[Dan in Pasadena]

My Dad custom ordered his first and only brand new car in 1955. It was a black '55 Chevrolet two door hardtop with cream and red-orange interior. He didn't want one of those unproven "new" small block V8's (!) he wanted a "reliable" engine; bought the 235 straight six cylinder with three speed overdirve. I dont know what the price was brand new but it wasn't cheap for those days.

Now, my Dad was a construction worker. A journeyman union "bricklayer" in the parlance of the day. Since we are Hispanic and he worked in the sun all day he was brown as could be and wore a work cap (like a baseball cap but with no writing on it in those days) so he had a white tan line across his forehead. He went to pick up the car one night after work. My uncle who also worked construction dropped him off at the dealership in his work truck, a 40 Ford - just a ratty truck in those days.

They directed him to the part department! He said he was there to pick up his new car and they re-directed him to the service department. He couldn't get anyone to take his money. He took a cab home, called the dealership and when he said he wanted to talk to the owner they asked him his name and when he said "Estrada" they hung up on him! Of course they took his money when he ordered it but they didn't want any trade with "one of THOSE people". It took him a long time to get them to talk to him and that was after threatening to sue them for his deposit.