How Did I Get This Way? – It’s In My Genes

Stan, my grandfather, was a Lt. Colonel during World War II. He hung Nazis. This is true.  

Upon leaving the Army, he worked in a book bindery but looked back fondly on his days stationed in Germany and France, mainly because of their fascinating culture and very strange cars. As you know, the French do it their way which I think he found to be very appealing. So, after returning from duty, he began a new hobby, restoring French cars. Yeah, strange indeed.   

He wasn’t a wealthy man. He was comfortable but certainly not rich. He saved every penny to fuel his passion for cars. Over the years he bought and sold dozens of cars and although I didn’t care much about them when I was young, I now see the value in these incredibly unique vehicles.  

What was most important to me about my grandfather is that he didn’t give a rat’s ass about what other people thought of his cars. He did it because he loved it.  I think it’s why I’m a car geek… It’s in my genes.  

Click more to check out some of his interesting rides.  

This 39 Peugeot ”limo” was often used by heads of State. There was so much room in the back seat that my brother and I couldn’t touch the front seat with our feet, even fully outstretched. Check out the giant headlights behind the grill.  

1939 Peugeot Limo

Kinda cute, kinda ugly.   

1962 Peugeot Convertible

I don’t know why he bought a Bentley ’cause this was English and wayyyy before they were considered cool by rappers and Paris Hilton. This was the poor man’s Rolls Royce.   

1965 Bentley S2

The sale of the ’38 below made my dad and me sick because as it turns out, the car was one of a half-dozen still in existence. The guy who bought the car turned around and sold it to a museum in France for big dollars. Doh!  

1938 Peugeot Roadster

Suicide doors on this black ’52 were kinda cool… But the incredible lack of horsepower offset the cool factor.  

1953 Peugeot 203

A French car dealer took 150 stock 1952 Peugeot 203′s, chopped, lowered and modified them. Of these 150 cars, only TWO exist today.  Kinda funny because he found this car buried in mud in back of an Austin, Texas car dealer in 1965. The car took many years to restore.  My bro and I loved the horn which trumpeted the French National Anthem. 

1952 Peugeot Dar'l Mat

I guess this car was famous for its role on Columbo, a detective show I’m too young to have seen.  

1960 Peugeot 403

I’m not sure if I ever saw this one up close.  

1969 Peugeot 404

My grandpa owned a bunch of Citroens and other strange French oddities but I’m having trouble finding those pics.  

The moral of the story is that he was much cooler than me.