Cindy’s Chevy

Cindy has been cutting my hair for more than 10 years. You would think that her collector car (see photo) would have been mentioned at least once during the dozens of conversations we’ve had. It hasn’t. That changed today.

Cindy used to own her own hair salon. Fed up with dealing with landlords, regulations, and other small-business headaches, she went to work at Hairmasters in Silverdale last May. As I pulled into their parking lot on a rainy Thursday morning, I noticed a black 1957 Chevrolet and parked near it.

After we talked about Thanksgiving, the weather, and other preliminaries, I mentioned the car. Joking, I thanked her for arranging for it to be parked right outside the entrance. “Oh, that’s my car,” she said. I thought she was kidding. She wasn’t.

Cindy is a chatterbox. In the past I have learned about her kids, other relatives, pets, trips, business issues, and car problems (although not this car’s problems). In our talks, she’s learned a few things about me. She knows I own a 1955 Chevrolet.

Chevrolets made from 1955 through 1957 are among the most collectible cars ever. There’s even a name for them—Tri-Five Chevys. The joys and hassles of having a Tri-Five lead to an instant bonding between owners, whether they meet at a car show or pass each other on the highway. So it’s all the more surprising that she has never talked about hers.

I didn’t learn much about her car today. It’s a Model 210 (the medium trim level) four-door sedan that she’s owned since 1991. From what I could see in the rain, the body and paint are in excellent shape. I was warned not to look at the interior so I didn’t. (Besides the windows were fogged up.) It has a V8 engine (although not original) and a three-speed transmission. I forgot to ask whether it has power steering to help her muscle it in and out of parking spaces.

I don’t think Cindy would call it a collector car even if I would. At one point she called it a “yard ornament.” That was when I asked if she kept it in a garage.

Recently the car was pressed into service. Previously she was driving a mini-van. When her husband’s truck went down, he started driving the van and the Chevy became her regular driver.

Other than getting all of the lights working, there wasn’t much to do before putting it back on the road. Not bad for a yard ornament.

Tri-Five Chevys are tough to commute in this time of year as rain and damp weather are always in the forecast. The cable-driven wipers flop around like crazy, and the defroster fan doesn’t move enough air to keep the windshield from fogging up. Installing new weatherstripping and window felt—a job that takes patience and skill—would help keep some of the moisture out. In the 1970’s, when I commuted to work in my 1956 Chevy, my solution was to “help” the defroster with a hand towel that I kept on the front seat.

I have a lot of respect for the fact that Cindy is driving the old Chevy to work every day. I just hope the weather is better for my next haircut so I can get a closer look and maybe a ride.