Original Owner Picture...too cool!
#1
Original Owner Picture...too cool!
I got blown away yesterday when I got an email from the 2nd owner of my 442. I spoke to him last about 1 1/2 yrs ago when I was tracing the history of the car. At the time, he mentioned he thought he had a photo of the car w/ his buddy (the original owner) "somewhere around the house". Of course, I urged him to please try and find it, I'd pay for it, etc... Well, all this time goes by and I figure...crap.
Then the attached shows up! According to him, this is around 1975 or 76 about the time the 2nd owner took ownership of the car. The original owner is the guy on the far left, a seed farmer from Iowa. The car had 17k miles on it!!! Notice the redline tires are still on it!!
Had to share, thought it was pretty cool.
Post any other original owner car shots.
Then the attached shows up! According to him, this is around 1975 or 76 about the time the 2nd owner took ownership of the car. The original owner is the guy on the far left, a seed farmer from Iowa. The car had 17k miles on it!!! Notice the redline tires are still on it!!
Had to share, thought it was pretty cool.
Post any other original owner car shots.
#2
That's pretty cool. As for the SS1s, I read here not too long ago that these were not originally available (at least not from the factory) on 68s? Not trying to open up a can of worms, as I was surprised to hear that myself. Yet the redlines on the car suggest they were on the car since new? Or merely that the dealer who sold it or original owner put them on at some point?
#3
Now that's just too cool! Keep that picture forever, fourspeedbench! You will always enjoy it! Not only the second owner, but the original owner as well - that's great!
The picture on my avatar was taken of me waxing my dad's 442 (my car now) on my 18th birthday, about a month after my dad bought the car used with 8000 miles on it in February 1969. The only thing we know about my dad's car before he had it was that the local Oldsmobile dealer's wife drove it around town in Coos Bay, OR, and it had white line tires and wire wheel covers. Coos Bay is a fairly small town so everyone knew the car and who she was. When dad bought the car, he found the original window sticker and carbon shipping order in the glove box - the car was originally shipped to Wenatchee, WA. How it got from Wenatchee WA to Coos Bay OR in about a 10 month time frame, no one knows.
As far as the SSI wheels go, all the literature indicates that SSIs were not a factory option and that they were installed after the car arrived at the dealership. I've heard the same thing about the reclining passenger bucket seat for the '69 model year. If a person wanted the reclining bucket seat in his '69 Cutlass or 442 (it wasn't a factory option in '69), that person got his '69 with '68 bucket seats on both the driver and passenger (reclining) side (seat back release latch on the side instead of the middle of the back), installed at the dealership. It would have been real easy to do if the person wanted to spend the money.
Again, that picture is just too cool!
Randy C.
The picture on my avatar was taken of me waxing my dad's 442 (my car now) on my 18th birthday, about a month after my dad bought the car used with 8000 miles on it in February 1969. The only thing we know about my dad's car before he had it was that the local Oldsmobile dealer's wife drove it around town in Coos Bay, OR, and it had white line tires and wire wheel covers. Coos Bay is a fairly small town so everyone knew the car and who she was. When dad bought the car, he found the original window sticker and carbon shipping order in the glove box - the car was originally shipped to Wenatchee, WA. How it got from Wenatchee WA to Coos Bay OR in about a 10 month time frame, no one knows.
As far as the SSI wheels go, all the literature indicates that SSIs were not a factory option and that they were installed after the car arrived at the dealership. I've heard the same thing about the reclining passenger bucket seat for the '69 model year. If a person wanted the reclining bucket seat in his '69 Cutlass or 442 (it wasn't a factory option in '69), that person got his '69 with '68 bucket seats on both the driver and passenger (reclining) side (seat back release latch on the side instead of the middle of the back), installed at the dealership. It would have been real easy to do if the person wanted to spend the money.
Again, that picture is just too cool!
Randy C.
#6
Very cool picture indeed! I wish I heard back from Lady's former owners...
On the flip side, my mom has pictures of my old ford, with me next to it, when I was 8 years old! Need to get a copy of that one.
On the flip side, my mom has pictures of my old ford, with me next to it, when I was 8 years old! Need to get a copy of that one.
#8
Thanks. Yes, was not planning to re-open the whole "SS1s in 68" deal again, that's why I posted this in a separate thread. However, As I've stated previously, I believe the early 68's produced in latter months of 67 (as discussed previously) had SS1...we just have not pinned down a changeover date.
Nonetheless, the photo is a cool piece of history to add to the car's documentation.
Nonetheless, the photo is a cool piece of history to add to the car's documentation.
#9
I got blown away yesterday when I got an email from the 2nd owner of my 442. I spoke to him last about 1 1/2 yrs ago when I was tracing the history of the car. At the time, he mentioned he thought he had a photo of the car w/ his buddy (the original owner) "somewhere around the house". Of course, I urged him to please try and find it, I'd pay for it, etc... Well, all this time goes by and I figure...crap.
Then the attached shows up! According to him, this is around 1975 or 76 about the time the 2nd owner took ownership of the car. The original owner is the guy on the far left, a seed farmer from Iowa. The car had 17k miles on it!!! Notice the redline tires are still on it!!
Had to share, thought it was pretty cool.
Post any other original owner car shots.
Then the attached shows up! According to him, this is around 1975 or 76 about the time the 2nd owner took ownership of the car. The original owner is the guy on the far left, a seed farmer from Iowa. The car had 17k miles on it!!! Notice the redline tires are still on it!!
Had to share, thought it was pretty cool.
Post any other original owner car shots.
You'll have to read though the previous posts on this, as your questions were covered there.
#10
Those pics are so neat!!! I would love to have something like that - her previous owner just doesn't care to talk to me, I guess. Hang on to those pics - it's really nice to have a piece of history!!
#12
Kurt, I did read that thread, through. Not sure anything is made definitive therein, and regardless, doesn't answer the question as to how those rims got on that car specifically. Perhaps I shouldn't have brought it up, haw haw! They look good on the car, either way.
#13
D@mnn! Just too cool! Wish I could find something like that!
About time I jumped on the forum again- been having a nightmare with my back- still on muscle relaxers & cortisone. Real bummer!
Congrats on a great find!
Ralph
About time I jumped on the forum again- been having a nightmare with my back- still on muscle relaxers & cortisone. Real bummer!
Congrats on a great find!
Ralph
#16
That's pretty cool. I bought my '69 from the second owner, who provided the original window sticker and broadcast card, along with an envelope with the original owners name on it. I was never able to track him down. The closest that I got was a cousin that said that he had just disappeared years ago, and no one had heard from him.
#18
#20
Thanks for all the nice comments. I would encourage any of you who have not tried to contact an original owner or previous owner...you really should. Unfortunately, time is not on our side. I have traced several of my cars back and have (most of the time) been pleased with the response. Many are blown away that "the old car is still out there!!??" To 1969w31's point, trying other relatives can work. On my GTX I thought I had hit a cold trail when I was 4 owners back and was speaking to the father of the 5th owner who said his son recently died (tough conversation as you can imagine). So I figured that's it. Then the father said, perhaps his brother might remember something, though he was only eleven when the older brother owned the GTX. I tried the younger brother...and Bam! He recalled the car very well and even who his brother sold the car to! My trail then went on 3 more owners! So hang in there!
#21
Nice pic- and you will notice that it has it's original GT Y70 stripe on it...looks like a black stripe...on a one colour car it goes up over the side windows and forward to the windshield
#22
Yep, but interestingly enough, does not show on the window sticker? My red GT stripes were added by a previous owner (not correct), but I like them.
#24
What is the build month/week from the body tag?
#25
Original owners in March 1976 with the car just picked up from the dealer. I bought the car off them in March 1979.
CarsOriginalowners.jpg
CarsOriginalowners2.jpg
CarsOriginalowners3.jpg
CarsOriginalowners4.jpg
April1976.jpg
First day of my ownership March 22, 1979
car1979.jpg
Today:
DSC_5077.jpg
DSC_4914.jpg
CarsOriginalowners.jpg
CarsOriginalowners2.jpg
CarsOriginalowners3.jpg
CarsOriginalowners4.jpg
April1976.jpg
First day of my ownership March 22, 1979
car1979.jpg
Today:
DSC_5077.jpg
DSC_4914.jpg
#28
That's a classic pic 4speedBench. Sure it wasn't photo-shopped? Like delete John Deere / insert Oldsmobile
I tracked my old 69 Road Runner back through 3 owners using facebook of all things, but the guy who I bought the Olds off won't even give me the previous owners name. Shame cos like you I enjoy checking out the history of my cars. Great that the guy stuck by his word and dug it up for you
Hey Ken...I just noticed. There's a friggin' dog in the back seat of your car the day the previous owners picked it up from the dealership (either that or that couple had one ugly kid back there)
I tracked my old 69 Road Runner back through 3 owners using facebook of all things, but the guy who I bought the Olds off won't even give me the previous owners name. Shame cos like you I enjoy checking out the history of my cars. Great that the guy stuck by his word and dug it up for you
Hey Ken...I just noticed. There's a friggin' dog in the back seat of your car the day the previous owners picked it up from the dealership (either that or that couple had one ugly kid back there)
Last edited by Col Wickham; January 12th, 2011 at 04:12 AM.
#31
I'm the second registered owner,but the actual third owner of my car (friend bought it in BC. and drove it back without registering it.),so I have the original owners name. However she is deceased and I've been unable to locate any of her family to date. So no pictures from new yet.
#33
That's a classic pic 4speedBench. Sure it wasn't photo-shopped? Like delete John Deere / insert Oldsmobile
I tracked my old 69 Road Runner back through 3 owners using facebook of all things, but the guy who I bought the Olds off won't even give me the previous owners name. Shame cos like you I enjoy checking out the history of my cars. Great that the guy stuck by his word and dug it up for you
Hey Ken...I just noticed. There's a friggin' dog in the back seat of your car the day the previous owners picked it up from the dealership (either that or that couple had one ugly kid back there)
I tracked my old 69 Road Runner back through 3 owners using facebook of all things, but the guy who I bought the Olds off won't even give me the previous owners name. Shame cos like you I enjoy checking out the history of my cars. Great that the guy stuck by his word and dug it up for you
Hey Ken...I just noticed. There's a friggin' dog in the back seat of your car the day the previous owners picked it up from the dealership (either that or that couple had one ugly kid back there)
#36
Here's a picture of my car taken by its first owner in 1972 in Istanbul, Turkey. He does not appear in the photo as he was shooting it. Those riding in the car are his wife and two kids.
See that little one in the back (now about 50)? I found him on Facebook last summer and sent him a message with this photo. He remembered the photo and asked me how did I get it. I told him I got it from his father.
He was amazed to know that the car is still out there and drove some 50 miles to have a look at it. I offered him a ride and he insisted on sitting in the back. A ton of memories must have flashed in his mind during the short ride and he was extremely pleased. He said he will bring his "little" brother along next time.
Getting hold of this photo triggered the idea of making my website. Gaps in car's history are still there and are being researched.
See that little one in the back (now about 50)? I found him on Facebook last summer and sent him a message with this photo. He remembered the photo and asked me how did I get it. I told him I got it from his father.
He was amazed to know that the car is still out there and drove some 50 miles to have a look at it. I offered him a ride and he insisted on sitting in the back. A ton of memories must have flashed in his mind during the short ride and he was extremely pleased. He said he will bring his "little" brother along next time.
Getting hold of this photo triggered the idea of making my website. Gaps in car's history are still there and are being researched.
#37
My original owner pics -- only my story is in REVERSE of most of yours --The first pics are original owner pics (me) and the last "unnerving" shot is of the car today = as it sits in a delapidated garage rotting away! I just cannot convince the present owner to let it "return" to its original owner!
Woe is me!! UGH!
Woe is me!! UGH!
#38
Great pic of your car from the wayback machine! It is real nice that he sent you that picture...
I actually know the original owner of mine!.....ME. lol. Bought mine in June of '68. BTW it came with steelies and dog dishes.
GOG
I actually know the original owner of mine!.....ME. lol. Bought mine in June of '68. BTW it came with steelies and dog dishes.
GOG
#39
Here are a few of my car dated April 1970 one month after the car was delivered also one of the original owner standing by the car. You can see the dealer frames where the car was purchased too. I have tons of original stuff on my car even the letter when it was repossessed by the bank. Mine had steelies and dog dish too.
Lee
1970 olds
1971 olds
1970 vists
Lee
1970 olds
1971 olds
1970 vists
Last edited by leepear; April 16th, 2011 at 08:41 PM.