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Hi guys,
It's hard for me to imagine it's been 5-years that I've owned my '67 4-4-2! In October 2019 I joined this forum trying to learn the "what to look fors" before traveling 500-miles to inspect and drive my car before purchase. Everyone that replied to my initial plea for knowledge was a godsend! You all helped me then, and you're still helping me now. What a great group of guys and wealth of knowledge about Oldsmobiles, thank you.
Owning my car has been one of the great joys of my retirement. From April thru October I try to get it out to at least one or two car events every weekend, plus occasional pleasure cruises with my wife. Each of the last 3 seasons I've had the car out to over 30 events.
The biggest news this year was the publication of an article in the January edition of JWO about how my car has been featured in two NBC NFL television segments. All the kids and grandkids got a copy. I framed one that is now a part of my Car Show display.
Another big happening this season was my 1st major breakdown. Traveling 70mph on my way to a show I had a sudden catastrophic failure of a rear axle bearing. Fortunately, the outboard retention plate did it's job (barely). Also fortunately, through my membership and friendships in the St. Louis Archway Olds Club, I was able to get our area's premier Olds restoration specialist, Mr. Randy Bardle, to fix the car. With his contacts and knowledge Randy knew where to rapidly source the parts and get me back on the road in just a week and a half. After living in Randy's garage for a week (pic), I wasn't sure she'd want to come home.
Only significant change made to the car this season was a change from 17" Torque Thrust style wheels with black sidewall tires, to 15" SSI repros with raised white letter BFGs. Show judges who had seen the car multiple times with the old wheels all made it a point to comment on how much they liked the SSI's better. Me too!
The car got out to a total of 33 events this season, despite the 2-weekends of downtime due to the bearing failure. This included 20 non-judged cruise-ins, and 13 judged shows. I was fortunate to place in 11 of the 13 judged shows, including 1 Best in Show. Honestly, I think the majority of judges at the local shows I attend within a 100-mile radius of St. Louis really appreciate seeing a '67 4-4-2 because they rarely, if ever, see one.
Well, the two main purposes of this post were to document 5-years of ownership, and to give thanks to you guys who have supplied this novice with the knowledge to keep her looking good and running well over these first 5-years. Thank you!
Last edited by Dream67Olds442; Feb 4, 2025 at 06:36 PM.
Happy Anniversary !! A 5 year relationship is great ! And if your like me I’m sure when you saw your Olds it was love at first sight !!
Thanks Solly, much appreciated! It certainly was love at first sight. I searched for over 2-years, and made trips to several cities before finding this car. It was the only car that far exceeded my expectations rather than being a disappointment. I bought the car from a private seller (father and son) up in a suburb of Detroit who had done the restoration between 2014 - 2016. The father had been an assembly line worker for Oldsmobile in Lansing for over 35-years before they shutdown. They were such good people to deal with, no pressure, full disclosure, and they gave me every single piece of information they had on the car. By far the most pleasurable experience I ever had buying an automobile of any kind.
Thanks Solly, much appreciated! It certainly was love at first sight. I searched for over 2-years, and made trips to several cities before finding this car. It was the only car that far exceeded my expectations rather than being a disappointment. I bought the car from a private seller (father and son) up in a suburb of Detroit who had done the restoration between 2014 - 2016. The father had been an assembly line worker for Oldsmobile in Lansing for over 35-years before they shutdown. They were such good people to deal with, no pressure, full disclosure, and they gave me every single piece of information they had on the car. By far the most pleasurable experience I ever had buying an automobile of any kind.
You know every once in a while your faith in man gets restored, The buying experience for my 34 Plymouth could not have been better, It was also love at first sight, I tried to curb my enthusiasm so the owner would not sense someone eager to pay what ever it took !! in fact it worked the opposite way. Let me explain. I was not the first person to look at the 34, I believe I was the 3rd , the first was a low baller, the second person had a bad vibe ( per seller ) states he believed him to be a flipper not interested in the car for himself but to turn a quick profit and he said that bugged him as he did not want his veh of 20 years to just be passed around like a bottle of cheap wine at a dorm party !! in fact here's where it got great once I committed to the car and was about to start the serious negotiations the seller reduced the price by 3K I almost fell over !! and instead of just remaining silent I asked why ? he told me I've owned it for 20 years and I want it to go to a good home and I think your the guy !! no need to look farther, I was speechless. included in the deal was every old part he had ever taken off her, some parts he ordered but did not use along with the surplus restoration parts welting , rubber parts etc... and a verbal and paper history of what he had done. How could you ask for more !!
Now My Oldsmobile is for sale and I am trying to extend the same courtesy's. I may have scared two buyers away with being honest but I want them to know exactly where they are and what they are buying.
P/S there have been no surprises on the Plymouth !! It has been exactly what he said it was. nice to know honest people still exist !!!
You know every once in a while your faith in man gets restored, The buying experience for my 34 Plymouth could not have been better, It was also love at first sight, I tried to curb my enthusiasm so the owner would not sense someone eager to pay what ever it took !! in fact it worked the opposite way. Let me explain.
Solly - Great story on the purchase of your 34 Plymouth, congrats by the way. Your story is a carbon copy of mine. The father and son I bought my car from bent over backyards (without any pressure from me) to sell the car. Although not included in the original sales description, they threw in the original intake and exhaust manifolds, and the original and another period correct Quadrajet. They also threw in a car cover, trickle charger, and here's the kicker, this set of repro 15" SSI's with like new BFG's on them (pic), which I'm running on the car now. Finally, just out of the blue, they offered a price of $2K less than what they were asking in the Ad. I eagerly bought the car, almost feeling like a thief, but I didn't really feel like a thief because they told me they were happy the car was going to me because they knew I'd take care of it, and it would get used. I am still in contact with the Son I bought the car from, but sadly his Dad passed a couple of years ago.
"Thrown in" as part of the original sale. The wheels are nearly pristine and the tires, "like new". They're what I'm running on the car now.
Last edited by Dream67Olds442; Dec 9, 2024 at 12:02 PM.
Thanks Joe, I couldn't agree more! Stories about car people treating each other with respect, and just enjoying their cars is what it's all about. I'll add one more observation. Besides all of the knowledge and help I've gotten from guys on CO that I'm very thankful for, I've gotten the same from our great group of members in our St. Louis Archway Oldsmobile Club. They are just a wonderful group of people who would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. Don't know exactly what it is, but Oldsmobile enthusiasts just seem to be good people!
Ditto on that,
The people on this Olds forum have been fantastic !! spirited and a wealth of knowledge and good listeners when you have a gripe.
I joined a site called P15- D24 which is a sight dedicated to mid 30's thru 60's Mopars, much like this siite it is broken down in to
sections for early and later models and they even have a section for flat head trucks !!
So far they have been very helpful and welcoming. Its not quite as active as this site but they are responsive.
I have considered AACA but I may be a little low brow for them ( LOL)
It's going to be hard to beat C.O. !!
Hope you have many more exciting and trouble free years in your future.
