What we have here is my grandpa’s car on Roosevelt Blvd in Key West Feb-March 1956, to continue the old cars posts thing that occasionally goes on here. It’s some form of Dodge tho i’m not sure of the exact model or year. What’s it doing in Key West and not Opelousas? I guess my papa borrowed it for the drive down there. My papa was a Naval Academy graduate and after his 10years or so in the service, stayed on in the Naval Reserve. Every 3 years or so, he’d go down to Key West for reserve duty after 6years on active duty in submarine service out of Key West. Both my sisters are conchs. I came along after they’d gotten out of active duty and moved back to South Louisiana. I did make a couple of those Key West trips, tho not this one, in 1958 or 59 and in1962. I can remember both to a certain extent, the trip in 1962 better than the late 50s one. I have plenty more pictures of Key West, the Keys and the Caribbean from the late 40s-early 50s that i’d one day like to put into book form and maybe post some more here if there’s interest…
Paw Paw’s Car In Key West Feb-March 1956
Submitted by BRBill
August 20th, 2011
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Allee Willis
Totally beautiful car and beautiful color combo. Total perfect setting for the car too.
I’m going to guess it’s a 1954 or so Dodge, though aKitschionado Mark Milligan will have to tell us for sure. I do think that the car in back of it is in 1956 Chevy Bel Air. Such a perfect Key West photo.
WITHOUT QUESTION, would love to see more of your photos. That part of the country in the 1950s and early 60s had some of the greatest classic modern and kitsch designs ever.
Mark Milligan
What a beautful shot. The longer I look at it, the more I want to be there, and be there then. We’ll go to Sloppy Joe’s and later some pie.
I think it might be a ’55 Dodge Royal. I know this will sound really strange, but in the meadow behind our house, there’s a drainage ditch, and when this neighborhood was still just a cattle ranch here in the Colorado foothills above Denver, someone put an old car in that ditch upside down to stop the erosion. It’s always looked to me to be the same color and era of Dodge, but hard to tell cause it’s upside down and almost flat now.
The old chevy behind it could be a ’56 Allee, but looks a little more like a ’55 to me.
Thanks for posting this fantastic photo!
k2dtw
Beautiful Dodge!!!.. When I was a kid in grade school, my favorite gym teacher married the owner of a big Dodge Dealership in Detroit. When she left us to get married and her honeymoon, all the kids gathered in the playground to wave goodbye. When she pulled out of the parking lot and drove the full length of the playground to wave goodbye to us she was driving maybe a 1956??? Dodge Convertible…it was painted in a deep color contrast in pink/black, or red/black???.. It was the beginning of the “tail fins and chrome” era…and I thought it was the most beautiful car I had ever seen…smile
Looking forward to seeing Key West!!
BRBill
Many thank to y’all for the comments and expert eyes. I’ll do some more pics from down there soon. Last time i was in Key West was June 1962, i was six and would like to go back again.