Chrome Is Where This Man’s Heart Is
The 1957 Pontiac Ralph Brandvold nursed to the peak of health once more sits under a tarp in his front yard.
Its charred front end is Ralph’s reminder of life’s injustice.
But there’s a 1958 Cadillac stuffed in Ralph’s small garage, glowing with goodness. The people of St. Maries gave Ralph the Caddy a few weeks ago. He’s still stunned.
“It’s really chromed up, isn’t it?” Ralph says, a smile starting a ripple of wrinkles over his face. Chrome is important to him. That’s why he bought the Pontiac nine years ago. Couldn’t beat that curled silver grille just above the massive chrome bumper.
The Pontiac was Ralph’s baby. He painted the roof and trim a flashy pink over its tired green. He searched for three years for the right wiring. He replaced gauges and engine parts.
Finally, it was ready to exhibit last July. Ralph waxed it for the next day’s St. Joe Valley Car Club show. But after he started the engine, he heard a pop and turned it off. Black smoke poured out.
A short had ignited the battery. He watched silently, and his wife cried, while firefighters doused the blaze.
Stalwarts from the car club came a few hours later to tow the blackened Pontiac to the show, regardless. After Ralph’s years of work, the car deserved exhibiting, says Ed Spooner, the club’s vice president.
“He really touched our hearts when we got to his house and he said, ‘Isn’t this terrible, fellas?”’ Ed says. “We were almost in tears.”
The car club decided that same day to replace Ralph’s car. Ralph’s son found the Cadillac. It had languished unused for 10 years because its owner had really wanted a convertible, and the man sold it for a song.
As word of the project spread, everyone in the close-knit timber town wanted to help. Ken’s Body Shop offered to fix dents. St. Joe Oil gave a year of gas. Les Schwab promised tires. C.C. Service fixed the exhaust system. Fast Eddies tuned the car.
They all kept the secret.
Even the local newspaper reporter kept mum.
By Sept. 28, Ralph had decided to raise his Pontiac from the dead.
But before he could order any parts, dozens of his friends drove up to his yard.
He thought there’d been an accident until car club president Floyd Turner gave him a set of keys and pointed to the creamy Cadillac Sedan de Ville in the driveway. Ralph thought it was a joke.
“It’s a big car, I’ll say that,” Ralph says now, joking about how many families could fit on the spacious gold seats.
Ed worried the gift might offend Ralph, but the retired millworker accepted it with grace.
“If this had happened to someone else, I’d be all for getting him another car,” Ralph says.
Ralph will save the Caddy for car club cruises and special rides.
And this car gets a part the Pontiac never had: a fire extinguisher.
Armchair travels
You don’t have to go farther than Lake City High’s auditorium to see the world.
The Museum of North Idaho is bringing travel pros (how do you get a job like that?) to Coeur d’Alene with the travelogues they filmed, narrated or both.
The museum raises money for its programs from the travel series, which starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Call 664-3448 for details.
It’s spring?
Just when you accepted fall flowers, a Coeur d’Alene church came through with a miracle - blooming Easter lilies.
Seeing is believing.
The church is at 1733 Ninth St.
What other miracles of nature have you spotted? Any 500-pound pumpkins?
Reveal your finds to Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814; FAX to 765-7149; or call 765-7128.
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo