Bloomington man still doctoring old convertible

When it comes to cars, Leland Matthews likes to get his money's worth.

He keeps them around, and racks up the miles.

The black-over-red 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible the Bloomington obstetrician bought new while in medical school is still in his garage, 210,000 miles later.

And he just put 1,800 miles on a 15-year-old van during a family vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina. His other car, a more modern version of his classic Cutlass — convertible, same color — is Matthews' daily ride.

But sometimes, on a perfect blue-sky day, you will see the 37-year-old Cutlass parked outside his First Street office. And if he's called out to deliver a baby, "the people at the hospital parking lot, they know the car," he said.

The car was originally gold with a black top, purchased when he and his wife traded in her old Chevrolet. A year later, when he had finished his medical internship and was about to enter the U.S. Navy, the couple set off on a cross-country road trip. She was pregnant, and they knew their carefree days were numbered.

"We drove from Indiana to California and back and had the top down all the way," he recalled. "We knew we would never have the time or the money to do anything like that again. Our skin was kind of leathery, but we have great, fond memories of that trip."

It was low budget travel. "We were staying in fleabag motels along the way, so when we stopped in Las Vegas, we splurged and spent $12," Matthews said.

Through the years, the Cutlass has been a dependable vehicle. The engine has been rebuilt, he's replaced the convertible top several times and there's some rust here and there. His three sons have enjoyed driving it.

Matthews never thought he'd still have the car after nearly 40 years.

"I'm not big on discarding things, and cars don't usually last that long," he said. "It's a big, solid car, a very safe car because they made them better back then. And it's fun to drive."

He's been driving the car less and less as time goes an, and is considering selling. "I'm just not using it as much as it needs to be driven, and I kind of need the garage space for another car," he said.

"But I've been dragging my feet. It's like a part of the family."

Got a story to tell about a car or truck? Call 331-4362, send an e-mail to lane@heraldt.com or a letter to My Favorite Ride, P.O. Box 909, Bloomington, 47402.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington man still doctoring old convertible