A very good morning to all of you who are over 50 years old and can
remember -you made it. A good morning to all you under 50, too, but with fewer
memories. Let’s go back to 1963, 50 years ago and take a look at the world as
it was. It was a great year for cars, starting with the split window Corvette,
which lasted only one year due to poor vision from the rear, although 21,000
both coupes and convertibles were made, and today are collectible and pricey due
to their uniqueness. Give me a Marina Blue one with the 327 fuel injected
motor, please. 1963 was also the year the SUV started, not by desire, but by
design. Willys, pronounced like “what you talkin’ about Willis?” had sold to
Kaiser, and wanted to make an upscale 4WD station wagon, and the first Wagoneer
was produced. Crude by today’s standards, it was unique in its time, and was to
be produced in the same package, although modernized and updated well into the
90’s. They started the craze, maybe now you can believe Chrysler Jeep’s ads
about their heritage. I sold them for awhile, and they were amazing vehicles.
But the first ones were crude, rough, and anything but what a soccer mom would
drive. Just shows how trendy they are, and that trendy isn’t cool. Drive a
Jeep, then decide-a 50 year old one! The grandfather of all SUV’s, but grandson
of the original JEEP! It was a great year for GM also, what year wasn’t in the
60’s, when they announced the Buick Riviera, their answer to the Ford
Thunderbird. Picture yourself with your lady on your arm pulling up in leather
clad bucket seat luxury. 335 hp just waiting if needed, how cool sitting and
looking at the dual gauged instrument panel. A hardtop, that looked like it was
moving while standing still, it was a classic then, and is today, although I
prefer the 65, with hidden headlights, the last year of the original styling.
With one cool feature unseen on any other car, twin door handles, so rear set
passengers could access them from the back seat. A pure styling gimmick-does
your car have one? See? Bill Mitchell, head of GM styling’s first great car.
Silver with silver interior please. Classy no other car can duplicate
today.
Things in Europe were getting back to normal after the Big One, WW2, and
the word from England was the Aston Martin DB5, named after David Brown. Why
such a big deal? To any kid going to see Goldfinger, after Pussy Galore we all
wanted that car the James Bond drove. His car had all the extras, but by itself
it was a great British sports car. Shown at the New York World’s Fair in 1964
it as called the most recognized car in the world. Good show, keeping the
British end up James. There were two made for the film, one is located, the
other rumored stolen, whereabouts unknown. Where is Bond when we need him? Too
early for LO Jack, I’m sure Q had one already in place, probably built one for
his grandkids the Christmas before. And as Dr. Ferdinand Porsche continued to
build his little two seater, it evolved into the first 911 in 1963. Originally
called the 901, but changed to 911 when Peugeot complained they had the
trademark for cars with “0” in their name. Light, with oversized brakes, this
air cooled car was to provide the course for Porsche for many years, and is
still produced in certain variations today. I have bought houses for less than
a 911 can cost, but without the excitement of hearing that little engine roar.
The ads tell you to drive one, your trousers will give the seat of the pants
feel that you are part of the car. So there you have it, five cars that changed
the world in 1963, never designed to do just that, but cool has no definition or
requirements. Either you are, and everyone knows it, or....you drive a
Rambler. But cool was also in the motorcycle world, as 1963 was the first year
of the unit construction Triumph, a big change for the iconic Brit band. A line
of demarcation for value, and identification. There is old school, and then
just school. These vehicles are just school. Cool. Has it really only been 50
years? Am I really that old? Does that make me a classic, too?
Although 50 years have passed, we still have archives to check out how it
really was then, pictures, ads, and road tests. But most importantly we still
have people alive to remember how it really was, before current historians
rewrite history for theirown benefit. And so it was 2000 years ago with Jesus.
Within 50 years of His death, most of the Bible had been written, and was being
read. Based on the earliest manuscripts, and then vindicated by historians,
just in case God’s word isn’t valid enough, those who were around after Christ
didn’t dispute them. The Jews still had a problem with His being the Messiah
they were looking for, but the growing and emerging church clung to them. Those
alive could not dispute fact that Jesus had existed, and that He had been
crucified. The rest they believed on faith, much as we do today, per His
request. But the apostles were still around, writing the New Testament,
starting churches, and living for the Lord. Contemporary to His time, if there
was any falsehood to the gospels, they would have been challenged in this
pre-Internet era. But God had things under His control then, and still does
today, for no matter how many have tried to dispute the claims of the Bible,
they always fail. God is not a fool, and since the book is about Him, will not
allow it to be changed. Jesus is God, deity, and despite some cults who claim
otherwise, they will fall prey to their own pride and ignorance, just like God
warns. He knew then, and He does now, do you? Seeing is believing, but God
promises believing is seeing. And 2000 years later His claims are still valid.
We may dispute the correct brake line color on a DB5, the proper leather
grain on a Riviera, or how much did a 911 really weigh, but we do not deny their
existence. Many of us were there, we saw and remember them, we know the truth.
And so it is with Jesus, we know the truth, and it has set us free. No other
man could promise that, not even a car ad! No pitchman could give more life to
the gospels than Jesus did and still does. He was a classic before the term was
coined, and is still as contemporary today as 2000 years ago. A timeless
design, by God His father, for all times.
Being there is a good thing, it needs very little memory adjustment. Read
the book today, and rekindle that memory if it has faded. Start a new one,
giving in to His timeless love for you, or go deeper into the corner with Him,
growing in Christ everyday! Find out how real and alive a life in Jesus can be,
and be captivated by His eternal and timeless love. Jesus has never gone out of
style, nor has His book. The best seller for all time, if you can’t find one
you aren’t looking. And in heaven you can confront those who were there, and
you will both be there. Just like the Bible said then, and still does now.
Times and styles change, Jesus doesn’t. Hey when you are that cool why should
you? if only GM had listened, we might now all be driving 4 door sedans today!
Jesus Christ-the unique styling of the Sting Ray, the luxury of the Riviera, the
go anywhere of the Wagoneer, the cool of the Aston Martin, and the fun of the
911-all in one! He is just what you are looking for...read all about it.
Some don’t remember the past, and are condemned to repeat it-now you know
the future-no condemnation in Christ. What’s in the garage of your heart?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com