[Ronald G. Stephenson]

Much to be said about the cars beyond their scarcity. They are indeed purpose built to take you long distances in comfort and safety, to not attract attention and to be built to last. My favorite advertisement was the one about driving through stone walls as a boast to the safety of the car. That substantial frame under the car could withstand most anything. People unfamiliar with the home roads do not realize how many 'dead ends' they have to encounter when driving through the countryside. I am sure this happened to enough drivers to account for the wording of the advertisement. In the U.S.A., we used to build cars like this, especially the larger Chrysler and Imperial models of the 1950's. I was in a head-on crash in my Imperial, and the Oldsmobile that turned in front of me was totaled. My bumper bent a little and the left wing was dented but repairable. We are now in an age of lightweight, disposable cars, all in the name of fuel economy and supposed safety with every corner of the interior protected with an air bag. Some would call this progress.