. "I've never been a destructive person and I've just taken care of everything, except my husbands."
Veitch,who appeared on "The Tonight Show" in August 2010, said she might consider selling it to host and classic car aficionado Jay Leno if he's interested.
"I haven't talked to Jay Leno yet,but I'm wondering if he's interested,"Veitch said early Thursday."But I don't think I should start talking about it now."
Asked if any of her 4 children,9 grandchildren or 11 great-grandchildren have expressed interest in the car, Veitch responded:"It wouldn't matter if they did, they're not going to get it.They couldn't take care of it like I did."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
That was a chilling movie, which changed the way I viewed people who actually *named their cars*: I avoided them from then on. LOL.
just a boss...
4 door impala? No way.
epic nights. when gas was cheap, old enough to buy beer and young enough to ride with one arm on the wheel and the other out the window.... That ride brings a smile to me. A BIG SMILE....
I’ll bet that baby just cooked!!! Nice , real nice.
It oozed torque, so much it was almost impossible to NOT chirp all 4 gears. It passed everything but the gas station. 10 mpg and a 12 gallon tank, do the math.
Now government regulates everything about your car...And you too!
I’ll take the 64 comet and the early 60s thanks.
“I haven’t talked to Jay Leno yet,but I’m wondering if he’s interested,”Veitch said early Thursday.”But I don’t think I should start talking about it now.”
This is really funny if you consider the fact that she’s had four husbands when you read it...
Just look at that car. No seatbelts, no headrests, has wing windows an lots of chrome. It just screams freedom (from gov't interference).
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