Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Jun 26/00) - Sitting behind the wheel of a 1953 Buick Special Eight can do strange things to a person.

As you melt into the divine interior of the car, you imagine the engine purring to life as you and your friend Moondoggie head for sodas and the jukebox. Suddenly, you feel naked and insecure without your poodle skirt, and inwardly you lament the demise of the Greaser and the drive-in.

And then reality sets in and the daydream fades.

You realize that Alain Carriere is talking about how he (not you) came to acquire the most beautiful car in Iqaluit.

"I saw it parked on the side of the road when I was in Saskatchewan. I saw a young guy and I asked him what he was doing with the car," said Carriere, a fan of 1950s Buicks for years.

Owned by the Saskatchewan man's father since the car was manufactured five decades ago, he agreed to sell it to Carriere, a long-time Iqaluit resident.

"I asked him if it was for sale and he asked me how much I'd give him for it."

A price was decided upon -- a steal even by 1950s standards -- and off the Special Eight went to the body shop. In mint condition, Carriere wanted the colour changed from black to its current shade of deep red.

After nine coats of epoxy, primer and paint, Carriere brought the beauty North on the sealift. All 4,000 pounds of chrome and steel have been 100 per cent pleasure ever since.

"How does it handle? Amazing. When you go over the washboard, you don't even feel it. It's very, very smooth. It's like being in a boat," he said.

And as much as Carriere, friends and family love to hop in for a ride during the summer months, the pleasure hasn't been confined to a small group of people. Carriere said he gets positive comments -- and offers of purchase -- on a regular basis.

"The first time I took it out driving, I was going down the road and all we can see is faces with big smiles," said Carriere.

Valued at $25,000, Carriere beams with pride as he points out all the original features. And just when it seemed impossible, his smile got even bigger as he spoke of his next purchase.

"I'm looking at a 1958 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight with a sports engine. It's a convertible," he said. "Next time I go back down south, I'm going to see if I can make a deal."

Perfect -- that leaves just enough time to shine up my saddle shoes and iron my twin-set.