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Rachel M. Veitch never forgot the day her husband brought home her “Chariot.” It was a brand new 1964 Mercury Comet “Caliente.” She hadn’t seen the car before he signed for it, but she instantly fell in love with the yellow four-door. She was thrilled it had all the latest features: an automatic transmission, power steering, and air conditioning. That marriage only lasted until 1972, but Rachel kept “Chariot” for 53 years. She put 567,000 miles on the Mercury, and happily saved thousands of dollars by driving it.

The original car cost $3,289. That wasn’t cheap in the 1960s. But Rachel quickly decided she’d keep Chariot as long as possible. So every time she swapped a part, she splurged on a replacement with a lifetime guarantee.

When it came time to replace the muffler, she found the best Midas she could and paid for the lifetime guarantee. When it wore out, she went back to Midas. Again and again. She’s had eight of them put on Chariot–for the cost of one.

When Chariot needed shock absorbers, she went to Sears and paid $85 for a premium set with–you guessed it–a lifetime warranty. In the past 500,000 miles she’s had three sets of those.

When Rachel needed a new battery she went to the JC Penny’s department store because they were offering batteries with a lifetime warranty. Even though the department store no longer has an automotive section, it honors her warranty and pays for a battery from Firestone whenever she needs hers replaced. And that’s good because Chariot has needed 18 batteries over the decades.

Rachel brags that the “Caliente” trim truly means Chariot is hot. With a 4.3-liter V8, Chariot never leaves her wanting for power. In fact, she says she’s has had the car up to 120 mph and kept it there for over a mile before deciding, “Gosh” and slowing down.

Even in her 90s, Rachel didn’t hesitate to take the car out for 3,000-mile roadtrips. She even took Chariot home to the original factory in Dearborn Michigan for the car’s “birthday party.”

It helped that the car’s cruise control works and the air conditioning still blew cold. Rachel said she never wanted to stop driving, and often took the scenic route, just to discover what’s around the next bend. Sadly, when her vision deteriorated she was forced to give up driving Chariot.

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.