Known affectionately as `Edna' this 1947 Plymouth Special DeLuxe sedan has been a member of the Kline family since it was purchased brand new by Edna Kline. With 86,000 miles showing on the odometer, the car is all original, save for a paint job.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Mike Kline, the proud owner of `Edna' fell in love with the car when he was a little boy. At age 10, he boldly asked his great aunt if he could have the car when she was done with it and, sensing his passion for the Plymouth, she said yes.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Since Aunt Edna was a woman of diminuitive size, she required a brocade pillow to boost her high enough to see over the big steering wheel. The Plymouth does not leave home without the pillow, or the car's repair manual, on board.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Wouldn't it be great if we all had our own model versions of our favorite cars? Mike Kline achieved that look by using a computer technique known as "tilt shift" on this shot of `Edna.'
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Mike Kline / Courtesy
`Commodious' is the term that springs to mind when the doors of the '47 Plymouth sedan are opened wide, front doors to the front, rear doors to the rear.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
`Edna's' stylish dashboard is finished in faux gray woodgrain; the only replacement part is a new ignition switch, which became necessary when the original keys were lost.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The big 3-spoke steering wheel was necessary for a heavy car with no power steering; the shift was a fairly stand `three on the tree.'
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Kline says the vertical pushbutton AM radio still works, on occasion. He likes to load vintage big band tunes on his i-Pod to create the right mood when he goes cruising in `Edna.'
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The original mohair upholstery still covers the expanse of the back seat and looks great, considering it's 64 years old.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
The rear window sills show virtually no wear in the car, with the hand-painted woodgraining in perfect condition. Note the unusual Bakelite knobs and escutcheons on the window and door controls.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Rear seat passengers had their entry and egress aided by beautifully trimmed straps, also fastened with like-new Bakelite knobs.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Power is provided by the trusty 217 cubic inch flathead 6-cylinder engine, producing 95 horsepower. To the best of Mike Kline's knowledge, the engine has never been rebuilt.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Plymouth's trademarked Mayflower emblem appears almost in 3D in the clear see-through hood ornament.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
A friend gave Mike Kline a hard-to-find 1947 Kansas license tag for `Edna.' There's hardly a blemish on the four horizontal grille bars even after 64 years of travel on the state's streets and roads.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
Although the P-15 model Plymouth had tail lights mounted in both rear fenders, they did not function as brake lights. That task was left to the center-mounted light of the trunk emblem.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
`Edna' gets around town on a set of reproduction BF Goodrich Silvertown tires; the original wheels, hubcaps and trim rings show the level of care the Plymouth received from her original owner.
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Mike Berry / The Wichita Eagle
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