What year did you join HRR?
2017
Do you have any other family members in HRR?
Matt Wilson – Husband
Guy Wilson – Father-in-law
Cindy Wilson – Mother-in-law
What would you like to share about yourself?
I am married to HRR Webmaster Matt Wilson. We have one son and two dogs. I am a librarian at Mount Juliet Christian Academy. I also coach Air Rifle and I am a Red Advance Belt in taekwondo.
What vehicles do you currently own?
We own several vehicles, but I consider them my husband’s as I only drive two on a regular basis: the 1996 Nissan truck and the 2011 Nissan Cube, which is my daily driver. Not everyone is a fan of the Cube, but I l.o.v.e. my Cube! I can fit anything inside of it. It sits up high. The cup holders are awesome! It turns on a dime. It gets excellent gas mileage. We also recently purchased my dream car: a 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX SE. It’s my husband’s next fixer-upper. I’m looking forward to cruising around with the T-tops off, a ’90s playlist going, and trying to figure out how to manage a Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke without a cup holder.
What has been your favorite car that you’ve owned?
1971 Pontiac LeMans
1980s Datsun pick up king cab
Late 1980s Ford Ranger truck extended cab
1988 Nissan Pulsar NX SE
1990 Nissan Sentra
1996 Nissan pick up
1999 Nissan Sentra
2002 Nissan Quest van
2005 Nissan Sentra
2011 Nissan Cube
Ugh! This is hard. The ’71 LeMans was the car that brought me home from the hospital and 16 years later I learned how to drive a stick shift in it. The late ’80s Ford Ranger truck was the first vehicle I drove solo in. The ’90 Nissan Sentra was MY first car. My 2011 Nissan Cube turns on a dime. But my favorite car from the list is my 1988 Pulsar.
Do you have a car story to share?
It was time for me to take my driving test and get my driver’s license. I had shared with my parents that my other 16-year-old friends had not been allowed to drive a car solo at least a week after they had received their licenses. So I had asked to get to drive alone on the very day I received my license. My parents kept saying, “We’ll see.” The day I passed my driving test and received my license, my dad let me drive him home. We were in the late ’80s Ford Ranger pick up truck. We pulled into the driveway and my dad said to just let him hop out. I was confused; we were home, why wasn’t I pulling into the garage? My dad got out of the passenger seat, pulled a $20 from his pocket and said, “Now go out and get me a Captain’s Platter at Captain D’s.” This was significant because 1. We had to pass the Captain D’s on the way home; 2. My dad trusted me enough to let me go out alone in less than an hour from receiving my license; and 3. I got bragging rights with my friends!
Whenever people asked me: “What car will Matt fix up for you?” I would reply with: “A Nissan Pulsar!” The responses included a range of incredulity: “Good luck finding THAT!” or “Why would anyone want a Pulsar?” Matt kept telling me I’d better pick another car because finding a Pulsar was going to be difficult. Enter my father-in-law, Guy Wilson. He laughed when I told him what I wanted but he didn’t make fun of me either. He spent the next day finding me the car my 16-year-old self truly wanted.
It was a Saturday. I was at school doing my air rifle coaching gig. Matt kept texting me, asking when I would be home. It was unusual, especially since I coach every Saturday and he knew what time I would be home. He wouldn’t tell me what he wanted, except to hurry home after practice. As I entered the house, Matt stepped away from the kitchen table, revealing his laptop screen open to a Craigslist page for a black 1988 Nissan Pulsar. I immediately burst into tears because I knew Guy had found me a car. Matt watched my reaction and said, “I needed to know if you really wanted it.” Yes, Matt, I really, really, really want a Pulsar. Matt called the owner and arranged for a meet up the next day in Jackson, TN. Then he called his dad to tell him about my reaction.
The owner was a collector of unusual cars. He said he wanted something new and needed to make room in his garage. Matt and I both took turns driving the car. I gave it a thumbs up. Matt looked at the car and started a mental list of the work that needed to be done. I looked at the car and started a mental list of songs to go on a Pulsar Playlist. We bought the car, filled up the tank, and headed back to Mt. Juliet. In less than 24 hours, I had my dream car. As I followed Matt back, my heart would do a little pitter patter every time those slanted break lights would come on. Those lines are what attracted me to the car back in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s.
It’s been about 18 months since that whirlwind weekend. I’ve shampooed the upholstery, tightened bolts, read the manual, demanded silver wheels, and, yes, even picked out songs for a Pulsar Playlist. I’ve whispered “I love you” to the car while rubbing the hood. I’ve learned to listen to the car so I can tell Matt when it makes a funny noise. I’ve watched people look quizzically at the car, trying to figure out what kind of car it is. Through it all, I’ve had a grin splitting my face with happiness.
