How did you get your Oldsmobile?
#202
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
Reply to "Aceshigh!"
Hope you get to my time in life, and have to love EVERY day like it was your last!
Cheers,
--Don
#204
Well I wasn't really looking for another car. I had traded a guy a 1950 dodge truck and a 1973 cutlass for a 1960 AMC Rambler. It ran and it needed some work like the torque tube donut and the front sheet metal. I knew a car guy where I lived. I had gone up with a friend of mine and saw his 1968 Cutlass S hardtop. I was thinking it was a sweet car as I loved GM Cars as it was. I figured if I sold the Rambler I'd buy it from him. He gave me a good deal on it. It had the basic rust issues on the front fenders and rear window. It ran but the water pump and alt were making noise. I figured it would be cheap to fix but were surprised what a water pump cost for a olds vs chevy. Well right now the car runs and it's currently striped down to bare metal and is having the bodywork done on it. Found that it had been hit in the rear and has the old drilled holes for the dent puller also in the driver side door as well. I'm still trying to figure if I want to paint it the factory silver green or paint it blue and silver two tone. I really like the World Rally blue or I'm thinking the factory blue that they offered in 68. The roof had the factory vinyl black roof but that was removed long ago. My idea is to two tone it by using the factory moldings from the hood to the trunk lid.
#205
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
On December 10, 1978 after a car wreck that killed my wonderful wife of 27 years I died three times in intensive care. Then shortly after that I was told that I would never walk again. Here I am, 32 years later walking, playing, and loving every minute that I've been given.
Keep up your love of life and you'll do just fine.
Cheers,
--Don
#206
Don.. do you have any more pictures of your Jetstar. I have the almost same car in my garage.. mine is white.. I would love to see them. there are more of mine on CO under a thread titled. "moving day" by me.
#207
My story is a little different than most.
I drove big Oldsmobile's on the road in business driving around 85,000 miles a year. Never had ANY trouble with them until my 1965 Ninety-Eight LS..... The most beautiful car I had ever owned! The car ate starters! In six-months it went through six (6) starters. Each time the Olds dealer would send a tow-truck (they didn't have flatbed hauler's back in the day) and install a new starter. After the 6th starter, I told my friend Al, the Olds dealer, "I don't want this '98' anymore!" He had me go out into the lot and pick out a brand new one. Even trade, straight up!
..........
In the intervening 45 years the only Olds I had was a 1983 Cutlass Supreme 2-door.
.........
Now jump ahead 26 years to 2009. Now retired and living in the north-west South Carolina mountains. In the years between I drove mainly mini-vans and my wife drove really BIG cars! She currently has a beautiful 1996 Buick Park Avenue with 70M miles on it.
One day an ad appeared in our local daily paper. It was for a 1965 Olds Jetstar 88. I had NEVER heard of a Jetstar 88! The ad said “only 56,000 miles.” The ad had an out of state phone number. I called the number and the Original Owner answered! He said that he was going to drive the car to his daughters home for storage. She lives 20 miles from my home. When the car was at his daughters, he called and I met him there. There sat "Blue Belle" next to a horse corral.
........
I never had had a Ninety-Eight convertible and this was only about six inches shorter! She was beautiful! I drove the car and liked it. Steered too easily, but that's how Olds were set up back then. I made arrangements to take it to my mechanic. We checked it out, put it up on a lift and all looked very nice, for 45 years! The owner's price was too high and we haggled for several days and made a deal. I got my son to go halves on the price and the title reads “Donald or David.”
I'm going to be 80 in several months and I'm having fun “fixing” things and Cruisin'.
I'm having a ball..... Finally got my Olds Convertible!
Have met many great guys and gals on this forum and have had much help with many areas of “Old Olds.”
Thanks for listening.........
--Don
I drove big Oldsmobile's on the road in business driving around 85,000 miles a year. Never had ANY trouble with them until my 1965 Ninety-Eight LS..... The most beautiful car I had ever owned! The car ate starters! In six-months it went through six (6) starters. Each time the Olds dealer would send a tow-truck (they didn't have flatbed hauler's back in the day) and install a new starter. After the 6th starter, I told my friend Al, the Olds dealer, "I don't want this '98' anymore!" He had me go out into the lot and pick out a brand new one. Even trade, straight up!
..........
In the intervening 45 years the only Olds I had was a 1983 Cutlass Supreme 2-door.
.........
Now jump ahead 26 years to 2009. Now retired and living in the north-west South Carolina mountains. In the years between I drove mainly mini-vans and my wife drove really BIG cars! She currently has a beautiful 1996 Buick Park Avenue with 70M miles on it.
One day an ad appeared in our local daily paper. It was for a 1965 Olds Jetstar 88. I had NEVER heard of a Jetstar 88! The ad said “only 56,000 miles.” The ad had an out of state phone number. I called the number and the Original Owner answered! He said that he was going to drive the car to his daughters home for storage. She lives 20 miles from my home. When the car was at his daughters, he called and I met him there. There sat "Blue Belle" next to a horse corral.
........
I never had had a Ninety-Eight convertible and this was only about six inches shorter! She was beautiful! I drove the car and liked it. Steered too easily, but that's how Olds were set up back then. I made arrangements to take it to my mechanic. We checked it out, put it up on a lift and all looked very nice, for 45 years! The owner's price was too high and we haggled for several days and made a deal. I got my son to go halves on the price and the title reads “Donald or David.”
I'm going to be 80 in several months and I'm having fun “fixing” things and Cruisin'.
I'm having a ball..... Finally got my Olds Convertible!
Have met many great guys and gals on this forum and have had much help with many areas of “Old Olds.”
Thanks for listening.........
--Don
Great story and nice car. Sounds like you are having a great time with it.
We passed through Landrum back in the fall on the way to a friends mountain house in Columbus, NC. Nice little town, my wife wants to go back and shop Imagine that. Be looking for a Flame Orange '72 ... and a guy sitting on a bench.
#208
Well, my Oldsmobile isn't mine. It belongs to my Father in Law, I have had the pleasure of restoring it for him.
He bought it about 4 years ago from a high school friend of his that bought it from the 1st owner in 1973. He knew the car and when it came up for sale he bought it. It needed some TLC, but was a solid complete car.
He got it running, had it painted, and put it under a shed. Last year I asked what his plans were for it. He said that wanted to get it fixed up, drive it, and ultimately give it to Austin (my 3 yo son).
Well, that's where I came in. He financed the parts and I supplied the labor, blood, sweat, and @*&$ on the restoration. The car is in great driver condition and I have had a ball working on it. It turns heads wherever it goes and is a blast to drive. I plan on pulling the motor in a winter or two to freshen it up along with the trans. Like everyone else here, I'll never be done with it.
I am glad that I stumbled onto this website while I was researching '72 Cutlass Convertibles. There is a wealth of knowledge here and a good group of folks. The enthusiasts on this site have saved me alot of time, energy and money.
Cutlass 018 (Medium).jpg
He bought it about 4 years ago from a high school friend of his that bought it from the 1st owner in 1973. He knew the car and when it came up for sale he bought it. It needed some TLC, but was a solid complete car.
He got it running, had it painted, and put it under a shed. Last year I asked what his plans were for it. He said that wanted to get it fixed up, drive it, and ultimately give it to Austin (my 3 yo son).
Well, that's where I came in. He financed the parts and I supplied the labor, blood, sweat, and @*&$ on the restoration. The car is in great driver condition and I have had a ball working on it. It turns heads wherever it goes and is a blast to drive. I plan on pulling the motor in a winter or two to freshen it up along with the trans. Like everyone else here, I'll never be done with it.
I am glad that I stumbled onto this website while I was researching '72 Cutlass Convertibles. There is a wealth of knowledge here and a good group of folks. The enthusiasts on this site have saved me alot of time, energy and money.
Cutlass 018 (Medium).jpg
Last edited by we jeep inn; July 22nd, 2010 at 12:25 PM.
#209
Back when my dad first came to the states, one of his first cars was a 1970 delta 88. He had to sell it because of hard times and ever since he told of stories and great memories he had with that car, always regretting how he sold it. So my brother and I came up with the idea of buying one for our dad as a gift, however couldn't find one in our price range. So we secretly bought him a 68 galaxie fastback as a substitute. Surprisingly we were in an area checking out a mustang when out of the corner of my eye, across the street was a 1970 delta 88 with a missing front rotor and tire, lying in the rain on blocks. We immediately ask the man across if it was for sale, and he wanted a little more than we could afford but eventually got the car. So we hooked it up on the guys flatbed, and got it towed home. So we got home first and told our dad we found something cool inside a mustang we were supposedly looking at. What we found was the original bill of sale and the keys to the delta in a manila envelope. We showed it to my dad, he was surprised and then we told him to look outside. Just as he stepped out, he saw the delta on the flatbed. At first he didn't know what is was, and then he said, " Holy **** that a delta!!" we gave him the key and this is what we did with it from having it for about a year.
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#210
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
--Don
#211
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
#212
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
crzyjef - Here's some pix of "Blue Belle"
I don't know how to post larger photos!
--Don
#214
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
The FIRST picture of the ones that I posted shows the white top.
__________________________________________________ __
Here's Blue Belles cowl tag....
The "D-1" before PAINT denotes: D = "Lucerne Mist" body color
and 1 = WHITE top. If it were a black the top number would be 2.
How do you upload such BIG pictures?
Cheers,
--Don
#215
I'll tell you one thing, citcapp, the next 15 years will go by so fast you'll wonder how did that happen!
On December 10, 1978 after a car wreck that killed my wonderful wife of 27 years I died three times in intensive care. Then shortly after that I was told that I would never walk again. Here I am, 32 years later walking, playing, and loving every minute that I've been given.
Keep up your love of life and you'll do just fine.
Cheers,
--Don
On December 10, 1978 after a car wreck that killed my wonderful wife of 27 years I died three times in intensive care. Then shortly after that I was told that I would never walk again. Here I am, 32 years later walking, playing, and loving every minute that I've been given.
Keep up your love of life and you'll do just fine.
Cheers,
--Don
I'm with Pat [citcapp]
I'm not getting any younger, but I'm gonna grab for all the gusto I can.
#216
Great story Don & I hope your next 15 go slow when you want them to, and fast when you need them to. My Mother is 80 in January and she's as sharp as a tack and fit as a fiddle. Puts me to shame and I'm 25 years younger. I do believe a passion for big V8 cars helps keep you young. It's hard not to feel 18 again when you're out driving, especially when you pull up at a set of lights next to some young bloke in his noisy little Jap car and you feel the horns growing up through your baseball cap.
I can't play sport any more because the old ticker took a big hit back in 2003 so it would be easy to just veg out and lose the drive to do anything. Keeping passionate about the good things like Oldsmobiles gives me "drive" in more ways than one.
Playing around on C.O is part of that passion.
Good pic of the car Robert. If ya gonna have an Olds I guess it might as well be a flame orange '72 convertible
I can't play sport any more because the old ticker took a big hit back in 2003 so it would be easy to just veg out and lose the drive to do anything. Keeping passionate about the good things like Oldsmobiles gives me "drive" in more ways than one.
Playing around on C.O is part of that passion.
Good pic of the car Robert. If ya gonna have an Olds I guess it might as well be a flame orange '72 convertible
#217
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
I do believe a passion for big V8 cars helps keep you young. It's hard not to feel 18 again when you're out driving, especially when you pull up at a set of lights next to some young bloke in his noisy little Jap car and you feel the horns growing up through your baseball cap.
Playing around on C.O is part of that passion.
Thanks for the response!
--Don
#219
I enjoy getting mine out when I do.. (about once a month) and can't wait till it IS my car and I get to take it to the shows. or just go for a cruise up the canyon.. or where ever I go.
#220
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
#221
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
Because it doesn't have "442" or "GTO" or "Starfire" or "The Judge", etc! Just a plain, no fender trim, bench seat, no AC, no power windows or door locks, Jetstar 88!
It's easy to get parts for a Cutlass-- Try and get an inner fender for a Jetstar!
--Don
It's easy to get parts for a Cutlass-- Try and get an inner fender for a Jetstar!
--Don
#222
My wife and I purchased our 1967 442 convertible in 1968 from a friend of mine who was always wheeling and dealing, for $1900. It had 1500 miles. Today it just turned over 75000 miles. It sat on blocks in the garage for 20 years. We spent 3 years restoring it and have won many awards with it over the last 3 years. I spun a bearing last weekend and am now in tyhe process of rebuilding the engine. Now if I could just figure out how to post pictures................P.S. The other car I was considering at the time was a 1966 289 Shelby Cobra. Green with a black interior. The 442 was more of a family car!
#223
My wife and I purchased our 1967 442 convertible in 1968 from a friend of mine who was always wheeling and dealing, for $1900. It had 1500 miles. Today it just turned over 75000 miles. It sat on blocks in the garage for 20 years. We spent 3 years restoring it and have won many awards with it over the last 3 years. I spun a bearing last weekend and am now in tyhe process of rebuilding the engine. Now if I could just figure out how to post pictures................P.S. The other car I was considering at the time was a 1966 289 Shelby Cobra. Green with a black interior. The 442 was more of a family car!
If your pic files are too big, save them to photobucket.com them copy and paste them into your post.
67 442 convertibles are my favourite Olds and I would love to see some pics. I ultimately want one...a 4 speed if possible.
Cheers.
#224
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
Thanks for the heads-up to see BigJerr's sig pix he did for me!
How does it look?
You're sooo impressive driving those race drivers in the race that goes on forever!
--Don
#225
No worries Don. Jerry was concerned that you hadn't seen the thread with your new sig but I knew where to find you
The sig looks great. The parade lap was a great experience,...just to drive around Eastern Creek circuit was fantastic. The Olds drew a lot of attention as always. They are very rare down here.
The sig looks great. The parade lap was a great experience,...just to drive around Eastern Creek circuit was fantastic. The Olds drew a lot of attention as always. They are very rare down here.
#226
I have had several 69 442's 71 and 72 as well. I have had the orange 72 442 for over 20 years now. I found her in a circle drive way in front of a house in Dallas, one of the busiest roads around by the way. It took me about three years to make the deal. I paid 1300.00 and after tuning her up I drove her for about ten years. I sold her once and was taking payments he paid up to 1500.00 and gave her back. he said that he could not afford to pay out the rest. That was a lucky thing for me as I was kicking myself for selling it anyway. This is a numbers matching 350 4-speed car.
Last edited by kjr442; February 16th, 2012 at 10:29 PM.
#227
I'll let you know when we get headed back that way.
Although the color had to "grow on me", I couldn't agree more now. You just don't see many orange cars running around...
#228
Will NEVER Grow Up!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Landrum, SC in "The Blue Ridge Foothills"
Posts: 593
When you're coming get in touch and we can get together. My wife can't imagine there are any other Oldsiacs!
--Don
#229
I got my '64 from some meth addicts. They had it listed on eBay for $4,000, but I saw that it was local so I contacted them. I certainly wasn't going to pay that much for the car. I inspected the car locally, but it has its share of problems that need fixed. The auction ended and I called them and offered them $600 and we settled on $650. Out of the 5 cars in their yard, this was the only running one, so I hope they can still get to work. I think they need practice negotiating. Drugs are bad mmkay?
Edit: The guy was excited to tell me what he had planned on doing with the car... 20" rims, shaved handles, hydraulics, etc... I saved it!
Edit: The guy was excited to tell me what he had planned on doing with the car... 20" rims, shaved handles, hydraulics, etc... I saved it!
Last edited by 64Olds98; August 2nd, 2010 at 05:28 PM.
#231
We got our '84 Toro out of shear necessity. My wife's Minivan trans died and she needed a vehicle. We found ours was being sold for dirt cheap by our local red cross office. It was donated by a Doctor who passed away shortly before we bought the vehicle.
We were going to sell it after we got her Honda, then my Jeep died, so I got the Toronado to drive until the Jeep is repaired....
We were going to sell it after we got her Honda, then my Jeep died, so I got the Toronado to drive until the Jeep is repaired....
#233
I traded a '70 Camaro I just hung new quarters on for a '68 442. Once I got the 442 home and really started checking the car out I found it was a complete numbers matching car. Below are pictures of the 442 which is now undergoing a complete restoration and the Camaro I traded. I think I got the better part of the trade.
#234
Mine was sittin in someones yard with a for sale sign in it. I drove by it every day on my way home from work for weeks, finally decided to go look at it and drive it. Took it home the same day.
#235
Funny story, I actually never intended to own this car.
When I was a kid my family owned a 1975 Vista Cruser as our daily driver all the way up until I was in middle school. We finally parked it and eventually sold it when the 455 went out.
Fast forward a few years and my father and I are looking for a motor to repower his 51 Kaiser. He fondly remember all the torque in the old wagon and started looking for another 455. He finally found one on Craigslist residing in a 69 Delta 88 4 door hard-top. The add didn't have a good description of the car, or any pictures. All it said was "Ran when parked 1 month ago $1,000." So we made the 2 hour trip and found VERY CLEAN car.
The man selling it was about 24, he said his grandmother left him it when she died and that he drove it until it got hard to start and he just wanted the money so he could hop up his civic My father and I looked the car over, payed him the money, sharpened the points on the distributor and drove it onto the trailer
That night we got to talking about the Delta and how it was almost too nice to tear apart. The conversation moved around a bit but kept coming back to the car. Eventualy I admited to wanting to build it and bought the Delta off him.
When I was a kid my family owned a 1975 Vista Cruser as our daily driver all the way up until I was in middle school. We finally parked it and eventually sold it when the 455 went out.
Fast forward a few years and my father and I are looking for a motor to repower his 51 Kaiser. He fondly remember all the torque in the old wagon and started looking for another 455. He finally found one on Craigslist residing in a 69 Delta 88 4 door hard-top. The add didn't have a good description of the car, or any pictures. All it said was "Ran when parked 1 month ago $1,000." So we made the 2 hour trip and found VERY CLEAN car.
The man selling it was about 24, he said his grandmother left him it when she died and that he drove it until it got hard to start and he just wanted the money so he could hop up his civic My father and I looked the car over, payed him the money, sharpened the points on the distributor and drove it onto the trailer
That night we got to talking about the Delta and how it was almost too nice to tear apart. The conversation moved around a bit but kept coming back to the car. Eventualy I admited to wanting to build it and bought the Delta off him.
#236
My car sat on one of the main drags here in town for months with a for sale sign on it. One day I finally stopped and looked at and about choked when I saw the price, so I went home and started looking on EBAY to see what these cars where selling for and there was the same car I had just looked at for a $1000 less, I called the owner up and bought it.
Since I brought it home a year go it has had pretty much everything mechanical and electrical gone through including the engine and transmission.
Since I brought it home a year go it has had pretty much everything mechanical and electrical gone through including the engine and transmission.
#237
My grandfather purchased my car at Garner motors here in Amarillo, TX new in 71. He wanted the yellow convertible 442 and my grandma wanted the lesser payment. Six years ago on thanksgiving week the fuel pump went out and the carb had issues for a while and tons of oil leaks. I rebuilt the carb for him and put a fuel pump in, same day he bought an 07 impala and came home to hand me my keys!!! Grandpa passed away in April and I sold every toy and extra car I had to fund my frame off. I'm only doing the big block and suspension and fuel injection, keeping ac and making it a very drivable street car!!! Paint and interior will come later. Love this car!!!
#239
hey im new to the site.. my story is my brother and i worked all summer trying to save money for a project car and we looked online every day and we finnaly found one on bismanonline.com i was 15 at the time and my brother was 14 we got a 69 cutlass supreme with 80,000 miles, great motor, just a solid car no rust or anything like that the only thing was it has a few scratches and dings but those can get fixed. we drive it to car shows all the time and people just look at us funny and they always say i cant belive your parents let you drive their car... i just laugh and tell them it is ours and everyone is suprised!
#240
I had a '71 442 in high school (1986) and had no skin in the game for 20 yrs until '06. I was pretty well settled in with a decent job, a nice enough house & of course a wife & kids. I wanted a toy, thinking it will always give my son & I something to do together as he gets older. I set a budget with the one over riding criteria is that i had to have a decent looking car that I could drive & enjoy from Day 1. My first choice was an Olds but I kept my eyes open for a nice Skylark too. I preferred a 442 but wanted a convertible more. Big block & buckets were a big plus for me. After casting a pretty wide net I found this one about 2 hrs away.
The car was 90% complete when I got it but the other 10% has cost me 50% of what I had paid for the car.
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High School car
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The car was 90% complete when I got it but the other 10% has cost me 50% of what I had paid for the car.
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High School car
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