Permobil And The Challenged Community: How the C500 Became The Disabled Enthusiasts' First One-Off

I am one who was born, like a lot of small kids have been, with a physical challenge. In this case, arthrogryposis, and what that is is a condition with a Greek root, "Arthrogryposis"= "Fixed/hooked joints." That's problematic, because having your fingers, elbows and other bodily joints fixed into place keeps you from developing a grip.

Literally, depending on what degree of "AMC" one has, the condition can allow you to be better than any of your able-bodied friends, socially or otherwise. You can work out, go to the races...but then, when it comes to the more simplified tasks, using the restroom independently, taking a shower, self-feeding...these are the physical challenges that arthrogryposis brings about.

So that doesn't mean that I can't walk or bear weight, but I have to use a power chair anyway, because without it, I can only bear weight on my feet for so long. But there's a twist: because I depend on the chair to access my community, each and every one I've ever owned has become my ride.

Ask either of my parents, ask Aaron Baker...ask any of them. As I've said before, my parents' cars were extensions of their personalities; I always felt the same about my power chair. This is why every single power chair I've ever had has resembled the "Kustom" culture, if that's really what that was.

The idea was this: if you can't drive an actual vehicle, then use the one that you already have. For each person, that "vehicle" differs. But when you really start to look into ideologies, you find that there is a saying that's absolutely true: the vehicle is irrelevant. Each person, able-bodied or not, has needs, and those needs are personalized ones. While I needed the Permobil C500, disabled friends like Aaron and our mutual friend, Russel Burke, may have needed a different platform from the same manufacturer.

For me, I went with the power chair that I wanted, because it had the right suspension and battery range. But let's be honest: I also did it, because I was a car guy. I did it, because I knew that between the Permobil 300 and 500, the first was just a stock Malibu, while the latter was a Super Sport.

That may not be completely accurate, since it was my mid-wheeled Quickie, from back in high school, that was supposed to be the "pro-street" build of power chairs. But by the time I had gotten into the Permobil marque, it was clear to everyone, including myself, that what me and a lot of disabled enthusiasts were looking for, was that perfect balance between performance, looks and luxury. That was the same balance that the muscle car movement, for so many years, tried to achieve, and when we couldn't find any other way to translate that to a power chair, Permobil became the only manufacturer who was able to pull it off.