cutlassgal

Ever since I found her build sheet, I've been on a mission to find any old pictures of the dealership or any info that I can get from those days. I was in contact last year with the daughter of the original owner, who bought her new off the lot of Lloyd Ketcham Oldsmobile in Independence Missouri. I even had Oldsguy helping me with my quest over the winter!

I sent a letter to the owner - his name was on the original title - and he gave it to his daughter. I didn't even know if the guy was still around or not, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try! The daughter told me that they bought the car for "mom" and she used it for going shopping, and going to church, and stuff like that. When "mom" passed away, dad didn't need an extra car, so they sold her. The daughter said they didn't have any of the original paperwork anymore.

In researching Ketcham Oldsmobile, where the daughter told me they bought the car from, it seems that Mr. Ketcham passed away a few years ago, and the dealership is now Broome Cadillac. I read Mr. Ketchams newspaper obituary, and found the names of his kids, and Googled them - thankfully they both showed up - and I sent them e-mails inquiring whether they had any old pics from or of the dealership or if they might know what happened to any of the old records and paperwork when the dealership changed hands.

The son suggested I contact the parts manager Don, who was with the Ketchams and is still there with Broome, so I sent him an e-mail, and he is trying to see what he may be able to come up with. I told him I would really love to have a picture of the dealership with the Ketcham Olds sign in it! Hopefully Don will check with Mr. Broome and see if they have any old records still around, and maybe I can get some of her original paperwork. That would be sooooo cool!

Mr. Ketchams daughter was kind and generous enough to part with a few items she found, and she mailed them to me!! I'm going to see what others may find, and then set up a space in the trunk or maybe make like a show board or something with the items, showing where the car originally came from! Here are some pics of what the daughter sent me! I think they are so cool! It's a start, anyhow!

Hudson6-10023.jpg

Hudson6-10025.jpg

Hudson6-10026.jpg

I think they are so neat! Notice the license frame is even green and white, lol! It's in really great shape too. Just thought I'd share with you all! Hopefully others will find more items for me!

Jaybird

Hey cutlassgal: Nice Stuff! Anything you find like this definitely adds to the value of "The Prettiest One!"
It's lots of fun tracking down parts, etc.
Congratuations on receiving your trophy!

Bluevista

Pretty cool Sandy, I hate to tell you but your car came from a factory.
Quite a detective you is Sandy.
Maybe we should all give you our obscure info and you can track us cool stuff down, people will do stuff for girls.

I have the same license plate frame but from Burch Olds in Alamabra, CA.
Had to restore mine though, yours looks brand new.
Maybe Olds or GM had a contract with the outfit that made them?
You are going to put it on the car aren't you?
I have his name and and know the contact info for the original owner of my car, maybe I should see if he has any old pics or anything. He was an L.A. cop, yanked his boat to the ocean with the Vista.
The guy I got my car from ticked him off bugging him about getting a replacement title after he misplaced it, four years should be enough cool off time. I'm lucky the old guy found it underneath the tray in the silverware drawer in the kitchen, all signed by the original owner and ready to go.
I'm glad he didn't date it next to his name when he signed the pink slip...but I did.
The title bureau had no idea it was a 15 year old signature.
I'm the second owner on paper.
You need a big show board and a widescreen with video of period Cutlass commercials playing in the trunk too Sandy.

rocketraider

Nest stuff! I was able to do the same thing with the Hurst/Olds and the Toronado. I knew the history on the Ninety Eight and the blue Starfire as they were local cars. The green Starfire has been a bit more of a challenge. I know it was sold new in Massillon OH and that I am technically 3rd owner as it flopped back and forth between 2nd registered owner and his son for several years.

Come to think of it the Toronado did the same thing- it was actually titled as a company car to begin with, and the two brothers who owned the business flopped it back and forth between them for nearly ten years.

Friend has a 66 Starfire that made its way from California to North Carolina over its lifetime, with stops in between in Texas and Illinois.

Finding the history of a vehicle is as much fun as the car itself to me. Kinda like when you're doing the family genealogy (the "begats" )- you may find something you didn't really want to know, but you know it's part of where you came from.

OLD SKL 69

Great job with the research Sandy! I found out what dealership mine came from (Ohio) and I think I'll try to do the same thing.

Oldsguy

I am glad that you got further than I did. Good work! That 98 Luxury Coupe is one beautiful looking car and I love that shade of green. Neat!

RAMBOW

Pretty cool research. its fun isn't it.

Last winter i came across this 1969 pic of the dealership that sold my car new in Bellevue wa:

OverlakeOldsCenter-Belleuve1969.jpg

The dealership closed around 1973 and merged with the caddillac guys down the road- but the building is still there today:

dealershiptoday.jpg

Whats really cool... since it closed down so long ago, its pretty obscure, but at the local swapmeet back in march i finnaly found an original license plate holder from them! Unfortunatly its pretty trashed so it won't be going on the car, but still cool.

anyway- good luck in the hunt!

Olds64

Very cool! It is amazing that you've learned the history of your car!

Maybe you could look in old local newspapers like the Kansas City Star to see if there are any photos of the dealership...

I bet it is white on green because I think the MO license plates were white on green before they went to white on red. That was many many years ago.

Gearhead442

wow, that is need i love doing research on my car as well, very fun what you will find.

cutlassgal

......Maybe you could look in old local newspapers like the Kansas City Star to see if there are any photos of the dealership...


Well I've tried to research newspapers without much luck. I have also contacted the KC library and the Independence Historical Society, but they say they have no pics. I asked about newspaper ads that maybe were placed by the Ketchams too. I'll have to stop in my library and see if there's a way they can access other libraries micro films or something.

It's just so cool to have the memorabilia!!!

442much

Sandy, that is very cool! 20 years ago, I lived in Jasper National Park (Canadian Rockies) and this van stops as I'm drying off my 442. The driver, his wife and kids get out and he says "Hello".

We strike up a conversation and to make a long story short it turns out he was the original owner who sold the car to me 11 years earlier. He was so excited. He said he'd ofter wonder what ever happened to the car. He was very happy to see it in the condition it was in. He said that his father helped him buy the car back in 1976 as he and his wife were just married. He said his father was coming to visit them and he wondered if it would be possible to drive the car over so his dad could see it. I asked where he lived, and it tuned out, it was only 50 miles just out side the National Park. Karma.

So the next week I drove to the town and called him from a phone booth. He said he'd have is dad outside. As I drove up to the house I could see this older man just staring at me. He started yelling for his son but not taking his eyes off the car. When I turned into the drive way the guy was beside himself. His son came out and the father reached out to grab his son's arm but not taking his eyes off of me as I pulled up into the driveway. It was like if he looked away, I might disappear.

I got out of the car and I heard him say "Steve, that looks exactly like the one you had." His son answered "It is the one I had dad." The moment was so touching.... I gave the car to them..... BACK TO REALITY..... The dad came over and Steve introduced his father to me. They looked at the car like a long lost family member.

The whole family was outside now. I saw how they looked at the car and how happy they were to see it, that I threw Steve the keys and said, "Why don't you take your dad for a drive." Both their faces lit up.

Good thing I shortened this version. Anyway, Steve somehow got my address in all the conversations going on and a week later I received something in the mail from him. It was a thank you card with some pictures. He had made copies of pictures from the day they bought the car. They are on my Car Domain site under "Through The Years". I took pictures in 1994 of the car dealership, but by then it was a grocery store. That's at Car Domain too. There are some great stories out there whether we find them or they find us. It's fun isn't it? What a great hobby. Congrats on your sleuthing Sandy.

cutlassgal

Aahhh.... What a touching story, Ken! That just made my heart smile!! I'm working hard on this mission I've started. I just love it at the shows and cruise ins when people come over and I hear them talking about the car - I love the stories I hear! The other night someone said "this car reminds me of my high school days"!! I just smiled.

Jamesbo

I wouldn't touch that line wit a 10' pole

cutlassgal

Me either, Jamesbo.... some things are better left unsaid!!

442much

Or a 10' Ukrainian either

w-30dreamin

Very nice,congrats...that license plate frame is unbelievabley cool!

1969w3155

Good sleuthing Sandy! tried awhile back to find photos of University Olds in Lansing, Mi., placed an ad on craigs list, contacted the libraries in that area, REO Museum, etc. but no luck. I have the original owners name, but the closest that I could get was a cousin, who said he dissappeared years ago.

agtw31

i talked to every owner of the w-31 i sold but the second one,and he wouldnt answer the phone,or return my calls

the original owner lived in rocky river.he still had the receipt for the fenders he bought new from the dealer when he wrecked the car back in 1978.

had it charged to his rental car company called rent a wreck