Dear Linden,
Well, I have some time during this season to tell you a little bit about Lola, my Geranium/Colonial White Retractable. I have included a couple of pics for you to use, in case you deem my darling worthy of your great website. In the summer of this year, I was looking for an investment. I always loved old cars so I thought maybe a decent investment would be to buy an vintage collectible automobile. I really did not intend to get a 1959 retractable, nor to fall in love with the 1959 Fords.
I started searching the internet for advice, information, etc. on what car would be a good candidate for investment. One that would surely appreciate in the next ten years, when I plan on retiring. (See, I could keep the car, fix it up a little and then sell it for a profit to boost my financial portfolio.......not thinking of the emotional attachment.) Who could have known you could fall in love with an old automobile? Anyways, early Corvettes, Bel Airs, and Thunderbirds were out of my financial reach, and quite frankly, may have reached their zenith, price wise. I saw a website where there was a picture of a 1959 Ford Skyliner Retractable. Before I could click on another website, I was mesmerized! Having owned a 1958 Cadillac as my first car, I surely would have seen or heard of these Dearborn delights before. But never have I seen a car where "poetry in motion" was the apt description.
I almost bought a car similiar to the one you are viewing here, not 45 miles from my home, but we could not come to terms. Luckily, after about two months, I saw the object of my desire on the Hemmings website. The siren you see here is Lola, because, as you know from the song......."What Lola wants, Lola gets!" She comes from Durango, Colorado, courtesy of the previous owners who were kind enough to trailer the girl here to my home in Northen California. She was oringinally scrapped some years back and moved to a towing yard in Monte Vista, Colorado, where a man bought her and made a decent restoration of her outer body and the interior. The couple I bought the car from, had it a few years, improved it some more, and showed Lola in a few local car shows.
After I purchased it, I installed the Continental kit, restored the trunk, detailed the engine compartment, and replaced parts that were not original to the 1959 Ford, like air cleaner, valve covers, side view mirrors. Lola has a 332 c.i.d. Thunderbird Special V8 under her hood. She was born with PB, PS, and Cruise-O-Matic tranny. She has traveled over 109,000 miles on her wheel drums, which as you can see, need to be covered with the requisite 8.00 x 14 wide white walls. She is nearly 90 % restored, save for a full brake and lower steering overhaul.
I would like to some day show the car in my own local car shows, when the chrome has been replated and the stainless re-polished. But until then, I hope Lola shows well on your website.
Sincerely, Mark Tonn Pine Grove, CA
bnsfhog1990@yahoo.com Lola shows well Mark, Great Story....great car!! 
