Anson Renshaw, a real estate valuation officer from Mesa, Arizona, has a unique classic car story. It's not about a muscle car he lusted after in his youth, but a luxurious Buick Wildcat passed down from a very special woman – his grandma, Sarah Renshaw.
Renshaw's earliest memories of the car are from his childhood in Anchorage, Alaska. A towering seafoam green beauty that dwarfed him, piloted by his stylish grandma, Sarah. She wasn't your typical grandmother – a chain-smoking, cat-eye glasses wearing woman who defied expectations. She made her own money, even owning a gold mine with her husband, LeVake. And in 1966, at the age of 54, she walked into a Buick dealership and declared, "That one," pointing at the Wildcat on display.
This wasn't just any car. In the 1960s, Buicks held the prestige of today's Lexus – a luxurious step up from the ordinary, but not quite a Rolls Royce. For Sarah, it was a statement piece, a "hot rod" as Renshaw fondly calls it, that turned heads at family gatherings, especially amongst the envious male relatives.
For 28 years, the Wildcat faithfully served Sarah as her daily driver. It was a constant presence in Renshaw's life, a symbol of his strong-willed grandmother. In 1994, as dementia began to cloud her memory, Sarah offered the car to Anson, a pivotal moment that solidified the Wildcat's place in the family history.
The timing couldn't have been more perfect. A Kansas State University student at the time, Renshaw was struck by the synchronicity – the university's mascot, a Wildcat, mirrored the emblem on the car's hood. With a mere 6,993 miles on the odometer, the pristine Wildcat became Renshaw's responsibility.
The car became a cherished family heirloom. Renshaw meticulously maintained it, ensuring the Wildcat remained a time capsule. He meticulously stored it in garages, protecting it from Alaska's harsh winters. Every birthday, his sons, Milton and Lloyd, would be photographed next to the car, a tradition that documented their growth alongside the Wildcat's legacy.
Two years ago, Renshaw relocated to Arizona. The scorching desert climate presented a new challenge for the Alaskan-bred car. Yet, the Wildcat adapted, becoming a source of pride for victory laps after Kansas State football wins.
This past winter, a significant milestone approached – the 10,000th mile mark. To celebrate, Renshaw threw a mini-party with his sons, complete with apple cider champagne. Remarkably, the car reached this milestone with most of its original parts, a testament to Sarah's care and Renshaw's meticulous preservation. Even the tires, thanks to the long Alaskan winters spent tucked away in garages, retained some of their original 1966 Alaskan air!
Today, the Wildcat remains a source of joy for the Renshaw family. The boys are eager to take the wheel someday, but for now, it's a reminder of their great-great-grandmother, a woman who defied stereotypes and left behind a luxurious, seafoam green legacy on wheels. When Renshaw takes his nieces and nephews for a ride, he shares a piece of family history, a connection that transcends generations, all thanks to a remarkable car and the unforgettable woman who owned it first.
