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Scrappies post "I love all cars" got me thinking !!
As I posted in response to Scappies post I was not looking for a Oldsmobile when my 56 pretty much fell in to my lap and this got me thinking, how many of you were looking for a Olds when you purchased ? I'm pretty sure that the Cutlass crowd was specifically looking for a W-30 or a Cutlass Supreme but maybe not ,maybe they were looking for a Chevelle or a GTO or a Buick GS ?
Maybe some were like me just looking for a drivable classic, so lets hear it, were you looking for a Olds or just happened to wind up with one ??
Before I bought my 71 Delta 88 Convertible, I was looking for an Eldorado. It was hard to find anything decent in my price range, and the Olds came up. It was sold to someone in Kentucky a few years ago. I no longer have anything other than daily drivers, but I still like to look, read and learn, so I stay on this site, there's a lot of knowledge and wisdom here.
I was specifically looking for a 70 when I bought my Rallye.
Not sure I was looking for my first ‘65…but have been looking for only them for the next 5 cars.
I wasn't looking for anything at all when I saw mine for sale in the lot of a quickie oil change/tire shop. I was in process of moving into a new house with my new wife and the 4-4-2 caught my eye as we approached the intersection in the U-Haul truck. I said "I HAVE to look!" Pulled into the lot to check it out and realized I had seen the same car a few weeks earlier in the parking lot of the local Checker auto parts store (before the O'Reilley's buy-out). I called the number right then and there and set up an appointment to test drive it the next day. Also on the quickie lube lot was a '68 4-4-2 W30. I wanted it, too, LOL! Same guy/flipper owned both and was having them prepped for sale. I liked the color of mine better, plus it has a 4-speed. The other was an automagic trans. Mine was $15K, the W30 was $21K. I put a down payment on it on Monday or Tuesday and completed the deal a few days later, on Friday for $14.5..
I just got it back out of the garage this past Sunday after a nearly 8 year mechanical refresh. I took pictures of it before I washed all the dust off it. Then forgot to take pics again after washing, LOL The rain clouds were moving in and I didn't want it to get spotted after just drying it with the chamois.
Here it is still covered with 8 years of dust, but wearing new sneakers and wheels.
A few years ago I started looking for a 67 442. Lots of wild goose chases later I ended up with a 78 Trans Am. Very disappointed with the performance so I sold it 2 years later and once again began looking for the 67 442. Again I wasn’t having any luck finding one I liked. I stumbled upon a 64 F85 which I now have. Been enjoying making it to my liking, but someday I hope to find that 67.
Twice for me. In 1968 got out of the army, wanted to buy a Chevelle, or Camero, thought the Camero as to small and cost as much as a Chevelle. I had no money, and didn't need a new car, had a nice 64 Nova, with less than 20K. So my wife and me spent a lot of time going to car dealers, and looking. Looked at all the GM A body cars. When I went to the Olds dealer, they did not have one 4 SP on the lot, one bench seat Auto. Sales man said he'll order what I want, I thought if they had to order one, no way they would deal, as these cars were big seller,all branches. So I asked him what we could do, and they came in at about the same as a Chevelle, They then offered me $100 more for my Nova than the Chevy dealer. I talked them up a nother $100, so we made a deal. Was so excided when they called and said car is here. Then around 1997, I decided to sell my Vett, and get back into the older cars. I was looking for Chevelle again, mainly 1970, and checking adds all the time this 70 442 caught my eye, and about 4or5 K lower than any nice Chevelle I looked at. Went to look at the car ,and bought it on the spot. Don't have that car any more but still have a nice 70 W30 car.
Sort of! I was looking for a 85-87 442. But everything around Lansing was starting to rust. I found a nice one over my budget, but I told the guy I would be back in 5 days with cash in hand. Went back and car was MIA. I asked what happened to the car? " I sold it"
Started my search again, and stumbled across an ad in a local newspaper for a 70 supreme HT coupe with low mileage. I went and looked at it. It was ok condition and needed body and paint work. I grew up working on these cars as young lad and decided to go to old school and something that was my age.
Nope..wasn't looking for an Oldsmobile, just a classic. I just happened to have stumbled across my '72 U code Supreme and struck a sweet deal and drove it home that night. I still remember the feeling I got when the seller agreed to my offer. My search was finally over and I couldn't get the money out of my car fast enough. It needed some 'tinkering", but mainly more of "making it mine" as the saying goes. When I later found out it's #-s matching, well, that was the icing on the cake. No buyer's remorse for me!😀
I was so fortunate to be the last of seven and I was born in 67. My Grandpa drove Oldsmobiles. I think a 64 four door. Maybe 63. I Love All Cars. Oldsmobile's and me were always together. I have the best memory ever of buying my first 69 and being in love with the seller. I am Oldsmobile in my blood.
By the way. Cutlass Supreme owner's and people that appreciate them. 🤟👍🤟👍
My 70 SX was the coolest. Ugly. Nasty repainted Aspen Green over the original paint. Flat hood. But... 455 2.56 rear... I made great money with that car.
Did I say F a putzstang?
Last edited by no1oldsfan; April 15th, 2022 at 06:03 PM.
I wasn't looking for an Olds, or anything. But a guy wanted to buy my Nissan and I had seen a nice 72 Supreme four years ago so in the course of about two weeks I went from not looking to having not only a second Olds but a daily driver also. Something I've wanted for a while but didn't expect to happen any time soon.
I was 8-years old in 1967, and I vividly remember going to the local Old's dealer in Battle Creek, Michigan with my Dad and younger brother. Dad was sure he wanted a new Cutlass Supreme, and he found a really pretty Red one, with Red interior, buckets, and automatic with center console shift, there on the lot. My brother and I however, were fixated on the Cutlass Supremes with the 4-4-2 option, which were right next to the regular Supremes. I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying a 4-4-2 optioned Supreme, but he wasn't buying my sales pitch. Perhaps it was outside of his budget, or Mom told him it was outside of his budget , but we ended up coming home with the regular Supreme, which was still the prettiest car we ever had when I was growing up.
Fast forward 51-years (2018), and I still had never gotten over loving the looks of those '67 4-4-2's, so my search finally started. After finding several examples that were either way overpriced for their quality, or simply out of my price range, I finally found the one in November of 2019 and it got to my house just in time for my 60th birthday and a retirement present to myself!
Had a few g body olds when I was 16 but I actually preferred the Grand Prix g body ( low rider) my uncle loaned me his 72 supreme and I ended up buying it and get to restoring it obviously I was 20. Been a olds guy ever since I did come across my 65 when I was looking for another 70-72 olds and 64/65 have been the love of my life since I own 4 now 1 64 and 3 65 sadly I have passed down the love of my cars to my children and I am not sure they will be able to enjoy them like I have.
Last edited by oldstata; April 15th, 2022 at 08:24 PM.
I wasn't looking for a car although I did want a muscle car/hot rod of some sort eventually (apart from my '57 VW Bug). I kind of wanted something that not everyone had, but was still mainstream enough that sourcing parts or repairs wouldn't be a nightmare. Oldsmobiles weren't really on my radar until my sister in law and I started talking about her old '71 which had been sitting ignored in their shop for several years. I wasn't really a fan of the colour or even of the "eyebrows" above the rear wheels at first but now I love them both. We agreed on a price and now I'm pretty hard core Olds.
Ha! I've had my car so long folks have transitioned from "Why don't you get rid of that old clunker and buy a new car?" to "I love your classic car, it's so cool!". Even back in the eraly 80s when I worked at NAPA people (my family mostly) gave me grief for driving/working on an "old car" instead of buying a new car.
I inherited my first car from my Dad in 1981, a 1970 Cutlass Supreme with 350-4bbl, bucket seats, Dual Gate shifter, 2.56 (yuck) posi rear. After a decade of driving and rebuilding engine, trans, rearend, paint and body work, I found the current 1971 convertible and did the aforementned all over again, as well as a convertible top installation.
So I never really left my original high school first car and don't even think I'm in a collector car hobby, I'm still just driving the first car I started with way back when.
My "old jalopies" back in 1990 after I brought the '71 convertible home from a local salvage yard.
Last edited by Fun71; April 15th, 2022 at 08:40 PM.
I bought my 67 because it was local and my friend and I wanted something to wrench on and he was an Olds guy. Still a heap, but it does run and drive at least. I took some pictures after I pushed it into this garage, which was about 3 inches longer than it.
I was 8-years old in 1967, and I vividly remember going to the local Old's dealer in Battle Creek, Michigan with my Dad and younger brother. Dad was sure he wanted a new Cutlass Supreme, and he found a really pretty Red one, with Red interior, buckets, and automatic with center console shift, there on the lot. My brother and I however, were fixated on the Cutlass Supremes with the 4-4-2 option, which were right next to the regular Supremes. I remember trying to talk my Dad into buying a 4-4-2 optioned Supreme, but he wasn't buying my sales pitch. Perhaps it was outside of his budget, or Mom told him it was outside of his budget , but we ended up coming home with the regular Supreme, which was still the prettiest car we ever had when I was growing up.
Fast forward 51-years (2018), and I still had never gotten over loving the looks of those '67 4-4-2's, so my search finally started. After finding several examples that were either way overpriced for their quality, or simply out of my price range, I finally found the one in November of 2019 and it got to my house just in time for my 60th birthday and a retirement present to myself!
I would love to have a 67 442 it is perhaps my favorite year 442 !!! When I purchased my 56 I considered it my retirement present to myself however I had to wait until I was 66.
The abridged version... I was looking for a father and son project for his first car, not anything particular. I stumbled across the 67 around the corner from our house and thought it would be an easy project. I was familiar with the 67 as it was my first car and thought how cool it would be for him to have the same thing as his first. He helped a bit with the Plymouth and we went to a ton of car shows with it. Long story short, it turns out that my son was not destined to be a car guy, he just did not want to put in the effort to make it his. At the same time I had a 63 Plymouth Fury and only enough room in the garage for one toy. I put them both up for sale and the Plymouth sold, so I've been playing with the Cutlass since 2009. It has gone through quite the metamorphosis.
The Cutlass when we first got it and cleaned it up a bit. It looked way better in the picture than in real life.
In 1985, I drove by a neighbors house that had a new 1985 Calais sitting in the driveway. For a month everyday, I saw this car. I finally went to the local Oldsmobile dealer with my list of wants, and bought my 1985 Oldsmobile Calais Supreme. After 157,000 miles, and this June, I will have owned it 37 years.
To answer the question, was I looking for an Oldsmobile, yes I was.
I bought my 1979 Calais from one of my landscaping business customers back in 1984. I used to haul 2 lawnmowers in the trunk of this car during emergencies when my other car broke down.
The old racetrack at Pownal, VT. The original drivetrain in this car is long gone. While I now have another rebuilt (in 1992) 260 motor in it, the Calais now has a 3:08 posi in it. I found out the hard way the 260 wasn't too happy with that, so I installed a 200R4 transmission. Great for getting my 21 to 22 mpg on the highway back. I've since gone back to whitewalls.
In March of 1966 I completed my 4 year tour in the USAF. Got a job with United Air Lines in Cleveland my home town and needed a car. My father was an Oldsmobile guy and I remembered he had owned at least five before he passed away in 62. I went straight to A.D. Pelunis Oldssmobile in Lakewood Ohio and ordered a new 1966 Cutlass convertible, loaded with all the goodies including a 4 speed with positraction. The color was Lucerne Mist with a light blue interior and top. Well marriage, two kids and three job transfers later and retirement I wanted another. My requirements for my Olds were the same as 66. In 2016 I found my 1966 Cutlass convertible. Didn't find the right color combo but found the right drive train. It is a factory 4-speed and I love it.
I would love to have a 67 442 it is perhaps my favorite year 442 !!! When I purchased my 56 I considered it my retirement present to myself however I had to wait until I was 66.
Solly - Thanks, obviously the '67's were always my favorite, alot of it having to do with sentimental memories, but I have always loved all the '64 - '72 models. I would love to find a nice '70 someday with OAI and a 4-speed, but doubt that will happen now the way the prices have gotten stupid crazy over the last 3-years. Start a search for that '67, you never know when just the right one might pop up. By the way, I love your '56, I'd have an Old's from every decade if I could. JMO, but Old's cars had more style than any other GM diviision!
In 1989 my wife and I took our high school son to look for cars. He wanted a ‘69 Camaro. We came across a ‘71 Cutlass Supreme which my wife loved and we’ve owned ever since. We eventually found a Camaro for my son, but the Camaro wasn’t kept very long.
Boy what a cool thread. So many cool cars in this thread. I could comment on all of them. Koda love that silver car. Old Cutlass I dig your blue car. Nice Mopar too.
When I was I think 14 I went out to do my paper route. My second oldest brother had bought a 70 W-31. I fell in love with that car. White. Blue stripes top and interior. My first Cutlass was a 69 in the same colors.
The few times when I've gone looking for an old car on purpose, I've gone with a completely open mind. More often though, it's a spur of the moment proposition -- you know, you see it on a lot or in back of a shop with a "4 SALE" sign on it and before you know it, you're driving a new-to-you car back to your house and wondering where the hell you're going to put the thing.
In either case, Oldsmobiles just seem to be the ones that follow me home.
I have a bucket list of old cars I would like to own before I get too old to enjoy them. One of them was a 76/77 Olds Cutlass S or 442 because I like the fastback roofline and NASCAR front end. So I found one, a 76 442, rough shape but I rolled the dice on it... and lost. Too much rust, too many things it needed. So I moved it on but luckily found a 76 Cutlass S in Colorado Springs. I need to replace the 260 with a 350, but until I can afford that the 260 actually runs really well so far.
If you're curious, my bucket list also includes:
a Toronado,
a Delta 88
A Big Ol' Station Wagon (would prefer a Vista or Custom Cruiser, but a Country Squire or Grand Safari or something similar would be fine)
A 1970 Mustang (had one in High School)
A Monte Carlo (early 70s or the 1980s SS)
1st or 2nd generation Firebird
77-78 Dodge Magnum (I can't really explain this one)
and so the Germans and Japanese don't get their feelings hurt, a Porsche 944 and a 82-85 Toyota Celica
Drivers only, no show cars wanted, I don't want anything I would be afraid to drive. Its a weird list but I bet a few of you have similar ones. Oldsmobile is still my favorite.
I can relate, I've wanted to put in a 350 in my blue Calais pictured above going on 30 years now, but the rebuilt 260 which was installed back in 1992 runs so well that I instead opted for a higher ratio rear axle mated with a 200R4 and that was only done since I fell into these 2 items rather cheaply. And really, what would I get for it anyway, another 70-100 horses? These year cars with their weak frames just don't mate well with the high HP stuff.
I used to be waiting for the day when the 260 crapped out, but not really anymore. At this point I hope it hangs in there until after I croak. I like it just the way it is, just give me a huge lead getting onto the highway and it will be fine.
this is great thread…great stories and great cars all around!!!
Well I started in high school just long for a hot rod…came across a 1969 Cutlass S 350 4bbl in black with gold stripes white bench fell in love and never looked back!
had that car for 8 years, crashed it once and rebuilt it.
Next up was a 69 442, 400 4spd blue with white stripes, black int.
had the 3:90 rear so very fun car. It ended up as the deposit on our first house…builders son wanted it…lol
Next I finally had a house with a 2 car garage and needed another car, came across the 69 HO, had know idea what an HO was in 1993, just new the Vin was a 442…..total blind squirrel getting a nut deal….
kept that car for 25 years….sold it to build my shop 4 years ago…
Looked again for another 69 but couldnt find the right one when I stumbled across my current 70 442…
very happy and fun trying a new year. It’s a driver and I’ve already put a couple thousand miles on last year.
I was always a Mopar kid, having grown up with many A, B and C-bodies - I went through at 1 Dart and 2 Dusters, also a triple black '68 Charger R/T clone which I owned for 10 years before moving to FL and ultimately selling because it was too miserably hot inside the interior to ever really enjoy it in the sun. Also owned a '68 Cougar XR-7 and '76 Corvette along the way
My first ragtop was a '72 Skylark ragtop purchase which I bought in around 2010 and spent 5 years rebuilding into a GS clone, until such time ready for paint.
My body shop of choice kept putting me off for a time slot and after much frustration in 2016, I started casually looking to see what else was out there - by the dumbest of luck, there it was essentially exactly as I had planned to finish the Skylark off (red/white), my current ride in an obscure county Craigslist ad, already 6 days old with 3 mediocre photos and a short rambling narrative. Had the ad crossed over into the larger area listings (like Tampa) it absolutely would have been sold already - but it wasn't and after traveling 2+ hours to see it, I drove it home on its 20+ yo white walls and with the factory a/c still blasting cold in the 90* heat.
Skylark sold a week later and I spent the next the next 5+ years finishing off / upgrading the drivetrain, suspension and electrical to the keeper it is today.
Prior Delaware owner sale ad photo from approx 2000 just after its original body restoration -sold then to owner in FL from whom I acquired as was at my 2016 purchase Today
Last edited by 70sgeek; April 17th, 2022 at 08:13 AM.
My dad introduced me to a 1970 442 W-30 when I was 13. I was not into cars yet at the time. I was full blown into Honda 3 wheelers and bicycle freestyle. He showed me the hood and I was sold on Oldsmobile at that very second. There was nothing else for me other than an Oldsmobile till around 1996 when I needed a truck. I was lost at that point because I was going to have to buy something non Oldsmobile.
My Dad used to be a car dealer so he was always buying cool old cars. When I was 15 he bought a 1960 Impala with a 327 and a 4 speed and we fixed it up and that was going to be my first car. Then he came across a 1972 Cutlass Supreme with a factory 455, buckets, console, A/C, AM/FM Stereo and factory cruise. I fell in love with that too. So he asked me which one I wanted and I said whichever insurance is cheaper on since paying that was going to be my responsibility. Believe it or not, it was cheaper for the Cutlass and that's what got me into Oldsmobiles.
I high school 1971(jr year) I bought a Carousel Red 69 GTO Judge RA lll 4 speed (from the original owner) with 49,000 miles for $1250, which was a LOT of money back then. Car was all original and nice. I beat it to it's "Death". 3 years ago I wanted GM A body Big Block 4 speed and hoping for a convertible as well. So much junk I looked at, kinda got good with vin's & engine numbers. Stumbled across my current 69 Cutlass S cloned into a 442 convertible with a 70 455 & 4 speed with original unrotted floors. Body looked ok but was rotting thru on the lower areas. Ran into an old friend who teaches paint and body at the local voc high school he suggested he redo the body & paint for a full winter project with the kids ... when it was finished the entire school took pictures of the car at the school front steps - White with Black Hood Stripes & Interior.
My dads side of the fniky has always had Oldsmobiles, so I guess it was natural I also have them. I learned to drive in my moms 83 Olds 88, I loved the 71 Olds 98 my grandfather had, I have owned every year cutlass/442 from 68 to 88, some years multiple cars. Besides my 69 that I have owned since I was 17, probably my favorites were the 85 with T tops, the 87 442, or my 87 cutlass.
I always wanted a 70 Chevelle, unfortunately they have always been way out of my price range. I’ll probably never own one. That’s ok, there are entirely too many Chevelle,Camaro, other Chevy at the car shows or cruises. I like matching to the beat of a different drummer.
My dad was not a big car guy. Buick's and Chevy's is what he always had. Oil embargo of the 70's, given me a chance to drive many different brands. Old's was the hardest to kill. Had a 1980 Old's Omega new.
Not the greatest car. Inherited my Dad's 1970 Buick GS 350. Faster than most from the factory. Great riding and looked good. But a pain in the *** to drive in heavy rain.
Water get under the cap and stall the engine and worst, if you kept trying to start. Gas would collect in the exhaust and blown the dual exhaust apart. Pain to wipe dry the inside of the distributor cap. To get going again.
Seen a 1983 H/O up close and personal and fell in love! Ordered a 84 H/O a few weeks later.
After 20 years of daily driver, of running her hard. And unable to stop the rust from the salt on the roads in upstate NY. I built Highway Star. With 84H//O interior and other part into a 87. With all the power, braking and handling of an 2010's Corvette.
April 15th, 2022, 03:42 PM
, but we ended up coming home with the regular Supreme, which was still the prettiest car we ever had when I was growing up.
