My names is Charles Cali and I live in Calverton, New York.  I was born and raised in the Bronx, NY and moved out to Long Island in 1964.

 

When I was about 15 years old I learned to drive on my grandfather's 1951 Caddy.  At the age of 16 1/2 I bought my first car.  A 1950 Ford coupe, "three on the tree".  By the way, that car cost me $50..00 and it was in great shape.

 

In 1962 I was ready to move up, so I went to see grandpa for a loan to buy a new 1962 Chevy.  Mom and Dad didn't have that kind of money to lay out for me to buy a new car.  Grandpa and I spent a whole day looking at new Chevy's.  At the end of the day grandpa said to me that I should get a Caddy, its a better car.  About a week later here I am with grandpa at a Cadillac Motor Car Division looking at a 1958 Coupe Deville.  At that time there we no "Cadillac Dealers", you bought directly from Cadillac.  The bottom line is that I got the 58 Caddy  for $1,800.00, with tri power, and only 10,000 miles on it...   The car was beautiful, it was like new to me.

 

So that my friends is how I got hooked on Caddy's.  Most of my adult life I have owned Caddy's.  Around 1987 I got the 1930 Buick that you see in the picture with the 76 Eldo.  By the way, the young fellow in the picture is my grandson who's name is also Charlie Cali.   The Buick is also a fun car to drive.  After driving the Buick for a few hours, you come to realize how for the automobile industry has come. 

 

About a year or two later, my son Paul and I bought a 1969 GTO Judge. This was a "turn key" car.   400 ram air, 4 on the floor, racing cam.  To say the least, the car was fast.  Once again, I was 18...lol

 

When I took that car out for a ride I was looking for Vetts, Mustangs, anything that was fast to race.  We had the Judge for about 7 years.  One day I said to my son I think we should sell the Judge.  I'm either going to get in trouble or kill myself in this car...lol    So we sold the Judge and bought a 1976 Caddy Eldorodo, convertible with 4,000 miles on it. 

 

The Caddy today has about 8,300 miles on it... I have won a few shows, and has placed 3rd at a Cadillac Grand National show in its class.  As nice as the Caddy is, my wife Elena, would rather ride in the Buick. 

 

My son Paul also owns a 1982 Caddy Eldo, and my son Scott owns a 1985 Caddy Eldo.  To say the least, I believe that we have kept the family tradition going on with keeping Caddy's and Buick's in the family.