Morning Folks!!

In September of 1976 I left the furniture factory in Miami and decided to trade in my 1976 Grand Prix that was only 6 months old but had like 60,000 miles in for a new Cadillac. I bought the Grand Prix on a Saturday when I was in Mobile, Alabama. Actually I had bought a Plymouth Cordova earlier in the day. But after 3 hours of waiting for them to get a credit report, I went to lunch and decided to look at the Pontiac Grand Prix. Well they put me together in 15 minutes for a nicer car at a lower price and while the Plymouth guys were still dicking around, I bought the Grand Prix and proceeded DIRECTLY to the Plymouth dealer to let them know they fucked up. You can read the first part of the story here.

1976 Grand Prix at the dealer before delivery. I traded in a 1974 AMC Javelin

I went to EVERY SINGLE CADDY DEALER between Miami and New Orleans looking for one salesman to take me seriously and sell me a car. EVERY dealer. I was 'Ripe' and nobody would or could make the sale before they pissed me off and I left.

So it is 8:15 one Saturday Morning and still have not found anyone that wants to sell me a car. I am in New Orleans after stopping in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tallahasse, Mobile and I am sure I left a couple of them out. I go to a place called Pontratrain Cadillac in Downtown New Orleans. They were an old school dealer that had been there for some 50 years or more. They were not even open yet. There was a black guy standing at the door dressed in a suit. I asked him when they open. He said 8:30 and found out he was a salesman there. I asked where there was a place to get some breakfast. He told me and I told him I will be back after breakfast and buy a car from him.

So I go back and see Alexander. He takes the order. I ordered every option and he gave me a decent discount and said it will be in in November 1976. The 1977 Caddy was the first one they ever downsized and I was going to be one of the first with it. I didn't even give a deposit. He just took the order and told me he would call when it came in. And he did. 6 weeks later I get a call, I have no idea where I was at the time but I jumped in my car and I was there the next day.

Tomorrow I will tell you about that era and my next car.

West Texas.....Spring 1977 with Girlfriend leaning on trunk on our way to Los Angeles

Have a GREAT Day!

Rick Schwartz