with license plates from every year since 1915 (minus 1944, which
Livingston said used paper plates). He also has, he added, a box filled
with license plates in the garage next door — behind a home that his
son used to live in.
It’s in the garage next door where Livingston stores his restored
vehicles.
The most noticeable of the three in his main stall is the 1951 red
Mercury, which Livingston said he bought in 2000.
“This was one of the ugliest cars you could’ve picked to fix up,” he
said. “It was a rust bucket from one end to the other.”
Livingston’s son Darrell did the painting on the Mercury, but
Livingston said he worked on the rest of it. The car features a 350
Chevy engine, and has a new dash console and seats from a Buick Park
Avenue.
“It does run,” Livingston pointed out. He drove the car through
the Danish Days parade — along with other members of the Yankton
Antique Auto Association — on July 21 in Viborg.
It’s the other car in this garage that has the most intriguing story,
though, Livingston said.
The 1925 Model T Ford Roadster, in the corner of the garage, was
built by Livingston in 1962 from pieces he tracked down from many
different locations.
The body still has all the original wood. The fenders don’t match.
Livingston said he found the motor and transmission in a grain pile in
someone’s farm, and found other pieces in salvage yards.
“It isn’t perfect, but it’s better than not having one,” he said, with a
smile.
Next to the Model T Roadster is a 1940 Chevrolet pickup with
47,000 miles — that vehicle isn’t driven much, Livingston said.
One Shot Is All
It Could Take!
In an adjacent stall in the garage, Livingston proudly shows off a
1925 Model-T with a steel cab. It has a Volkswagen chassis, he added,
that would allow the car to reach 80 miles per hour.
“But I’ll never get it done,” Livingston said.
The tour isn’t complete, Livingston added, without a look through
his photo album over in his “man cave.” He flipped through the album
and had a story for each photo: Him with cars he rebuilt. Him with
trucks he restored. Him with his wife, Mary Jo. Him working in the
garage or in the body shop.
It’s all part of his story, Livingston said.
It’s all part of his life-long affinity for restoring antique cars. n
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