Private Lugnutz said:
I didn't realize you also had a full service station in your heritage.
Originally the building was a house, which was converted to a gas station. As time went on, he added a four bay repair garage onto the structure.
Hydraulic lifts at the time didn't have the sort of safety features as those of the current era.
The part of the lift that raised the car was essentially a large steel "H", the side rails of which were those which raised the vehicle.
One of his mechanics was doing a brake job, sitting flat on the floor with his legs extended under the vehicle.
The lift failed and came down instantly and cut both of the man's legs off above the knee.
My father had all of the lifts removed from the shop, filled the holes with cement, and installed large windows where the bay doors had been. He then filled the building with parts and accessories and never did repair work on automobiles again.
I suppose at some point I should dig out the old photos of the building, which range over the course of the 46 years we were in business.
Thanks for posting the song lyrics above. I suppose I should note (for the benefit of others here) that it was written by "The Crazy Cowboy" Larry Bremer, who sang it on a local AM radio station to the tune of "Mountain Dew".
Private Lugnutz said:
Also, that is one badass-lookin' crew on that truck!
He was a bare-fist boxing champion while he was stationed on a U.S. Marine Corps gunboat off the coast of Panama from 1928-1931. During his three years of service, he managed to make PFC with an honorable discharge, but not before being busted down to buck private after he told a captain "Take those goddam bars off and we'll go settle this outside" and then proceeded to beat the **** out of a superior officer. I remember him telling me that 30 days in the brig on bread and water was not a fun experience.
BK