Who is Zelda Grunch? Where is she today? Motor City Garage sure would like to know. 

This photo (above and below) has been in light circulation on the Internet for a few years now, floating around various web fora. Obviously a clipping from a racing paper of the era, it depicts one Zelda Grunch, aka “Miss Stick Shift,” and her ’63 Ford Galaxie Super Stocker.

Beyond that, we are not treated to much info. According to the caption, Ms. Grunch ran out of Reading Ford (Pennsylvania, we presume) and we can see that the Galaxie retains its Monroney sticker in the left rear window, indicating that the car was probably still owned by the dealer.

But that’s pretty much all we’ve got—just enough to generate a tantalizing mystery. And not that we’ve scoured the earth or anything, but we’ve yet to discover any more material.  Maybe this one image is all that exists.

The name Zelda Grunch is intriguing enough. Now, MCG does not wish to appear unchivalrous… certainly, Zelda Grunch is a perfectly lovely name that any young lady would be proud to possess, in 1963 or any other season.  We are only acknowledging the possibility that Zelda Grunch could be a nom de chauffeur, or in this case, chauffeuse. 

MCG hasn’t previously shared this photo with our drag racing friends up East, and among them, this may be no mystery at all. This might be a well-worn tale. If so, great. Please share the story with us, and then we’ll know it, too.  Indeed, if anyone has any further information on Miss Stick Shift, Zelda Grunch, we’d sure love to hear it.