We’re barely out of the 1940s–1952, to be exact–and this lovely lady is presaging the Sixties already by wearing cut-off jeans shorts, no doubt called “dungarees” at that time. She’s a missus, too: Mrs. Linda Plannette. Looks like a sunny but cool Spring day in Southern California, judging by the long sleeves. My guess is that she didn’t traipse around in cut-offs all the time. Likely, her husband Paul Plannette, wanted to take a picture of the Merc and said, “Hey, how about a little cheesecake in the photo, huh?” Check out the big fat palm tree in the background.
Text in this Popular Mechanics piece says that
Mrs. Linda Plannette…is a spare-time Los Angeles mechanic. She and her husband put together the souped-up car, using a standard Mercury frame, shortened by 18 inches and a stock 1949 Mercury engine.
The guys over at Jalopy Journal say she looks like Geena Davis. I had to pull up a picture of the actress because it’s not a face that I have in my memory banks. My evaluation: sure, a little bit. Davis’ is a standard-issue attractive face. It’s not worth posting her picture; you can Google her.
I’d love to know what became of Linda Plannette. Is she sitting in a nursing home in Indio as we speak? Or not? My parents who are in their 80s are still going strong at their own place, no elderly people are they. Mrs. Plannette would be their age or a bit younger.
Source: Popular Mechanics, June 1952
