There isn’t much hustle and bustle in Portal, Arizona, and that’s the whole point. It’s a refuge where people go to escape the big city. In fact, if it weren’t for the WiFi, visitors would be completely disconnected from electronic communication, since cell signal is nonexistent.
The area, located in the southeast corner of Arizona about a four-hour drive from Phoenix, is commonly referred to as “Arizona’s Yosemite” because of the dramatic rock formations that mirror those of California’s popular national park. Towering west of town are the Chiricahua Mountains of Chiricahua National Monument – the highest peak reaching 9,773 feet. The area is popular among the birdwatching community for its nearly 300 aviary species, and the stargazing is reportedly brilliant thanks to minimal light pollution.
While not trying to sound like a promotional brochure, it’s sufficient to say that I greatly enjoyed an overnight stay in the area. My friend Jason – traveling from El Paso, Texas – met up with me in Portal to stay at the Portal Peak Lodge, a spot that has welcomed visitors to its 16-room motel since 1928. On the same property are a country store and a restaurant. And just up the street, you’ll find the post office and a library. That’s the extent of “downtown.”
1950 Chevrolet
Adding to the charm of the settlement a faded green 1950 Chevrolet Styleline Deluxe two-door welcomes you, and I could tell it had a lot of stories under its belt. The distinctive front grille, split windshield, body style and trim were all consistent with Chevrolet’s first post-WWII redesign.
I did a walk-around to admire some of the details. The car’s paint is blistering on the upper panels, but the body is straight and relatively rust-free for being 75 years old. The car is decked out with plenty of accessories, including dual spotlights, a windshield visor and extensive brightwork. The decklid reads “Power Glide” – a reference, of course, to its automatic transmission. Under the hood is a 235ci inline-six, an engine Chevrolet rated at 105 horsepower when new. It became known in later years as the “Blue Flame” six.
A sticker in the windshield dated June 2003 indicates that the car came from Massachusetts. A placard glued underneath the passenger window trim reads “Gianfriddo’s Cruise for MDA 11th Anniversary. 2000 Most Obnoxious Horn.” How fun is that? If only we could have heard that horn. There is also a worn-out AAA sticker next to a placard for Riley’s Framingham. Turns out this has to do with a place called Riley’s Roast Beef, which was a busy spot for classic-car enthusiasts in Framingham, Massachusetts. The popularity died down over 20 years ago.
Jason and I were visiting Portal in two cars that were vastly different from the Styleline: white right-hand-drive Honda Integra Type-Rs (mine from 1996; Jason’s from 2002). But it seemed appropriate to capture a few photos with the Chevy as souvenirs from our trip. I gave a salute to the classic Styleline on our way out of town, and I hope that at some point it gets revived and driven, because it’s clear the car hasn’t accrued any miles recently.
By the way, the Portal Peak store – along with the 2.8 acres of land it sits on – is apparently listed for sale for $875,000. The listing says that an RV is included but mentions nothing about the classic Chevy. Direct your inquiries here!