My dad can say the darnest things!

[Andy4639]

I went up to see my dad Monday morning early because he called Sunday night late and said his mouth was killing him. He had all his upper teeth pulled last Wednesday to be fitted for dentures. He said the dentist left part of a tooth in his gum. So I take off up there to be there in time to carry him to the dentist at 10am according to dad. Dad is 92 almost 93 in March.

So I get there which it's a 2.5hr ride one way. I say lets go and he says where, I said you have a dentist appointment at 10 right... Dad no it's at 12 noon. I asked him why he told me 10 and he said, when did I tell you that? I said last night on the phone he say's he never talked to me last night.

So finally we go to the dentist and we walk in the office and the nurse says hello to dad, he starts talking to her about her kids and recalls her daughters name and all kinds of stuff. I'm like wow. Then we are sitting there and he asks me if I ever herd of a vacuum ash tray that GM marketed for a few years back in the 50's. I'm like no, is he for real are just making up this stuff. But before he could explain it they called him back so I googled it and sure enough they did in fact have such a part. I later asked him about it as I was driving him home and he describe it almost word for word of the article that I found on google. I was blown away by it and his memory of such detail about it.
The only thing different about it was the article said GM stopped making them because it was simpler to throw them out the window and people wouldn't pay $8.00 for it.
The article
'The Vacuum Ashtray" is listed in the Accessories Catalog by Chevrolet from 1956-1960 in it's attempt to associate itself with the top-of-the-line models, like Cadillac . It was installed by the dealer not at the Factory. They have been seen in later years, probably installed as "left-over's" by the individual dealers. They literally sucked the offending cigarette and ashes out a special 'triggered' device built under the dash. The hot trash was deposited in a cylinder under the dash to be discarded later. Despite the relatively low cost ($12.75) few smokers saw the need...it was easier to toss the butts on the road where they remain in our Ecology Cycle for Centuries. There were 3 different types over the years. The original had a glass, screw top jar but, not many remain today as they were usually broken. The 2nd and 3rd Series had a metal depository can.'

Dad said they stopped making them (the glass jar ones) because they had to buy so many customers car's back because they caught on fire are burnt the underside of the dash up only after a few uses.
Info: dad retired from GM with 35 years of service to them.
Sorry for such a long post.




http://www.classicdreamcars.com/COLL...CESSORIES.html