Frank3

What are your opinions on this .
Local dealer , still in business , added Suttel name on trunk lid left side , and a star on the right side . Of course back in '68 emblems all had holes , and I'm doing body work on the lid this weekend and can't decide on filling the holes , or getting the things re-chromed at some point .
It's not a restoration at this point , more of a resto-mod cross between Ram Rod and H/O , but someday might go back , mostly .

allyolds68

If you really want it on there weld up the holes, cut the studs off the dealer emblem and stick it on with 3M double sided tape

starfire

I would keep the dealer badge, but lose the star.

MDchanic

I hate dealer badges now, and I hated them then.

I think they're visual pollution and ruin the lines of the car.

Unless it's unusually pretty or weird, I'd leave it off.

- Eric

Allan R

X2. First thing I did when I got my new car - off with the badging. It's just a form of cheap advertising on your car for their profit. Ditchit!

rocketraider

That star is what made Suttle's badging unique. They were using it as early as 1961; my uncle's 61 Ninety Eight is the first car I remember seeing it on. Latest car I've seen wearing it was a mid-80s Cutlass.

So natcherly I say keep it if it's in good shape.

I've freaked several owners at National Meets when I told them where the car was sold new without seeing anything other than the trunk star.

I will usually leave a chrome badge in good shape as part of the car's provenance. I do not like decals, generic-styled plastic stick-on badges or cheap plastic license frames.

1970cs

All of my vehicles do not have dealer markings! X2 on cheap advertising!
I usually ask the dealer to take off the sticker or plate trim, and they always say why? My reply is give me $100 per year for advertising for you and it can stay, my cars always seem to leave the dealership without dealer markings!

Pat

oldcutlass

The only time I like the dealer badging on an old car is if it were the old metal type and it was part of the history of the car.

firefrost gold

I like them also what is that white gt40 looking thing in the back ground?

GAOldsman

Personally I like the look and it shows a bit of history about the car. Unless it was bought used by a dealer and then the used car dealer put it on, then no. Just my .02 of course, but to each his/her own.

D. Yaros

When I was able to buy a car brand new, I specifically had it written in the purchase contract that it was to bear no dealer advertising. On the day I went to pick it up from the dealer they asked me to inspect it. The salesman then asked if everything was ok. I said yes, expect for the dealer decal on the back. I will not accept the car. Fortunately, it was only a decal, had been freshly applied and was easily removed.

ThePackRat

Been there done that.

I guess that pretty much shed's the light on my opinion.

lshlsh2

I'm of 2 minds, I hate dealer badging and take it off of all my cars. However if it survived 44 years in good condition on the back of my car I would be tempted to keep it. I would hate to **** off the car gods by taking it off.

Larry

fdwheelman

I don't keep the badging on my car either. However, I probably would have that one sent off and then keep it with the car, just not on the car.

Frank3

My dad says to take off the Suttle , and leave the star . He said somebody told him where his '70 Coupe DeVille came from at a show just from the star . He knew , His dad bought it new just before he died .
The Cutlass was bought new from Suttle by my Grandmother , so I may keep the stinking badges .
The urge to shave all of it off is strong - the S , Cutlass , and Olds emblems would all come off if it were any other car .
I don't generally leave them on anything but .... oh well !
Thanks for the comments !

And the GT40 looking thing is a Fiero Kit car I'm building . I have a build thread @ GT40s.com

http://www.gt40s.com/forum/gt40-buil...nks-folly.html

*ssholesGarage

x3

Mak

I'd definitely lose them both...

Dave Siltman

If I remember correctly, Suttle was in (from) Newport News VA. We used to swap (dealer exchange) with them. I wanna say their mananger's name was "Tiger" Worsham. Thats been about 30 years ago so.......................

Frank3

After looking at the emblems again , I think I'll find a place in the trunk for them . So trunk painted , on to the next panel >

Allan R

The car's going to look amazing. Glad about 2 things:
1. You're not putting them back on - while they are history they look really bad shape
2. You're keeping them as a part of the cars history. Maybe put them onto a 'signboard' for your car to display at shows?

Olds_71_442

Not meaning to go off topic, but I'd love to get my hands on that Fiero to make the fiberglass fit!

Gator69olds

Dealer badge is still on mine and I like it but I have the original invoice from the dealer so that makes it a littler cooler. I look at it as part document proof of what my car is and where it came from

Frank3

I know Olds_71_442 , one would think that if you took the time to make a kit , it would fit !
I have lots of work to get there , but it will happen . I like a challenge , and working with glass .
The Olds is more important anyway .

rocketraider

Glad to see you decided to keep them in spirit anyway. You get hold of the right people at Suttle and my money says they have a few of those brand new and in perfect condition stashed somewhere.

When I researched the Pace Car's provenance, I was able to talk with the original salesman (the dealer himself) at Massey Motor Company, Kinston NC, who remembered the car well. They sent me EVERYTHING that ever had to do with the car down to the Hurst order paperwork. They also sent me a brand new Massey Motor Company dealer badge which is identical to the one I removed from the car when it was painted. It will go on the trunk.

I wish I had a good condition dealer badge or diecast license frame for the blue Starfire and the Toronado. Both of those dealerships are long out of business.

beebee78

Kept mine kinda cool and historic ??

Intragration

When I bought a new car, I also insisted that it not have dealer advertising. However, on an older car that I restored, I purposely recreated the dealer decal. It had been there for 40+ years, it's a cool historical thing to me.

AZ455

Mine still has a dealer badge. I have considered removing it, but I am starting to think it's not a big deal. Not doing any good advertising around here anyway, it's from a dealer in Nebraska. The Cornhusker Motor Club sticker will likely be coming off though.

oldsonharmont

No cheap dealer decals, maybe a metal license plate frame, definitely yes for a metal badge with the mounting posts. Here's why, I believe it adds a certain value to cars originally from the western states, like Arizona or California.

cutlassjoe

I think the older dealer tags are cool if they are in good shape. The license plate frames and cheap stickers are just awful. I took my plate frame off the Charger when I bought it and put on a nice chrome frame. I brought the car in for maintenance and when I picked it up the chrome frame was gone and replaced with the cheap dealer one. I just about killed em'. They had to dig the chrome one out of the garbage. Needless to say I don't go to that dealer anymore...

DENT

I would keep them but not on the car, maybe on the garage wall?

rocketraider

There's been a 1960 88 on the trader sites the last year or so, out of North Dakota. That car is wearing a Brainbeau Olds dealer badge meaning it was sold in Massachusetts and has made its way west. Brainbeau is no more, but their Oldsmobile history is undisputed.

Look at the Modern Olds badge on beebee78's trunk. Older ones are small works of art in themselves.

A well-known dealer's badge is almost criminal to remove. Put it this way. Would you remove a Story Olds badge (largest Olds dealer in the world), or a Tasca Ford badge, or a Don Yenko Chevrolet badge, or a Royal Pontiac badge, or anything like that? I wouldn't.

Allan R

Bryan, sorry for the slight digress; do you still have that 'original' dent in the front right fender or did you get it fixed yet?

AZ455

Still got it!

I guess I am just having a hard time parting with it... seriously though, hopefully this summer I will find some time to tackle that. I have not forgotten your glue slide hammer advice.

Frank3

Suttle Motor corp. has been around since 1902 .

Olds_71_442

I agree with the Olds being more important. But if you get that Fiero looking right, that will be pretty awesome too. I have a buddy with a Fiero who's been looking for a Lambo kit for it. I told him about your GT-40 kit this morning and he got excited. He's going to search for one tonight.

Frank3

Unfortunately this kit hasn't been in production for 10yrs or more . Kits pop up on evil-bay from time to time but are very poor .
Mine was a father/son project that never got finished , and was sold in a yard sale for less than the value of the Fiero . I couldn't pass it up .
Tell your buddy to check out Pennock's Fiero Forum , and Mad Mechanics custom and kit car forum . And definitely check out V8 Archie's work . ( has big thread on Pennock's also ) . Just a top chop and a V8 is badas !

OH ! and by the way , I drove the Cutlass today , all day , couple'hundred miles . First time in months . Was au-some !

slantflat

When I was in high school I bought my rusted Cutlass 4door. The metal dealer advertisement was pitted and broke, so I drove up to the place and asked if I could have a new one. They looked at me like I was an alien, but gave me one anyway. I'm really glad now that I did, because not only did the place close after Oldsmobile went away, I've heard the building is long gone as well. Jack Thompson Oldsmobile in Chicago.

The car is quickly returning to the earth, but the "new" badge I got still looks like new.

Allan R

When I was younger I worked for a vehicle merchandising company in Ohio (Reynolds & Reynolds). While I was training (Dayton) I remember one of my Instructors - Donald Burnside - told me that one of the perks I could get was access to all the Dealership inventory/merchandising/parts/service and accounting areas. That got me some good deals on parts and cars while I worked there. Also got to know all the parts/service foremen by name - same with the parts guys. I bought a 78 Cutlass Calais and a 79 Omni (for a buddy who was in service) with that knowledge - also got to know the Comptrollers and Principles pretty good too. It also got me insight to the inventory and pricing. Oh yeah, where I was going with this is the dealers would give me boxes of their nameplates to give out to friends. Never kept a single one of them. Who woulda known that 40 years later I coulda made a killing on ebay???

MBrown

little off topic, but what size are those rear tires?? Did you have to enlarge the wheelhouse any to run those?

Thanks

Frank3

255/70r15 BFG Radial TA on 15x8.5 Centerline Drag wheels . And no modifications to the car , It's actually even been lowered with Hotchkiss 1" lowering springs ( which raised it 2" over the worn-out stockers ) . No rubbing , less than 10.5 " wide and 29" tall