RAlphy's Diner

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us! A little history of how we got started collecting the old car hobby and the memorabilia that goes along with it.

First of all we were both raised in the 50's. An era that was innocent and wonderful to be a part of, especially the music (Doo Wop), dress styles, automobiles and most of all the morals.

My first car (Alphy) was a Black and White 1956 Mercury - Montclair, 2 dr hard top and Ray's was a 1962 Corvair - Monza in Silver-Blue. What speed the Merc had, 312 cubic engine and WOW spinners! The little Corvair had a 4 speed transmission in it, and it went places that the Mercury couldn't go, such as driving in the snow and it got better mileage than the bigger car.

Well the family started coming along and we had to get rid on one car, naturally we kept the Mercury since we already had a pink slip on it. In 1964 we traded that Mercury for a 1962 Chevrolet Impala - 2 dr hardtop and the color was RED, which naturally wast attracted by many. (I was disappointed that, my Mercury had to leave us, but with a family, car problems, we needed to have a up dated car, so we thought). Ray said some day he would find me another Mercury, I just shook my head, and quietly said to myself, Oh sure!

Years have passed and one of my uncle's from San Diego area said he spotted a 1957 Chevy, if we would be interested in purchasing it. Naturally Ray jumped at the chance and we purchased the Red and White 1957 Chevrolet, it was a 4-dr sedan, a little disappointed that it wasn't a hard top, but truthfully it has been a GREAT tour car (lots of room and comfortable too).

Since then we have joined the CHVA (Contemporary Historical Vehicle Association) and The Temecula Valley Car Club, Valley Cruisers, Route 66/Arizona and the Mercury Club. With our CHVA, we attend an annual tour, traveling all over the United States, it is wonderful to see so many people interested in the old car hobby, for most of these cars look better now, than they did when they were brand new. I know they are taken care of better.

One fall evening in October we attended a car cruise show in Yucipa, CA, low and behold there was a 1956 Mercury - Montclair (For sale). Wow, I thought, have my dreams come true? Again it was another 4dr, but this one was in my favorite colors Turquoise Blue and White. Ray took the number down, for there was no one around the car at the time, never did see the owner that night, so we kept trying to call the next day and no answer. It was getting close to the time for us to go on one of our West Coast Mini-Tours with CHVA. While attending a car show in Placerville, CA we came upon another car, 1960 Cheville - Malibu, again another For Sale, but again no one around the car. At this show they had vendors and at one of the vendor's shop, I purchase a Turquoise Blue and White Dream Catcher (I figured if the car was meant for me to have, then the Dream Catcher would help the dream come true). In the meantime, we had friends watching out for the car and the owner of the Mercury.

On our return trip back home, we had a call on our answering machine, evidently one of our friends saw the owner and gave him our phone number. (Ray had written down the wrong number, was why we were unable to make the connection). We sat up a day and time to go look over the car, well, we not only came home with the Mercury, but also another 1957 Chevy - Bell Air, all Red and a 4dr hard top convertible, which the 4 doors have become a favorite of ours.

We now have that Mercury that I once dreamed of, but also have the following: 1972 Chevrolet, Cheville-Malibu (Red/Black), this one is a 2 dr hard top, fun car to drive, but not as comfortable as our 4 doors. We have 5 Generations of Chevy's, 57 Chevy, 69 Chevy P/U, 72 Chevy, 87 Chevy, 91 Chevy, and 2 Mercury's.

Our son has a 1955 Chevrolet 1st Series 3100 P/U, it has been in the family since Ray was a teenager, matter of fact he took his driver's license in it and it has been 3 generations owned and still has its original engine (with a lot of mileage on it. I must say), but she keeps on a ticking). He has completely restored the bed, oak bedding with stainless steel strips, zolo toned the inside of the bed around the inner walls, beautiful leather seats and head liner, new paint job and of coarse new wheels.

Joining a car club has really brought us and the family together, we do more things together as a family and enjoy cruisin and going on tours that takes us to places we may have never gone too. We enjoy the fellowship of many of our friends and we meet lots of people with the same interest as we have.

I am also a collector of 50's memorabilia, we do have a 50's room in our home we call it RAlphy's Diner it is our fun room. We have parties and not only does the grand-kids love it, so does my (Alphy's) sorority sisters. It is a HAPPY PLACE and can take you back in time. A time when things were calmer and life was just beginning for our space age. (Dreams we had that actually came true, such as Flash Gordon - putting man on the moon). I hope this story reminds you of what we were then and what we are now, still cruisin after all of these years.....

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