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During these slower moving times, I thought it would be interesting to read about our own unique (yet, likely similar) story around how we became addicted to Oldsmobile's along life's journey. I will keep it brief. I grew up Charlotte, NC, grad High School in 1980. At the age of about 10 yrs old a neighbor that was about 20 yrs old bought a 71 Olds Cutlass convertible. I rode my bike past that guys driveway about everyday and fell in love with the lines of that Cutlass. I liked many cars from the 60' to early 70's, but even as a kid I loved 442's. Forward to High School and a close friend purchased a 71 hardtop Olds 442. Within 6 mos about a 1/2 dozen of us in the same class bought muscle cars. I totaled out my 75 Cutlass and then purchased a 72 Cutlass with the 442 package. One other friend bought a 70 442, next guy bought a 68 Camero SS396 and couple guys bought the all to common Chevelle SS396 rides. Our High School was the only school with a dedicated Auto Mechanical program with its own building in the county. It was the one hour of the day we looked forward to. Charlotte was smaller in the late 70's and we could cruise around and even have 1/4 mile to 1/3 mile events late at night (not saying that was always a wise thing to do). We had a blast every Friday and Saturday night and our main focus was cars and girls (sometimes in different order). Even the local Charlotte Police Officers were into cars and cut us a little slack, sometimes. Now shift forward about 25 yrs and I purchased a 70-442 convertible w/4 speed. Have owned it about 11 yrs, plowed a load of restoration funds into it, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly and look forward to many yrs ahead with it. Anyway, still love Olds 442's as much today as I did when I was a kid. O.K, maybe this was not so brief.
Dad had several Vista Cruisers when we were kids growing up, he also had several tri-5 chevy and Buick Gran Sports in his younger days. He has never been much of a speed demon, just appreciated a strong running car. I had a cousin who was a speed freak, he had a 71 Cutlass. I was probably ten or 11 at the time, and old enough to know I liked the body styling.
The first three cars I can remember my parents owning were a 1970 Vista Cruiser, a 1972 Cutlass Supreme, and a 1977 Delta 88. From there, they took a break from Oldsmobiles. The White 72 Cutlass was named the 'Rustmobile', had brown bubbles accenting the fenders and met it's demise at the hands of a backwoods NJ transmission shop. I remember the last ride in it to the shop.
In 1989, my Dad bought a red 1972 Cutlass Supreme convertible. Both my sisters were of driving age and had an opportunity to drive 'Big Red' but, by the time it was my turn: 1) I wanted a pickup 2) I don't think the car reliably operated anymore more. I never drove it. Just as a kid, I sat in it and had pretended to drive it while parked in the garage, sawing on the few inches of slack in the steering wheel.
Fast forward about twenty years. Judging from the registration records and my Dad's health, the car pretty much was never driven in that timeframe. I purchased it from my parents and have worked on the car for about 18 months now with the help of friends, family, local mechanics, and the advice of people on this board.
My Dad was a used car salesman at various auto dealerships in the Lansing area, including Story, University, and Regency Olds. I was probably 12-18 when he sold cars. He would be able to bring home any car off the used lot he wanted. He usually brought home whatever had some gas in it, but sometimes he would bring home High Performance cars. It was great. So I got to love all brands of cars, and I still like 'em all. I guess my love of Olds was because of the Olds plants in Lansing. My first car was a 65 Cutlass 2 dr hardtop with 330 and Jetaway, second was a 66 Cutlass . We bought our 71 Cutlass in 1994 and have had it since.
I am afraid it was pretty much a forgone conclusion for me. My dad worked for Oldsmobile and my uncle an engineer. My first ride in a car home from the hospital was in 68 F-85.
Dad drove Oldsmobiles from the time I was born till after I graduated from high school. I also had a baby sitter family, their dad was working at Olds and he and his son which he was a handful of years older than I became friends and we worked their Oldsmobiles 98's cutlass and 442 W-30. We even took his 74 Supreme and painted just like a Hurst/Olds hand painting the stripes. That car looked pretty sharp when we done.
I also learned to drive in a Oldsmobile calais 1985 FWD. For reasons unknown my first car that I bought was 1979 Regal 3.8 Turbo coupe. I was looking for a cutlass same vintage, this one came up first, so I pulled the trigger. Anyways from there I strayed big time away from Olds and mainly owned bowties for the next decade and came back to Olds trying to find something from high school days a G body 442. I went to look at several and had the best sold out from underneath me while I was on a business trip. Finally I spotted a ad for a 1970 Supreme coupe within 1 hour drive from where I lived. I looked at it and decided I needed to go old school and back to my roots of my childhood. While that car had issues they were not huge and the car only had 52k on the clock and was pretty much unmolested. So I bought it 2-97 and had to thrash and throw some big time dollars to get ready for Oldsmobiles 100th anniversary.
After that I finally did buy a 442 a 87 with t-tops that I always wanted but it had a rough life and was able to get it in pretty decent shape for 123,000 mile rig. I also leased a 2002 Bravada that was very nice rig for sure. The lease ended and so was Oldsmobile itself being in its last year of production so I had my heart set on a Alero since it was Lansing built. I ended up finding my current Alero coupe a top of the line GLS with everything but the XM radio at a dealer in Ohio and had my dealer transfer it up after we completed a deal. I also bought a second Alero in 2007 a black sedan GLS with the XM radio used from a widow.
The only 2 cars that have stuck with me is the 1st which is the 70 Supreme and first Alero coupe. Mainly collecting Oldsmobile paraphernalia now and preserving what I have.
Pat
My love of Pontiac/ Oldsmobiles started as a young boy..born in 1959 I lived with my grandparents off and on in Casper Wyoming. They had an old motel of sorts in the hood in Casper, 14 cabins that were used as army barracks during WW2. So everyone living there week to week or whatever were low rent folks, mainly african american and hispanic folks, often times when they took off the car was left behind not running. My brother and I used to sit in them pretending to drive, those early 1960’s 88’s had the coolest steering wheel and dashboard. Many Pontiacs as well left. So i loved both Pontiac and Oldsmobile..My very first car was a 62 f85 215 aluminum v8..little dude would peel the rubber right off one wheel lol. I soon bought a 1967 Delmont 88 convertible, 425 2 bbl car, white, baby blue interior..Not a hot rod but a nice cruiser. In high school I wanted a muscle car, saw this 1968 442 convertible in the back alley behind my house, snow all over it..one day it started thawing, there was a for sale sign in it!, I had to have it, nobody was stopping me! Went to the bank got @ loan and that car was mine..blue, blue top, white interior 4 speed car. Ran the snot out of it, blew the motor and put a brand new rebuilt 400 out of a 66 442 in it..Loved that car, ended up trading it in for a 1970 lemans sport.. I have had several GTO’s, 400 firebirds and 3 trans ams.. still have a 99 trans am convertible as well as a 1966 pontiac 2+2. I started looking last year to replace my 68 442 convertible, wanted one back.. however..I always loved 66-67 442 since I was about 11, my older brothers buddy had a copper colored one back in the early 70’s..He would take me for rides, burnin rubber in 3 gears.. you know...lasting impression? So I ran across a 1966 442 4 speed car a couple months back.. finally worked it all out and I am now the proud owner of a black on black 66 442, what appears by all the numbers to be a 66 400 engine, posi rear end, not sure of ratio, but a great solid car to start putting back to its glory..long story, but my childhood was steeped in oldsmobile and pontiac..GM’s best..
I had owned a couple of rusty GTOs, a firebird, and a 79 Cutlass Supreme. I was looking for a project car in college, and bought a decent (by Wisconsin standards) 77 Supreme from a local collector. I stumbled onto a mildly built 455 at a local engine shop for sale cheap, and installed in my 77. It was a blast!
Later my dad bought a low mileage California car 66 Toronado and refreshed it. Great grandpa had traded his 58 Cadillac Baritz in on a brand new 66 Toro back in the day, and dad always wanted one. I made fun of my dad for buying a wrong wheel drive car, but it quickly grew on me.
I bought two rusty Wisconsin 66 Toros, one was a basket case and the other wasn't much better. The Gold colored Toro that still drove had awful problems with the brakes overheating, and was generally a rusty mess. The other one (Blue) I parted out and sold the chassis for scrap. I still have its 425 on an engine stand in my garage.
When dad decided to sell his lovely Toronado, I sold my rusty 66 Toro, my 77 Supreme, and my nasty fast 92 notch back 5.0 mustang to buy his nice rust free Toronado. I've never looked back.
I also am building a 403 to install in my 77 Impala, but plan on selling it soon after to focus on my sweet Frost Green Toronado deluxe. I've decided I simply don't have the space or budget to have several project cars at once.
I still admire the Firebirds and GTOs, but my heart belongs to Olds.
I was perhaps 10 years old; flying from home to California. There was an airline in-flight magazine (most likely Contrails by North Central which became Northwest which became Delta; but it's been so long I don't remember for sure) in the seat pocket, and I was bored enough to read it. There were many articles, but the one that got my attention was about Demolition Derbies, and how Olds Toronados were the favorite entry--drive 'em in reverse and you can smash the hell out of them and everything else.
From that day forward, I wanted a "nice" Toronado; and I've totally hated anything to do with Demo Derbies.
Other people in my life have had Deltas, 98s, and various Cutlasses; including a running, driving Vista Cruiser that got torn up for parts. Vistas are my other Olds inclination; I'll take a '68, please.
In the early '60s, the family car was a 1958 Oldsmobile 88 four door.
Dark gray bottom and white painted top.
371 Rocket V-8.
Great car until my older sister totaled it in 1968.
Pretty well grew up with them. I can remember the old man's 56, 60, 65, and 69. My first one was a 67 Cutlass, then a 69 442. Which I managed to total about a month of returning from overseas. Thus the reason have one now. Reliving one youth as they say.
April 18th, 2020, 11:45 AM
