John S. Rehberg, 8/31/1956 to 9/14/2022, Dad you may be gone but you're always with me...

[PlymCrazy]

So for my dad’s 50th birthday we all took him out to a Mexican restaurant. That is one of our favorite cuisines. For a few months before that 50th birthday I picked his brain to get a list of cars he owned up to that point. (54) of them at that point I believe. I then made up a little collage of the various cars in sort of a birthday card/notebook and presented it to him then. Found that notebook in his top dresser drawer recently after he passed. It helped inspire this thread.

A little off the wall detail about that ‘51 Chevy is that dad said it had a “balanced and blueprinted“ 318 in it. Always baffled me that combination. Talking about that just recently with mom she mentioned the words “balanced and blueprinted” after not hearing of that car in decades. She finally asked me “what does balanced and blueprinted mean”? God bless her.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I am sorry for the loss of your father.

 

[Curiousyellow71]

My condolences. Like your Dad, mine got me interested into all things mechanical. My Dad was born in '48 served in Vietnam and was always showing my Brothers and I how to jump in and tackle anything... and for the most part be fearless. It hasn't always went well...Lol. Dad always says the bolts with no paint on them are the ones you don't want left over. Then you have to take it apart and figure out what you forgot. Two of my best friends have lost their Dads. It's rough. Lots of great memories though, Thanks for sharing!

 

[f569]

I'm sorry for your loss. God bless your family.

 

[Xp29h]

My condolences!

 

[Mopar Hunter]

Your dad was taken too soon, so sorry for your loss.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Still welcoming any stories you may have of owning or anyone you know of owning a '51 Chevy. Even if you feel the need to bash them with this being a Mopar site, I understand and can laugh at it myself. All in good fun. Thought for sure someone would have a snide remark about a 318 being in a Chevy.

 

[Hey-O]

I'm so very sorry for you and your families loss, God bless and Gods speed. I was born 07-22-1956 and as I sit here thinking about all those days, I can tell you life is not always fair. I lost my father a few years ago and life is defiantly different now. When we lived in Canada our first was a 36 Chevy some guy sold my dad. He sold us a real piece of junk, lasted less than a few weeks. The one I remember was the second car we got, a green 1950 Chevy, so I get it, on with the show!!

 

[PlymCrazy]

OK, so next car on the list (going in order of model year only, not necessarily in the order he owned them) was a '52 Chevy. Here's a pic I found on google to represent. I have no recollection of the car myself, and absolutely no story to go with it besides dad owned one at one time.

So I'll move onto the next on the list. Yes, you guessed it. A 1953 Chevy. He owned (2) 1953 Chevy's to be exact. One was a daily driver, the other was a parts car. I'll post an old pic I found from the early 80's shortly.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Here’s a pic of the ‘53. Dad nicknamed that car “The Lump”. Very dark picture and difficult to see faces. But from left to right is my sister, me, my brother and my mom. This is around ‘82 I’d guess.

 

[PlymCrazy]

The '53 parts car we had, we took the hood off to use as a sled in the winter. Dad would keep that hood around for just that purpose for years to come. Mom was at her peak height of
5 feet and one half inch (she's about 3 inches shorter these days). And she drove that car w/manual steering and a three-on-the-tree shifter. Initially she complained of shoulder pain. But she persevered and became very proficient with driving that car. It was about an hour drive one way to her favorite grocery store weekly and the same to go to church with us on Sundays. Pretty sure that car had a straight 6, 235 in it.

 

[PlymCrazy]

My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Nice photo of your Dad.

Sorry for the loss of your father.
That is never an easy thing to go through so keep the faith and your chin up !

I think he would be pleased to see how you are cherishing his legacy to you.

My grandfather actually as he always drove Plymouth Fury's ( nothing hot rod like, just family cars ) so I have always loved Mopars. His next door neighbor had a 62 Valiant that I bought for $250 and then years later I bought a 66 Barracuda Formula S for $500 from the same guy.
My dad was never really a car guy per say and thankfully he put up with me tearing apart a car in the carport or switching out an engine or rear end after I toasted one. I did end up following my dad in the architectural drafting profession which did make him proud although he was not one to admit such things as he was a depression era baby born in 1928.
My grandfather was born in 1895 and his Florida tag always had 13W-1895 on it through the years.

Condolences to you and your family, when the Lord says you’ve done enough here, he’ll reward with reuniting with your father.

For me I’d probably have to say it was my grandfather. He made his living as a mechanic, unfortunately didn’t get to play with cars, but he taught my dad, and it followed to me. I’ve always been a car nut, he’d always show me stuff in the magazines, we’d always talk about cars. In 2015 I graduated high school, and bought a 68 satellite 4 door, he was really excited and wanted to work on it, a few months later he passed away. In 2017 I bought my 68 GTX, I still wish he was around, he would have loved the car, and I’d love to have him get behind the wheel.

Sorry your dad passed, Thanks for taking time to post about him and his cars.
I also look forward to seeing them.

Sudden and shocking losses are very difficult of a loved one - especially one as close as father and son. I'm very sorry for your loss but know as you grieve that he's still with you and always will be. It's pretty cool about the whole car relationship. Wish I would have had that with my dad. RIP

Sorry for your loss! My dad passed in 2000. Prayers for you and your family!

you have my deepest & heartfelt condolences
for/to you & your family's & his friends' loss
sounds like he was a great guy, 66 (67) is way too young

May John RIP

I like how you're coping with it
a lil' humor helps too, I think most dad's would relate to that too

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my dad has said;
'When it's his time, he doesn't want a funeral
he wants a celebration of life party,
he doesn't want people wearing all black
& being all sad & crying'

he has chosen to be cremated
(I will spread his ashes where he wanted, his old favorite fishing spot)
& it's already paid for it thru 'the Neptune Society'
several years ago,
he has everything in a living trust/will, planned out very well
so no complication when he's gone
I'm the executor too
I will do exactly as he asked, to the letter
(he's been single for about 42 years now, after 3 failed marriages,
my mom was his 1st)

I lost my mother about 20+ years ago
She was about my age, now...
(I lost my beloved Lisa, about the same time too)

I'm my elderly father's caretaker, since 2007, he's 85 now,
he's lived with me since 2005, been in & out of hospitals...
(he really abused his body when young, 60 years of alcohol abuse
& tobacco, filterless Lucky Strikes for 40 years, tell he was about 50,
finally, quit, when he got COPD, he always thought/wrongly diagnosed as asthma,
then the 40+ years of eating **** food/junk food, even with me harping on him etc.)
Then in rehab for months each time after, each incident or surgery
for different ailments & surgeries
for the past 5+ years

he still has a pretty good sense of humor, sort of old school
thru out all the **** he's gone thru
a huge flirt with his nurses too
that's the way I want to remember him, when he's gone
not to be sad
(I'm sure, I will still be sad)

I can relate

Very sorry to hear about the sudden passing of your father.

I'm glad you will post pictures of the cars he had. I always think cars at car shows with stories are the most interesting. There are lots of nicely restored and/or cool cars around. What really draws me to certain cars are the stories that surround them.

I'm looking forward to hearing the stories - tell them in honor of your dad. We'll all benefit from the tales!

I am sorry for the loss of your father.

My condolences. Like your Dad, mine got me interested into all things mechanical. My Dad was born in '48 served in Vietnam and was always showing my Brothers and I how to jump in and tackle anything... and for the most part be fearless. It hasn't always went well...Lol. Dad always says the bolts with no paint on them are the ones you don't want left over. Then you have to take it apart and figure out what you forgot. Two of my best friends have lost their Dads. It's rough. Lots of great memories though, Thanks for sharing!

I'm sorry for your loss. God bless your family.

My condolences!

Your dad was taken too soon, so sorry for your loss.

I'm so very sorry for you and your families loss, God bless and Gods speed. I was born 07-22-1956 and as I sit here thinking about all those days, I can tell you life is not always fair. I lost my father a few years ago and life is defiantly different now. When we lived in Canada our first was a 36 Chevy some guy sold my dad. He sold us a real piece of junk, lasted less than a few weeks. The one I remember was the second car we got, a green 1950 Chevy, so I get it, on with the show!!

It's overwhelming the responses I got from you all and I'm grateful for each and every one of you and what you shared. Forgive me if I overlook anything or anyone along the way. Not intentional by any means if so.

 

[xs-ivv]

My condolences on the loss of your father. It is a very nice tribute that you are doing for him.

 

[moparedtn]

@PlymCrazy
Rather than clutter your excellent thread here, your request to hear other stories about dads has motivated
me enough to write yet another "Ed story". Take a look if you like:
The last time I ever saw my Dad - and why it guides me to this day

Now - back to the cavalcade of cars!

 

[Tinker67]

My condolences to you and your family. I share the same birth month and year as your dad. he truly was taken to soon, I'm sure he was proud of you .
RIP Mr. Rehberg

 

[Dad's69RR]

My dad is sole reason I have loved old cars from as far back as I can remember. Anytime we were out and about he would call out the cars, their years, and what we’re the differences between the years. By age 7 or 8 I could tell the difference from a 68-73 RR, 65-71 Chevelle, 55-60 Belair, etc… All because of his passion for cars but his #1 love from the beginning was his 69RR! I carry on his love!

 

[PlymCrazy]

@PlymCrazy
Rather than clutter your excellent thread here, your request to hear other stories about dads has motivated
me enough to write yet another "Ed story". Take a look if you like:
The last time I ever saw my Dad - and why it guides me to this day

Now - back to the cavalcade of cars!

Yes sir, I read it. I appreciate your story waaaayyyy more than you may ever know! I struggled last night to continue this thread and at times even thought of deleting it thinking "this is a car forum, these guys don't want to be interrupted with this sort of thing". And the lack of pictures to go with? I wondered if it would even seem believable he had all these cars. Each night before a post on this I go through all of what's left of pictures over the years and see what I have to put up here for you all to see. A handful, but only a fraction of what was actual. But I will continue to the very last car. A fella on here posted recently "don't quit" so I will push on. Hmmm, wonder who that was? Ehem...lol

 

[PlymCrazy]

My condolences to you and your family. I share the same birth month and year as your dad. he truly was taken to soon, I'm sure he was proud of you .
RIP Mr. Rehberg

Thank you. I see your user name and it makes me think of how we used to go to the 1000 Islands every summer. On route 3 around Henderson Harbor there used to be this little train trolley turned into a restaurant called "Tinker Tavern". Dad would stop there to get mom an order of fried mushrooms on many of those trips. I hated mushrooms until I took a taste of those. Mushrooms are a go-to for me ever since.

 

[PlymCrazy]

My dad is sole reason I have loved old cars from as far back as I can remember. Anytime we were out and about he would call out the cars, their years, and what we’re the differences between the years. By age 7 or 8 I could tell the difference from a 68-73 RR, 65-71 Chevelle, 55-60 Belair, etc… All because of his passion for cars but his #1 love from the beginning was his 69RR! I carry on his love!

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My dad, too, used to regularly call out year/make/model as we were out and about. I did that very same thing with my kids. When I was younger, around grammar school age, I used to take dad's Glenn's Manual with me so I could memorize the years of the cars. They had pics of many different years and makes in there. Would often be caught drawing them in a notebook I carried around with that book too.

 

[PlymCrazy]

So the next (2) as I work my way down this list. I have absolutely zero recollection of myself personally. Dad owned a '54 Chevy(thanks google). I tried to capture one that was likely in his price range at the time. Nothing fancy. I'm willing to bet it was probably a 4-door knowing him.

And another on his list. This came as a surprise to me. I don't ever recall him talking about this one. He owned a '55 Chevy. Interesting point here. All these years I could only recall him owning (2) of the (3) tri-5 Chevys, and the '55 was not one of them. But looking at his list (that he essentially helped me write), he indeed owned a '55 at one time. This came as a surprise to me just in the last couple of days as I'm doing homework in prep for this thread. This '55 in the pic below is an actual pic of a '55 I almost bought a couple of years ago. It was in NJ and the guy was asking $7k. I couldn't line up the trip and trailer in time to get to it before it got swooped up by some fella who bought it and had it shipped to Sweden! Anyway, completely coincidental here, but I'm going to look at another '55 tomorrow. Now I'm second guessing why I really want it. Because if dad already had one? We'll see what mama says after we get eyes on it I guess.