Stalls and Shows

On By Michele LeeIn Arizona Adventures, Humor, Prose

The greater Phoenix area is not short on sunshine or cars. Car shows are popular in Arizona during the “cooler” months. I am not a car person, but I enjoy meeting people and appreciate the work that some people put into restoring and maintaining vintage vehicles. I am a fan of VWs. Volkstock is a fun car show that features Volkswagens from around the country (featured photos). My first car was a VW. I don’t recall the year of my car, but I do remember giving $1,800 to a used car salesman in exchange for the title to a white Volkswagen Rabbit. It was overpriced. As a struggling eighteen-year-old, every dollar spent represented my blood, sweat, and tears. Without A/C that car made me sweat and stick to the vinyl seats. It made me shed a few tears, too. Sometimes it even made me laugh.

True story: Driving along Main Street, my Rabbit died directly under a VW Dealership sign. I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked across at the car lot full of shiny VWs and there I sat in my broken-down car under the shiny sign. I remember thinking, no one is going to believe this story. Of course, cell phones weren’t around then to document the ridiculous moment. Funny and convenient. A few mechanics inside the VW dealership helped me get back on the road. After they helped me get off the road. 😂 Sometimes, while driving that car, I had to hold the key, or my car would stall out. Not easy to do with a stick shift! That car was a piece of shit, but it got me where I needed to go, most of the time. And without A/C it left me a hot mess by the time I got there! The next car I bought for myself was a white Honda CRX. It had issues too, but at least it kept me cool.

Bonus music and photos be(low) from another car show. Enjoy! Thanks for visiting! Be well. ☮️ Michele

Photos: VW photos taken at Volkstock (prepandemic), when my photography skills were less advanced than they are now. 😆 My photo of me, taken (6/29) on our ’69 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. Lowrider photo and other taken at another car show.

For more of my photos, visit my IG page ~ @mlsefton

© 2022 Michele Lee Sefton

96 thoughts on “Stalls and Shows”

    1. Thank you for enjoying my show. 😁 The Ghia has potential – she’s a project. I had to look up your car – looks like a fun French ride! Oldtimers! 😂 Yes, a place where old parts go to rust or get crushed.

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  5. Nice post!

    We’ve long been VW people ….. a long string of Beetles, a Bus, a Squareback, a Fox tons of Jettas and now we are on our 2nd Tiguan and still have a 2008 VW Beetle convertible in the garage.

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    1. So true! Of course, safety is important, but I believe old cars, with their issues, may teach teenagers resourcefulness, patience, and the value of working toward something shinier. Plus, it may give them something to laugh about later. 😆

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    1. Thank you! My VW brought more frustrations than joy, but I can laugh now. 😅 I think breaking down under that sign was my car’s way of giving up. 😆 ’69 Mustang – very cool! I bet you have wonderful memories from that car. 😊

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  9. That’s a great story (perhaps more so read, than tread) about your first car, Michele, and it’s always nice to get back on the road. The key lines cracked me up. Also, if I may, you make that car look immeasurably better! Just sayin’. 🌞🌹

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  11. Girl, I love going to car shows. 🚗🚘🚙 I love your story about your first car Michele. Too funny about ending up in front of a dealership to die on you like that! 😫 Don’t we all remember them? My first, like you said with money that was from blood, sweat, and tears, was a ’73 Ford Mustang Fastback, which I wish I had right now. It was a 3-speed (and she was not a “Fix On Repair Day” car like people who had no wheels told me).

    And girl “Low Rider” was my jam! 🎷🥁🎶🎺🎸🎵🎹 I don’t know why I think of Cheech and Chong when I hear that song! LOL Perfect accompaniment to your post! Girlfriend and you had a stick shift too? Honey, we are a rare breed because not too many people these days know how to drive a vehicle that is manual. I give you mad props dancing queen! 💃🏼👯‍♀️💃🏽

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    1. Fun! Isn’t that a silly story?! 😄 Oh, the money spent, the lessons learned, the sweat dripped! 73 Ford Mustang Fastback – That is a cool car, Kymbelina! 😎 Too bad you don’t still have that. Not a fast fix? haha A fun and timeless song. 🎶 The same attributes can be said about Cheech and Chong. 😂 I suppose we are a rare breed. I learned how to drive on a stick shift – a Fiat in Denver. With those hills and snow! 😱 Thanks, Kym. Same to you my dazzling driving dancer. 😁 💖🌟💃🏽🚘💃🏻🚘

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      1. Girl, we are just a pair of bad mamma jamma’s! You are absolutely right, we are truly a rare breed! 💪🏽💪💪🏻 I like that! Hugs and Smooches my sweet partna’ in dancing crime! 😘💋😍 LOL 🤣😜😂

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  12. I’m not a car person either Michele but I had 2. My first car was a bug called the
    BBB The Blue Bitchin Bomber because it was so smooth and beautiful and we had it checked out and everything. The next week the thing died.. it was a lemon.
    My next one was a green one and was AWESOME.. i forgot to put oil in it.. oops.. I blue the engine,

    Great pictures and post!
    💖

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    1. haha Funny car name, Cindy. I should have had my first car checked out, but I was young and dumb and flying solo. Although, sounds like doing that isn’t foolproof! One week?!? Terrible! We now have a “lemon law.” A blown engine! Oh no! Lessons learned. Expensive ones! Thank you very much, glad you liked my post. 🙏🏻💖

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      1. oh man true but it didn’t help me and I think mine was 2,000. We sure learn a lot as we grow for sure and the next time I got a brand new car and to this day I do. I did like it Michele… 👏👏 💖💖

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  13. Thanks for the fun story about your first car & VW Michele. My first car was my grandfather’s Chrysler Imperial. We called it the white whale! I loved the old beetles and buses even though they weren’t very reliable. I like going to old car shows, especially the VW ones.

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    1. You are welcome, Brad. Thank you, I had fun sharing! Funny how cars, especially the old ones, end up with funny names. The VW shows are fun – the drivers/owners tend to be laid back and friendly. A good time! 🚗

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      1. A similar thing happened when some teenager on a cellphone ran into the back of my husband’s Jetta while we were stopped on Route 250 because a driver two vehicles ahead of us was making a turn into a gas station/lunch place. Allegedly the teenager was also trying to make a left into that same place which was why she failed to notice stopped traffic ahead of her.

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      2. Oh no! That is terrible! Were you all ok? A teenager on a cell phone backed into my car a few years ago. Minor damage. He was so nervous and upset. Hopefully he learned to put his phone down when driving!

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  15. The car was drivaible but the estimator determined it would cost more to fix the car than it was worth. We lucked out and found an Outback on the lot (this was this past Spring when car inventories were low). We were ok except for being annoyed at having to buy a new car.

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    1. Thank goodness you were OK. Sounds like a frustrating experience! My daughter had similar frustrations – having to buy a “new” car, which meant car payments which she didn’t have with the Jetta. Insurance only goes so far.

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  18. So awesome story VW car show and you are so beautiful with car photo and this’ll so great memories 🌷🙏😍
    My daughter-in law had latest Vw white car and last year met a terrible accident, she and daughter coming back
    home night , other side one car hit this car and spinning worst , my daughter in law holding the steering and
    suddenly the car safety balloon automatically opened and it saved my daughter in law ,her chest never hit
    Steering 👍🏻🙏
    Seeing people told sure driver died , but Gods grace mom and daughter little bit wounds escaped 🙏♥️
    We rushed hospital and saw them only felt piece of mind , She changed car and bought Benz car 🚘
    Thank you so much for sharing dear your memories and grace wishes 🌷🙏♥️🌷

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    1. Oh, my goodness! Your retelling of your daughter and granddaughter’s accident had me on edge! I was relieved to read they were ok and suffered only minor wounds. Life can change in an instant. Thank God they are fine and in a safe ride. Hugs to you, Thattamma. 🤗💗 Thank you for your sweet comments about my post. Best to you! 💐

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      1. The shock still with me , car totally damaged , God is great 🙏🙌
        My elder son’s wife Sunita and granddaughter Daania ,now
        Studying bio- medicine 😊♥️🖖Thank you so much for so
        lovely comment message ,so sweet friend you 🌷🙏♥️🥰

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    1. Thanks, David, glad you think so. 😎 It does make for a fun day! In addition to taking photos, I particularly enjoy talking to people who have traveled far to attend. That happens with the Volkstock show. ✌🏻❤️☮️

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  23. Oh my gosh, how fun! My first car was a Ford Pinto! Red. 8 track player!! Hahaha!! Love car shows- there’s one every Friday night in our tiny town. They drive from one end of town to downtown and it’s so cool.

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  24. I’m trying to imagine how sweaty you must have been without A/C and experiencing the VW dying(?) while on the road! But you withstood it all because it helped you get to where you need to go. And who’s that pretty lady atop the car? 😘😊🥰 Nice story, Michele!

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      1. Always a pleasure, Michele! Oh, my! 😱 Good you survived it. By the way, it’s 1:35 in the morning from where I am. I ended work at 12:AM. Just relaxing a bit more before I retire the night. Have a great day ahead! 🥰🥰🥰

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  26. I’ve owned a couple Horror movie cars, what I call them and not because they look bad. They just broke down all the time, or the doors wouldn’t open or the electric windows wouldn’t go down. You know those scary scenes in movies when someone is trying to escape a bad guy or some monster and their cars all of a sudden won’t start, and that’s why some of my cars were put under that category. All these old cars you are sharing are pieces of art, they don’t make them like that anymore.

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    1. Oh no! 👻 Those scenes! 😱 Thank you for the funny comment. 😂 Broken down cars aren’t funny, but your description is. 👏🏻 I do like art more than cars, maybe that is why I appreciate vintage cars. Well said! 🙏🏻

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  31. One of my first cars was a shiny red VW Bug. I loved that car! It ran great until a shady mechanic got hold of it and ruined it. At one time, my husband and I had matching Rabbits. We drove them until they dropped. Then, I had a white Scirocco, which was a really cool car. Fond memories!

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    1. True! Funny and fortunate! Thank you. Breaking down on the highway is terrible and dangerous! Some things about the good ‘ol days are not so good! Thank you, Belladonna, for the visit and comment. 😁

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    1. Thanks so much, Dwight! Funny memories! haha I was a baby back in the day, but fun to play the part! 😁✌🏻☮️ We’ve had the Ghia for many years, but not that many years. 😆

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  35. I drive my family’s cars whenever I need to go out or am shuttling siblings off the mountain into town, so I have never had need for a car of my own. I love old cars, though, so your photos make me smile! They look so elegant and sleek. ❤

    I personally have always had a fascination with those little pastel colored Volkswagen Beetles, so maybe that will eventually be my first car!

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    1. You are lucky in that you don’t have that expense – they are expensive! The thought of you shuttling siblings off the mountain made me smile. 😊 I remember doing that with little cousins. Transforming old cars into elegant and sleek is expensive too. 😆 That would be a fabulous and fun new car! Enjoy your 4th! 🎇

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