Posted on 09/22/2012 4:41:21 AM PDT by SMGFan
Margaret Dunning, 102 years old, has been behind the wheel for 94 years, starting on her father’s farm in Michigan. But her even prouder accomplishment is keeping her 1930 Packard roadster in car-show condition, making it an auto-exhibit hit.
Margaret Dunning started driving when she was 8 years old. Ninety-four years later, she’s still behind the wheel. The 102-year-old, who has continued exhibiting her Packard 740 Roadster well into her second century, drove fans wild this week at Ohio’s Glenmoor Gathering of Significant Automobiles in Canton. “People were blown away to find a lady who's 102-years-old who is as active as she is,” David Schultz, the Gathering’s organizer, told the Daily News. Schultz first met Dunning, who he called a sharp, independent sort, when he was a “college punk” in 1964. At that time, Dunning had already been driving for more than four decades. She started on her family’s potato and dairy farm in order to help her father with his chores. She crashed for the first time as a 10-year-old, breaking a board in her barn. The crash didn’t deter her from driving, a hobby that gave her a special connection with her father. When he died two years later, Dunning was given her first driver’s license — at age 12. Her mother couldn’t drive, and was able to get her daughter the document through political connections. Growing up in Redford Township, Mich., Dunning was surrounded by car enthusiasts, including one famous automobile pioneer — Henry Ford — who lived just a few miles away.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/102-year-old-driver-wows-car-show-crowds-82-year-old-packard-roadster-article-1.1165000#ixzz27CKKxtYg
(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...
She was driving at 8, not unusual for rural children in those days. Today, children that age are barely potty trained. We are devolving.
I was driving a “three-on-the-tree” (column stickshift) at 9, in WVa and the Midwest, but only at Scout Camp properties, in the 50s.
I know her key to longevity - she didn’t grow up having the gov’t telling her what she couldn’t do. Driver license at 12 years old!
Great story - she’s looking good and so is her car!
Car-show interest.
Article says she still changes the oil and spark plugs herself. Terrific woman and beautiful car!
Those tires are almost as big as she is!
She is also a Life Time Member of Second Amendment Sisters! She packs, and we hear she is a good shot!
“I’m ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille.”
(Neither fair, nor appropriate, I agree. For one thing Norma Desmond was only 50 and she did very little to keep up the car.)
ping
“Today, children that age are barely potty trained”
That’s for sure, I taught myself to weld and channeled a 32 5 window in 1945 at the age of 8.
spent all my early years with friends 8-10 years older, gave up that playing shit and had some real fun hot rodding!
Today, we don’t want anyone doing anything until they are 26. Remember our government, does not want farm kids doing anything.
“We are devolving.”
“Are we not men?”
What a babe.
This reminds me of an amateur radio operator that I knew. He was born in 1914 and still drive a classic car, a 1964 Rambler American 990 he bought new. If he’s still around (moved to Florida), he would be 98 and if in good health, still driving and jabbering on the amateur radio at the same time. Would be kind of cool to fix these guys up. B-)
Wish I had the 32 roadster that we set the D fuel record of 1534 at El Mirage in 54 with.
After Voight and Colb beat us at Bonneville with their Hemi DeSoto I sold it for $650 including the Hallibrand quick change and all the street gear that was stripped out to go racing.
For that matter I wish I had my 40 coup street racer I sold for $600 to get married in 1958.
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