Bonham -- The Fannin County History Museum's 1918 American LaFrance Fire Engine has stylish company these days now that the Grady Giddiens family has loaned their prized 1936 Ford Four Door Convertible to the museum.

Stories told about the 93-year-old fire engine recount how it was used long past its prime until the brakes kept going out and the fire engine would zoom past bewildered onlookers at the fire.

On Tuesday, there were plenty of fond stories about the '36 Ford convertible which happened to be the first car ever owned by Bailey, Texas native Grady Giddiens. Over the years, this beautiful vehicle has seen its share of weddings, parades and chaperoned first dates.

"I've owned a lot of cars," Mr. Giddiens said as he looked at the classic vehicle now parked inside the Fannin County History Museum, "but never one like that one."

Originally owned by a World War II serviceman shipping out for duty overseas, 17-year-old Grady Giddiens spotted the '36 Ford convertible on a car lot in Greenville, Texas.

Literature about the vehicle states the flathead V-8 is capable of reaching 97mph, a fact that Mr. Giddiens recalled verifying "on several occasions."

As a young bachelor at the time, Giddiens quickly found there was only one real problem with the car.

"I couldn't make it around the Bonham Square without three or four girls jumping in," he says with a chuckle.

"See, that's why you needed a four-door," joked Fannin County Historical Commission member Mike Weber.

Ford manufactured only 5,601 of the 1936 four-door convertibles and approximately 180 of the historic vehicles remain intact. This car had 107,665 original miles on the odometer when it was driven into the Fannin County Museum of History.

Giddiens says there wasn't another car like his '36 convertible in Fannin County, although Bonham service station owner Charles Turbeville had a similar Ford that was one year older.

A prominent area businessman, Giddiens owned groceries in Bailey and Bonham for 44 years. He went to work for Piggly Wiggly when it was located on the northwest corner of the Bonham Square where Dollar General is now located. In 1971, Grady and Joyce Giddiens purchased Piggly Wiggly and operated the grocery store until 1984, when the couple retired.

Fannin County Historical Commission members made room for this newest exhibit by relocating a Moon Bros. Buggy sold by Smith-Moore-Williams to an adjacent room that features a PT-19 that was used at Jones Field in Bonham.

Several members of the Giddiens family were also at the museum to witness family history become a featured exhibit that countless visitors will admire.

"We think this is where it should be," said Ron Giddiens, Grady's son.

So, if you have guests in town for the holidays who would enjoy perusing colorful local history, the Fannin County Museum of History has a new fascinating exhibit, courtesy of the Grady Giddiens family.