[dennis kirban]

Depending on your age.....probably determines if you have had any unusual coincidences in life. They can be funny or serious or sad. I have had several that fall into the different categories.

I figured I would start this thread off with one that is funny or at least it brought back nice memories for me. Its even car related. I will have Mr AMC Guy post a photo when he gets a chance.

Maybe 3 years ago I was at a major swap meet not sure which one and a local vendor had a huge table set up with framed black and white copies of old photos that he was selling. One caught my eye immediately. It showed a Sinclair H-C gas station that sat on one of those narrow corners that comes to a point. I knew that gas station because back around 1963-64 I worked there. The station is long gone its Subaru dealership now. I had a 1954 Ford coupe when I worked there. I worked alone from around 6 pm daily until I closed the station at 11 at nite.

I remember installing a Hurst 3-speed shifter in my car using the lift. With my limited skills I was one of those owners that needed the huge floor shift boot to cover the hole I put in the tunnel to clear everything!

I bought the framed picture as it turns out the guy selling the pictures his father owned the station back then!

Lets hear one of your coincidences. I got more to share but that is an opening one.

[email protected]

Case your wondering for any local readers this gas station sat at the south end of Jenkintown, PA Bryner was below it, Lord & Taylor was across the street Subaru dealership I believe is Glanzman Subaru.

[theamcguy]

Thanz to Mr AMC Guy for posting photo. Here is that black and white photo of the gas station. I think gas was around 27.9 to 32.9 back then.

[email protected]

[GTOMazz]

Very cool Dennis. Dennis I don't know if you remember me, I used to sell you parts back in the early 80 when you lived in Warminster. A lot of dash pads and stuff. You had the two black GTO's. I had the red 66 GTO Convert, still have it.

Mazz

[428PHIL]

Looks like that picture must be from around 1950. Teffy Pontiac was right behind it on York Rd, but all you can see is trees, which means it wasn't built then. I also had a 54 Ford cpe as my first car. Dark Blue 3-speed paid $350. in 62.

[The Champ]

I can add a pair of car related coincidences...

Back in the late 80's - I'm at the Iola Old Car Show in Wisconsin with my father, my older brother and a friend of my dad's. We're strolling through the car corral (cars for sale) and happen upon a very clean '56 Olds.

Now back in the 50's, my dad worked for the Olds/Caddy dealership in Hibbing, MN. Dad comments on how he sold one just like that to (can't remember the name) and how he took a '52 Pontiac in on trade. The current owner of the car overhears us - and let's us know that this car was originally purchased new in.... Hibbing, MN.

Fast forward to 1997. Same car show. I'm displaying both my '64 GTO and '49 Caddy Limo in the Blue Ribbon area. The '49 Caddy was originally purchased by my dad in 1958 from a Olds/Chev dealer in Ely, MN and I had just completed the restoration in May of 1997. While at the show, the salesman that sold the car to my dad 39 years previously is at the show and sees the car and comments to my younger brother that he's the one that sold it to dad. Regretfully, dad and I were out wandering through the swap meet at the time.

[GTOnly70]

Hello Dennis,

My '69 Judge came from Teefy Pontiac and remained in Pa until I bought it and took it to Texas in 1995. In the first pic, you can see the original Teefy sticker on the trunk lid. Do you have any recollections of this dealer of perhaps even of this car? Did this dealer move many hi-po Pontiacs? Another board member has a '70 OO Judge that also came from Teefy.

I also had another '69 GTO that came from Spaar Pontiac in Palm, Pa. Apparently, this dealer moved quite a few Goats as a I knew of several others that came from Spaar back in the late '80s.

Thanks.

[68lemansman]

Originally Posted by dennis kirban

Depending on your age.....probably determines if you have had any unusual coincidences in life. They can be funny or serious or sad. I have had several that fall into the different categories.

I figured I would start this thread off with one that is funny or at least it brought back nice memories for me. Its even car related. I will have Mr AMC Guy post a photo when he gets a chance.

Maybe 3 years ago I was at a major swap meet not sure which one and a local vendor had a huge table set up with framed black and white copies of old photos that he was selling. One caught my eye immediately. It showed a Sinclair H-C gas station that sat on one of those narrow corners that comes to a point. I knew that gas station because back around 1963-64 I worked there. The station is long gone its Subaru dealership now. I had a 1954 Ford coupe when I worked there. I worked alone from around 6 pm daily until I closed the station at 11 at nite.

I remember installing a Hurst 3-speed shifter in my car using the lift. With my limited skills I was one of those owners that needed the huge floor shift boot to cover the hole I put in the tunnel to clear everything!

I bought the framed picture as it turns out the guy selling the pictures his father owned the station back then!

Lets hear one of your coincidences. I got more to share but that is an opening one.

[email protected]

Case your wondering for any local readers this gas station sat at the south end of Jenkintown, PA Bryner was below it, Lord & Taylor was across the street Subaru dealership I believe is Glanzman Subaru.

That is weird as i read this thread I am not even 5 min away from where this gas station used to be. I ride past this place everyday and wonder what used to be there cause jenkintown has a lot of old buildings and I live right up the street in Abington.

[Mattman]

I have one, back in 96 my Mom was killed in a head on collision by a guy that was in a diabetic coma.

About 3 months down the road I went to get my monthly haircut but the girl that always cut my hair was out sick so another lady had to cut it. She was new to the place middle aged and she could tell that I was down and I explained as to why I was down and it being the Loss of my Mom in the car wreck.

She went on to tell me that her 14 year old daughter was in a minivan on the way to a soccer tournament and the driver fell asleep and during the accident her 14 year old daughter was thrown out and crushed and killed by the minivan.
We were both almost in tears because of the pain that we shared.
I never saw that woman again after that day.

Fast forward about 6 months or so, I was at a singles bar with a couple of my buddies and I am sitting there talking with this very cute/hot girl and we are talking about where we were from/family etc.
I shared with her that I lost my Mom in a car wreck about 9 months ago.
Then a pained look appeared on her face and she told me that she had lost her little sister in a wreck a few years ago.

She tried to continue telling me more about it but a powerful feeling over whelmed me and I cut her off and finished her story for her stating that her little sister was 14 on the way to a soccer tournament and thrown from and crushed by the van.

She utterly fell out of her chair and I had to catch her! We were both shocked!! She asked how I new this. It ended up that she was the older daughter of the woman that had cut my hair that on time months back.

I never saw her again.

[PMD1969]

In college my then girlfriend and I went on a (cheap) cruise for a week during spring break. While stopped at St. Thomas we went into town looking for something to do and get something to eat. We saw a Hard Rock Cafe and decided to get some lunch. Walked in and while talking with the greeter person I looked to my left and saw a group at a table.

In that group was a girl that I knew very well in HS and had not seen in years. Her name was Renee Henderson and my sister nad her had roomed together in College. Of all of the places to run into someone on that day, in port off of a cruise in that particular restaurant at that exact time.

LOL We laughed and shared a beer. Never saw or heard from her again.

[Sidponcho]

While in the Delta club in the Tokyo airport 2 weeks ago, I ran into I guy that I know from Ohio. And I live in New England. And the odds are????????

[Rocky Racoon]

Years ago when I had an AOL account there was a site where you could sign up to have an online penpal. I signed up and started exchanging messages with a girl from England. We share stories about our families among other things. About a month or so later I decided to add another online penpal. This one happened to be a guy, also in England. One day while we were chatting he asked me if my wife's name was so and so, if my kids name was so and so, if I had a cat, etc. I replied yes and asked him how he knew. It turns out that his wife was observing the chat and thought certain things seemed familiar to her. As it turned out the guys wife was my first penpal. Of all the people in the world what are the chances of choosing 2 random people to be your penpals and they're married to each other?

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by Mattman

I have one, back in 96 my Mom was killed in a head on collision by a guy that was in a diabetic coma.

About 3 months down the road I went to get my monthly haircut but the girl that always cut my hair was out sick so another lady had to cut it. She was new to the place middle aged and she could tell that I was down and I explained as to why I was down and it being the Loss of my Mom in the car wreck.

She went on to tell me that her 14 year old daughter was in a minivan on the way to a soccer tournament and the driver fell asleep and during the accident her 14 year old daughter was thrown out and crushed and killed by the minivan.
We were both almost in tears because of the pain that we shared.
I never saw that woman again after that day.

Fast forward about 6 months or so, I was at a singles bar with a couple of my buddies and I am sitting there talking with this very cute/hot girl and we are talking about where we were from/family etc.
I shared with her that I lost my Mom in a car wreck about 9 months ago.
Then a pained look appeared on her face and she told me that she had lost her little sister in a wreck a few years ago.

She tried to continue telling me more about it but a powerful feeling over whelmed me and I cut her off and finished her story for her stating that her little sister was 14 on the way to a soccer tournament and thrown from and crushed by the van.

She utterly fell out of her chair and I had to catch her! We were both shocked!! She asked how I new this. It ended up that she was the older daughter of the woman that had cut my hair that on time months back.

I never saw her again.

Why not?

[400 4spd.]

I'll relate one I had that's car related. In 2007, GTOGreg (who is in Freemont Ca.) and I had been comparing notes on our 67 GTOs. Both were optioned exactly alike, other than exterior color. Rally 1s and Rally cluster, redlines, WT block 4 speed/console, 3:55 limited slip, black top and interior, etc..etc.
Both are Baltimore cars. Both built the same week. Then we learned they were built only 19 units apart, no doubt the same day. Any speculations as to how much time would pass on the assembly line between 19 units?
Maybe Keith or John V. would have an idea?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

. Any speculations as to how much time would pass on the assembly line between 19 units?

i think they are going to say - less than an hour.

Was it 19 units of body sequence number - or 19 units of VIN ?

[400 4spd.]

Body sequence.

[BOB VIDAN]

For several years I've sold with a friend at a swap meet 150 miles from home and stayed at his house. Four years ago on setup day, he didn't show up or answer his phone. I finished setting up and drove up to his home to see what was going on. No lights on, newspapers piled in the driveway and it was pouring a cold rain. With no place to stay, I went to start my van and wouldn't start, acting like no fuel. I'm stuck.

Went to the neighbors and they indicated my friend was probably on another binge. They did have keys and let me in the house and we searched for him to no avail. We listened to his recorder and learned another friend had taken him to the hospital for alcohol poisioning. We called that friend and he was bringing 1st friend back from the hospital. After the friend got home, I took him to an Applebees to get some food.

Friend was so drunk he could not even go to the swap meet on Saturday but did manage to get my van towed to a dealership to get fixed. It was the fuel pump.

Talk about divine intervention. My fuel pump fails in his driveway, really? I had to stay a couple of extra days and I want to think that was the start to his healing.

The irony, fast forward 4 years to this last weekend. Same swap meet, we go to an Applebees again for dinner and where is the only available booth ------------- in the bar. So we both ate, no drinks for either of us except water and a cola. He is coming up on 4 years of sobriety and for me it's been since 10/1/12.

[dennis kirban]

Fascinating stories thus far on coincidences. You just never know as you pass down the road of life.

To answer a few local questions in earlier posts. The big Pontiac dealerships in my area were Teefy Davis and Al Wilson (no relation to Ace Wilson). Not sure which of the 3 would have been big performance dealers. Maybe Wilson as they were quite large. Actually when I started my GTO business I dealt with Davis Pontiac they wold stock pile my parts. I remember buying the last sets of correct brushed ralley 1 trim rings and having them sit on them think the last digits of the part number was like 1580? I also had them sit on the last fitted 455 blocks think I sold them for like $750 each.

The Staar Pontiac dealership I would pass on the way to Macungie located in Palm think it was route 100 or route 29? Buildingis still there but dealership closed years ago.

O'Neil Buick in Warminster took over Pontiac franchise when Davis shut down. I hold a salesmans license with O Neil Buick.

It probably can be said had China fallen in love with the Pontiac instead of the Buick the fortunes might have been reversed instead of Pontiac joining Oldsmobile.

All memories...

[email protected]

[dennis kirban]

Here is #2 coincidence story

The year late 1968 early 1969 newly married back out of Vietnam by 6-7 months. Living in Warminster. One nite I was getting gas my wife stayed in the car while I went in to pay the cashier. I come out and my wife is kind of upset saying the guy in the car on the other side of the pumps keeps staring intently at her.

I look over and immediately recognize him from being in my unit in Vietnam! He recognized my wife because I had a huge oil painting done of my then girlfriend by a Vietnamese artist and it hung over my bed for months. He of course bunked across from me and knew instantly who she was.

Turns out he had flown into Philadelphia and rented a car to drive home to upstate Pennsylvania that same day.

Our paths crossed only that once after being together in Vietnam based on an oil painting of my wife to be.

true story

[email protected]

I got more......

Great reading.....

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

There were a set of twins in 6th grade - when i was in 5th.
Everybody had a crush on them.

Didn't see either of them again until 8 years later , when my cousin who lived on the opposite side of town - outside the city limits, said he was getting married.
His wife to be - was one of the twins !
The other twin was already married and had a newborn.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

Any speculations as to how much time would pass on the assembly line between 19 units?
Maybe Keith or John V. would have an idea?

...Roughly 19 minutes....

K