My grandpa “Pop” originally bought my 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille in California. It was the family car while my dad was growing up, eventually the car stopped being used as the family car and was stored under a tarp in my Pop’s shop. I remember going into the shop when I was young and drooling over the car that I had never seen driven much less ever even get to sit in the car. At 20 my grandpa passed away and the car was left sitting in the shop. It was pulled out once when my cousin used the car for her wedding and then the car was returned to its cover and shop. For the past 10 years as an adult I had attempted to take ownership of the 59 Caddy as being the only car enthusiast in the family. I even offered to purchase the car from my grandma and was denied every time. At one point my grandma actually told me she wanted to keep the car in the family rather than sell it to me. At that point I realized my grandma’s mind was starting to go and I gave up hope of one day owning my Pops car. My grandma passed away in 2014 and her will stated that everything would be split between her two sons. I thought for sure that was the end and some random person would be driving around in my Pops car. A few months had passed and my dad called me out of the blue and asked me if I still wanted Pops old car. I answered with an of course before he even finished asking me. Turns out my dad had bought his brothers half of the car so he could give me the car rather than let it get sold because no one else wanted the car. Then came the struggle. I had lived in California and Idaho not too far from the shop that stored my Pops Caddy my entire life. I had just moved to North Carolina then I was finally given the 59 and I needed to find a way to get the 18 foot long car transported across the country. I started the process of getting the transport logistics squared away and it still took well over a month before the car was finally delivered to the Food Lion grocery store down the street from my house. As I drove up to the car still on the car hauler I had almost forgot what to expect. Within minutes I was offered to sell the car from people passing by. Employees came out of the stores just to see the car up close. I felt pretty good about finally getting my Pop’s 59 Coupe DeVille, then the car would start to unload from the truck. I started to get nervous because I didn’t know what I was going to do if they couldn’t drive the car off and then I was going to have to get it towed to my house and then how was I going to get it in the garage. luckily, eventually the car did start and was driven off the truck. After I signed the paperwork it was time to take the car home and the real test would be if it would truly fit in the garage. I had never been behind the wheel much less driven my Pops car before so I was a little nervous, especially when it seemed to drag, once I released the park brake was on it was much better. I was at my house in no time and I needed to back the car up the drive way so I could back the car into the garage as close to the wall as I could. When I had about the space of my pinky between the bumper and the back wall I stopped and the garage door just barely closed. My first night with the car was sleepless. I literally stayed up all night long cleaning the car and giving it the much needed love it deserved. The next weekend I took it to a car show I had just learned about 45 minutes earlier and took home a Top 20 Award. Since then I have attended every local car show and parade I could. All I have done to the car is change the oil put a new battery in and cleaned it. I do have big plans for the car, which involve being able to go to more distant car shows and I want to use the car for charity. I love my Pop’s 1959 Cadillac Coupe DeVille and I’m super proud to own it. I even kept the original custom plate from California 4POPS59. Eventually my son will own the car and hopefully it will continue in the family for ever.
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