Went to pick up my 72 98 this afternoon about 45 miles from the house. My 16 year old son has been cracking about how big it is, and of course the Jeff Allen Cadillac jokes about mileage have been flying all week around the house. For those not familiar look him up on YouTube he will have you rolling. Anyway when it came time to drive away he decided to ride with me in the 98, I couldn’t wait to get that rocket out and open it up. It’s been 30 years since I’ve had a 455 at my control. We live in the country so getting on route 7 and cracking those 4 barrels felt so good. Well after about 30 min I pulled into a small ice cream stand and bought him and his mother who was trying to keep up in the Cherokee a cone and when we finished I went around and climbed in the passenger side and he stood there and looked at me like I lost my mind. He slowly climbed in the driver’s seat and put on his seat belt. I looked over, told him to give the pedal a press and turn the key. The engine was so smooth he had to ask if it was running, I told him it was, he backed out and pulled out on to the road as we left the little town he started to get into it a little bit, I told him to take it easy and just feel it out a little he kept it around 45 and told me it didn’t feel anything like the Ranger or the Cherokee. I just let him enjoy his first real drive of a real car; the look on his face, priceless. We got home and finally figured out where we were going to park it until I get the garage benches moved so it will fit in the garage. I heard him tell his mom that he really liked that car not a single joke hmmmm wonder how long that will last..

 

Amazing isn't it? A little glimpse of a different perspective does wonders for the doubting kid...hope you guys enjoy the project!

 

Smart move! Bring him into the Olds fold.

 

Wow - nice story!
Yes, these big cars drive WAY different then new ones! Glad your son dot a taste of driving it.
Tell him this was how real luxury cars were made. Quiet, silky smooth ride, mega low-rpm torque, and seats like a lazyboy.
Keep us updated on his view of the car and what you plan to do with the car!

 

Cool story!

 

Very cool, and a great car Tim! Let's see some pictures! I'm toying with the idea of another big car just like this. It's sad that almost nobody anymore knows how great these cars are. Even the magazines back when they were new made fun of their size and how American cars needed to be smaller and more "European". And yet everybody has the same reaction when they experience them...hmm...this car rides really nice and smooth...

 

Said them, all the while the European car enthusiasts were lusting after "yank tanks".

I never put a lot of stock in some of those car "enthusiast" magazines. They would wax eloquent and poetic singing the praises of some Euro or Japanese box while at the same time tearing an American car to shreds for doing the exact same thing.

If some of those car mag editors had been half as knowledgeable about cars as they tried to play they did... some of 'em were nothing but windbags. The David E. Davis years at Car and Driver especially come to mind- when he died a couple years back I remember thinking where are they gonna find a coffin big enough to hold that bighead.

 

Nothing like the feel and ride of the big Olds, lol!

 

Awesome story!!!!

 

As a European who's been raised on nothing bigger than a 1.9 liter four banger, the sheer torque of a V8 is astonishing, even with a 'mere' 350 and a sluggish 2.56 rear. Guys usually remark upon the ability to chirp the wheels easily, the way in which you have to moderate yourself since the fun pedal has much more potential than in small cars, and how the power steering has actual power!

Going over a speed bump for the first time was awesome as well - handles it MUCH better than a tight little VW.