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After having bought it four months ago, I finally had a chance to take it for a real drive today after having spent the last couple of months replacing a number of very old and, in some cases, probably original parts with new replacements. (Also had to wait for the new title and registration to come through.) The brakes have been completely redone front and rear. In the process of doing so, I found that the clips that holds the front brake hoses in the bracket where they connect to the steel brake lines coming from the combination valve had completely rusted away. The only thing holding those hoses in place was the rust. The self-adjusting mechanisms on both rear brakes were completely rusted solid. The combination valve looked like it had been in there since the Archean Eon. It amazes me how much the brake components on these cars can deteriorate and yet the car still stops just fine.
Anyway, among the other changes was getting a new set of tires to replace the ones that were on it, which were over 20 years old. I went away from the blackwall, raised-white-letter look and back to the more traditional white sidewall. I also acquired a set of standard 1973 Olds wheelcovers from ebay.
Personally, I think the car looks 2000% better. I don't know know the reason for the raised-letter tires that were on it, but I've always thought that those looked out of place, more like running shoes with a tuxedo, on a car like this. On a Cutlass or a 442, they look fine. But not on a sedate, boulevard cruiser.
Speaking of registering it, it is now registered with a year-of-manufacture license plate. This is one thing about living in Michigan, the self-proclaimed "automobile capital of the world," that I love. To register this car with this license plate cost $35 for TEN YEARS. That's $3.50 per year. It will be 2033 before I have to register it again.
I had spoked wheelcovers on the '73 Custom Cruiser I owned for a while. It looked OK, but I eventually went back to the standard covers. Again, I thought the spokes seemed a little out of place.
Prefer the Delta with the whitewalls and hubcaps. Prefer the Custom Cruiser with the spokes as it breaks up the long flat sides. The wagon looks plain without them, the color combo on the Delta 88 vert' pops on its own without the spokes. BTW, both are nice cars.
Prefer the Custom Cruiser with the spokes as it breaks up the long flat sides. The wagon looks plain without them
Can't argue with that.
I bought that Custom Cruiser in 2010 from the family of the original owner, who had passed away about six months earlier. The car was very low-optioned, with the only options of note being air-conditioning, power front seat, and the third seat. It had the base AM radio. No power windows or door locks. No remote control on the driver's side mirror. No cruise control or rear window defogger. I thought the lack of cruise control was odd because the family told me that they took many family trips in that car, and you'd think that they'd have sprung for something relatively low in cost that would have made long-distance interstate driving more comfortable. But no. On the '73 3-seat Custom Cruiser, which had a base price of about $4700, cruise control was a $47 option. Doesn't seem like much, but I guess when you're counting your pennies, you're counting your pennies.
In keeping with keeping the car's cost down, they also opted for a single-color paint scheme with no faux wood-grain siding. It does leave a rather plain-jane, slab-sided look.
I like the whitewalls much better than the RWL's. I think the whitewalls might look good with the wires also. I have year of manufacture plates on both my Olds and 56 f100. Mine never expire. Says non expiring right on the proof. I am also in Michigan. Maybe it has changed to 10 years. But a weird thing happened up in Grayling on the Old US27 Motor Tour. I got stopped by the MSP in my truck. He ran the # of the legal plate and it didn't come up on the computer. I showed him the proof of registration and he said OK.. So make sure and keep your paper proof! Love both those cars, Jaunty.
Fellow Michagander you misread the paper work on the license plate, The year of the car plate is $35.00 for life if you put the historic vehicle plate it's $35.00 for ten years.
So educate me. Where there chrome rally style wheels available on your car new?
I don't really see much of a difference between the two. I love spokes so I would go there personally. It's all a matter of personal opinion though really.
I personally like white walls on luxury cars. If a black wall is not with polished or chrome wheel it looks off by my eyes. Jaunty did you move? I thought you were in the southwest part of the country.
Fellow Michagander you misread the paper work on the license plate, The year of the car plate is $35.00 for life if you put the historic vehicle plate it's $35.00 for ten years.
You're right! I just assumed it was the same as the historical vehicle plates I have on my other two Oldsmobiles. But it's $30 for 10 years with this kind of registration, not $35.
Jaunty75, that's the car I wanted when I found my 1964 Dynamic. I was shopping for a mid-70's Delta 88 Royale 'vert when I saw the 1964. I'm very happy with my old Dynamic. That said, I love your car. And I would go with the full wheel covers and white walls, myself. I know it's an old post- but I still give you 2 thumbs up
Personally, I think the car looks 2000% better. I don't know know the reason for the raised-letter tires that were on it, but I've always thought that those looked out of place, more like running shoes with a tuxedo, on a car like this. On a Cutlass or a 442, they look fine. But not on a sedate, boulevard cruiser.
Agreed it looks great with the traditional white wall. I think the reason for raised white letters is moxie. And agreed on the analogy. RWL looks 100% accurate on a car like the Bandit Trans Am. So accurate in fact that the car would look odd without them, and terrible with just a white wall. But on certain cars symbols of moxie look misplaced.
