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I started looking for a project to play with since I had fond memories of restoring a 68 Firebird as a teenager with my father. I wanted a convertible and something large enough to put the wife and kids in to drive down to the beach or just around town. After looking at ALOT of different models, I just fell in love with the Cutlass. I searched online, ebay, traderonline.com and just about any other sites with old cars. I found a 70 convertible in Maryland, and took the wife to look at it. As the guy came out of the house to show it to me in his cutoff jeans, work boots and a mullet, he proceeded to climb in and onto the trunk to throw the top up to show me how it worked. Of course there was a boom box in the engine compartment and a massive wooden speaker box sitting in the rear seat. The car needed new panels all around, new door skins, and you could see the grass through the trunk. Then he told me that he bent one of the valves when he pegged it driving to work a few nights back. He wanted $6500, and was insulted when I didn't want to buy it. Then he made a remark about not wanting to sell to white people because they didn't want to work.
My wife reassured me to wait until I found some grandfather who was just cleaning out his garage, and the next week I saw an ad for my 69. The guy was 86 years old, and the original owner. He even gave me the window sticker. He was selling it because it needed ball joints, and wouldn't pass inspection, and he preferred to drive his 280ZX. I only has a few minor rust issues, and the repaint was shedding the clearcoat. I brought it home that day. Engine and drivetrain are all original with 114K miles. I am getting ready for the bodywork to bring it up to terrific. I can't wait to get it back on the road.
Ken
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