101-year-old Michigan woman still drove a 1930s car and kept it running herself
Published on Sep 02, 2025 at 3:19 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Sep 02, 2025 at 2:12 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A 101-year-old woman from Michigan loved her vehicle so much that she still drove a 1930s car and kept it running herself.
A profile shared by The New York Times saw them speak to Margaret Dunning, a 101-year-old lady who was born in 1910 and who happened to live next to one Henry Ford.
She learned to drive at a very young age. It was this that kick-started her love for cars and all things automotive.
That love still saw her drive around and look after her pride and joy, a 1930 Packard Roadster that is in immaculate condition.
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How Margaret came to love cars and driving
Margaret revealed she began driving at the age of eight.
It was that, plus her neighbor being Henry Ford, that fueled her love of cars.
During World War II, Margaret actually volunteered as part of Plymouth’s Red Cross motor pool, driving a truck throughout the conflict.
Despite the conflict, her love of cars never wavered, even as she got older.
Her pride and joy was her 1930 Packard Roadster, a truly beautiful-looking car that was preserved immaculately.
Even in her later years, Margaret loved to maintain the car herself.
She said that she loved to do the oil changes and spark plug changes, as well as keep the car clean.
Margaret loved to keep her 1930s car clean and polished
In the interview, she also said she loved to spend days just cleaning up her car and getting it to shine.
The full interview was conducted by The New York Times and is viewable on their YouTube channel.
In that interview, she said her car had a few marks on it, but we struggled to see any!
The car was immaculate, and under the hood, she said it had a big, straight engine, which was very impressive for the time.
Sadly, Margaret passed away just before her 105th birthday.
What she showed, however, is that cars and motoring are for everyone of all ages and walks of life.
The love and care she had for cars, and her Packard in particular, was truly heartwarming.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
