We have a wild flower in our club. Liz Johnson rides Harley motorcycles, has multiple Mustangs, and is updating a 1937 Ford. She also lives off the beaten path near Chilili New Mexico and still makes most monthly V8 club meetings.
Liz was born in Chicago Illinois. She started admiring cars at age 3. She says she would say car-car to get someone to take her for a ride in the Olds Delta 69. Rather than Barbie dolls Liz had and maintains a large hot wheel’s collection. In Illinois at the time, she could get her learner’s permit at age 15. She says she waited for one day past her 15th birthday to get her learner’s permit. However, at age 16 she got her driver’s license on time.
Her high school ride was a Pea Green 1975 Delta 88. She’d offer her friends rides to school in exchange for help with gas money. In Chicago at the time, it was three bus rides to get to school so she didn’t have much difficulty encouraging her friends to ride along.
By the time she was working she had two Harley motorcycles. She didn’t ride her nice bike to work for fear of it disappearing from the parking lot. So she rode her older Harley which was kind of a dirt bike but it didn't draw so much attention when parked.
When she started collecting mustangs she joined a club. However, like some clubs back in the day, she felt they didn’t take women members seriously. She didn’t join another club for a long time. She says the Tumbleweed club has been a good experience.
As we talked, she said she had always wanted a prewar car. She found her 1937 ford in Roseville California. She describes it as kind of a barn find. Later back in Albuquerque she found the Tumbleweed club. She didn’t remember her first talk with me but she dern sure recalls Joe Abbin. “Joe was soooo helpful pointing me to various places to get work done and answering my questions,” Liz said. Thank you, Joe.
By the way, Liz is giving the presentation at the March meeting updating us on 1937 Fords.
By Jeff Jackson
