Not only is
this collection of beautifully-illustrated true stories perfect for car
lovers, it is charming enough to captivate even the reader who never before
understood the mystique of vintage automobiles.
HAMILTON, Mo. —
Cruising the streets of this small town in J.C. Penney’s 1947 Cadillac
convertible was a bit like stepping into a time machine.
Hamilton, located 15
miles east of Cameron, Mo., on Route 36, is the home town of J.C.
Penney.
My guide was Dean
Hales, owner of Penney’s Cadillac. We couldn’t drive half a block
without someone waving at us. Hales seems to know everyone because he’s
lived in Hamilton since 1938 when his dad, Leo, opened a grocery store.
It’s interesting to think that J.C. Penney may have driven this same car
over these same roads decades ago.
After his father,
Leo, died in 1960, Hales and his brother-in-law, Jim Mogg, took over the
family store. They later owned the Hy Klas market, which is owned today
by Mogg’s daughter, Vicki, and her husband, Mark Ward.
Hales, now 76 and
retired from the grocery business, has always been a car enthusiast, and
his eyes twinkled as he recounted tales of racing on the roads around
Hamilton as a youngster. One of his more memorable races occurred when
he challenged his dad and his 1950 Buick Roadmaster with a 1950
Oldsmobile. Hales beat him back to town. Another time, they raced the 25
miles to Chillicothe.
“He never did get
around me,” Hales said, “and my hands were shaking when we drove into
town.”
About 40 years ago,
Hales heard that Penney wanted to sell a 1947 Cadillac convertible that
was stored on a farm near Hamilton. After searching diligently, Hales
found the car in a barn near Gilman City.
He bought the car and
brought it back to Hamilton. Eventually the upholstery fell apart and he
had to replace it, along with the carpet. Otherwise, the car is
completely unrestored. The engine has never been overhauled, yet it
starts and runs like a gem. The odometer reads 53,932 miles. One front
tire is original.
After Penney died in
1971, Hales was instrumental in raising money for the construction of
the J.C. Penney Museum and Memorial Library in Hamilton. The museum was
dedicated in 1975.
At that time, Hales
owned a gas station on Interstate 36 on the edge of Hamilton, and
because so many people wanted to see Penney’s Cadillac, he built a
garage with large glass windows next to his station. He parked Penney’s
Cadillac inside as a tourist attraction, and the car has been on display
for the better part of the last 25 years.
Today, Hales takes the
car out of its display for special occasions and to give it some
exercise. He said he will never sell the car or leave it to anyone other
than his children because J.C. Penney’s Cadillac is part of Hamilton’s
history, and there it will remain.
Notice: The information on this site is
not intended as a substitute for the advice of a professional who is
qualified to examine, diagnose and repair your vehicle.
After his father,
Leo, died in 1960, Hales and his brother-in-law, Jim Mogg, took over the
family store. They later owned the Hy Klas market, which is owned today
by Mogg’s daughter, Vicki, and her husband, Mark Ward.
