| Sources |
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 25 Aug 2001.
Bonnie Estelle Jenkins obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 27 Apr 2005.
Doris Jean McMahan Clark obituary
- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 1 Aug 2006.
Car "Finds" owner's granddaughter
NEWPORT- This is a love story: the love between a man and his car; a grandfather and granddaughter; a man and a woman; and a woman and her car. These loves in themselves are not unusual, but the story is.
It's simply a story that happily began in 1954 and ended in 2006, spanning two generations of family and of love coming full circle. On the other hand, it could be a feature story on Believe it or Not.
In 1954, 39-year-old Ardell McMahan strolled into Joe Kyker's Buick dealership. He special ordered a car-not just any car-it had to be the biggest and fastest car Buick had to offer.
The Buick Century that arrived at the dealership was everything he hoped for. It was a two-door (not the usual 4 door family sedan), V8 engine and straight shift on the column. Ninety-nine percent of 1954 Buick Centuries were automatic, but not Ardell's.
He painted a red stripe on the car and installed a cow horn, which he used to go to the fields and call the cows. These two modifications are very important. Do not forget them.
The Buick Century lived up to Ardell's expectations. It was truly the "meanest" car in Cosby. Assistant Chief of Police Don Ball tells stories regarding Ardell's racing his car up and down the Cosby roads.
He says that for many years, it was undoubtedly Cosby's premiere race car. One night Ardell agreed to race a Chrysler Imperial out of Gatlinburg. He lived to regret the agreement as he got beat for the first time. A defeated Ardell's only comment was that he hated to be beat by "some smart-alec out of Gatlinburg." Some may remember that Ardell owned the Pure Oil Station in Cosby. He spent many hours babying his baby. Every time he changed the oil, a new sticker was placed inside the door-remember that, too. He loved the car so much that 2-3 years later, he bought his wife a "twin" car, another Buick Century, only automatic. Both cars were garage kept for many years.
When Ardell's granddaughter, Sally Clark, was born in 1971, the car was still in his possession. Sally remembers, "He used to put me in the car, and we'd ride around the Smoky Mountain School loop, go back across the street and straight into the garage."
From the sparkle in her eyes, one knows that this is one of her fondest memories. She added that her grandfather's two most prized possessions were the car and his tractor.
Ardell McMahan passed away in 1989 when Sally was 20 years old. He still owned his beloved car. With his passing, there were too many cars to take care of, so on 9-11-91, the Buick was sold to Geralo Smellows, an Ohio resident.
Fast forward to July 5, 2006. Mark Ramsey, Sally's boyfriend and son of D.C. Ramsey and Cookie Ramsey, traveled to Columbus, Ohio with friends to the Good Guys Car Show. More than 6,000 cars were on display at the show.
Mark and Bill Whitson were looking at cars when in the distance, Mark spotted a 1954 Buick Century that resembled Ardell's pride and joy. He pointed out the car to Bill and asked if it was the same kind of car that Ardell had owned. Bill replied, "No, that is the car." He had immediately recognized the red stripe that Ardell had painted so many years before.
Making their way to the car, Mark and Bill introduced themselves to the owner, Frank Potter, from Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Potter was well informed on the car's history and knew that it was originally owned in Tennessee. After a lengthy conversation, Mark made an offer to purchase the car.
In the meantime, Mark called Sally to tell her about his miraculous find. Both she and her uncle, Dale McMahan, wanted to know if the cow horn was still on the car. It was, and it worked! Sally pleaded with Mark to buy the car "no matter what the cost."
Mark, being the prankster that he is, called Sally back the next day and dejectedly announced that Mr. Potter had sold the car to a higher bidder. Very philosophically, but sadly, Sally's answer was, "It just wasn't meant to be." In a couple of days, an exhausted Mark arrived home and asked Sally to help him unload his Excursion. As Sally walked out the door the first thing she saw was grandfather Ardell's 1954 Buick Century almost in mint condition. It took Mark 9 1/2 hours to get it back to Newport, but he was determined to surprise Sally. It is a beautiful car. According to Mark, it starts like a golf cart. When you open the hood, there is a sticker on the oil bath breather that reads, "Clean and change oil and filter every 5,000 miles or oftener."
The visor over the mirror on the passenger's side has a sticker that reads, "You're reflecting good taste by dealing with Kyker Motor Company." And the same stickers that Ardell lovingly placed inside the door after each oil change are still there.
Sally, Mark, and her family often spoke of the car over the years. In fact, she recently took her nieces to see the movie, "Cars," and almost cried because the cars in the movie reminded her of the Buick Century.
But all's well that ends well. This love story between a man and his car, a grandfather and granddaughter, a man and a woman, and a woman and her car has come full circle. The 1954 Buick Century is finally home and will never have to leave its family again.
- [S112] Census, 1920.
Name: Ordell Mcmahan
Event Type:
Event Year: 1920
Event Place: , Cocke, Tennessee
Gender: Male
Age: 4
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Birthplace: Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated): 1916
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Father's Birthplace: Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee
Household ID: 5
Sheet Number: 1
GS Film number: 1821733
Digital Folder Number: 4390325
Image Number: 00393
Household Gender Age Birthplace
SELF Isaac A Mcmahan M 45y Tennessee
WIFE Alna J Mcmahan F 43y Tennessee
DAU Bashie Mcmahan F 21y Tennessee
SON Clay Mcmahan M 17y Tennessee
SON Stossel Mcmahan M 10y Tennessee
SON Cecil Mcmahan M 9y Tennessee
DAU Estell Mcmahan F 7y Tennessee
SON Ordell Mcmahan M 4y1m Tennessee
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Abt 1916 - 1989 (~ 73 years)
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