Hi, I'm Thomas from Belgium and a gearhead like most on here I suppose. Just finished restauring and tuning an early 90's Nissan 200SX with CA18DET and now wanted something without a roof for the summer and all the European convertibles look so not good, there's no other way of putting it. So I opted for an Oldsmobile convertible, V8 is a nice bonus
Also drive a 2000 Ducati 748 and a 2005 Triumph Rocket 3..


So..I recently bought an Oldsmobile. There's some work to be done i.e. the rear quarter panels need replacing and the rooflining also needs to be replaced, and all the trim preferably.

Hoping to get some advice and pointers on here

that's it thanks

IMG_20140622_123420_zps944f26f0.jpg

 

Welcome to the site, congrats on the new ride. Nice car.

 

A couple of comments:


1. The term "Jap" was popular in the 1940s when we were at war with Germany and Japan, but it is now and has for decades been considered a racist, derogatory term, and I would avoid using it here as there may very well be members of this site who are of Japanese extraction.

1a. Your "European convertibles look so gay" comment isn't much better.

1b. I would just avoid altogether comments that stereotype and/or could be insulting. There is no need for this.


2. As far as your Oldsmobile, nice car, and as the owner of a something similar ('73 Custom Cruiser station wagon), the body and trim parts you're talking about are not reproduced, so anything you need will have to come from donor cars. You should make a specific list of what you need and post it in the Parts Wanted section as there are people on this site who do have parts, and you never know what might turn up. Of course, then there's the issue of getting that quarter panel to Europe, but one step at a time.

 

Oh, i don't know... I still call Germans Krauts, and I'd bet RustyRoger still calls them Jerrys.
I know what the Italians called them when I lived there, but of course they'd had relatives executed in summary reprisals and such, and I think they may still have been a bit sore.

Unfortunately, even though my grandfather was the original Archie Bunker, and had a colorful word for everyone, I don't know any terms for the Belgians. The question is, would you call them something relating to being French, or something related to being Dutch, or something related to having come up with a counterinsurgency system whereby people were rewarded for turning in the hands of central Africans, leading to tens of thousands of indigenous people having their hands amputated?

I would bet that if our friend Kets is a Walloon, he can tell us some words for the Flemish, and if he's Flemish, he has some good words for Walloons.

- Eric

 

Wow, didn't take long for the PC police...

 

Welcome to the site. That's a rare car especially in Europe. Parts are out there but shipping might be a little pricey. I sold some parts to a gentleman from Belgium around 12 years a go. There's a place in California called Speed Shops of Belgium. I shipped the parts to them. They send a half-dozen of containers filled with auto parts every month. Just in case you need shipping help. Good luck, Ken

 

wow that escalated quickly The word Jap is short for Japanese I'd suppose, A "US car" isn't racist too I'd think or am I wrong? We're not so touchy about racial and other matters over here I guess...also not interested in ancient politics.
Thanks for the nice comments about the car and the pointers, will look into it and get an inventory together about the parts needed for the wanted section

 

Of course it is, but it's the context and the times in which it was used that makes it racist. I don't know how the Japanese were perceived in Europe during World War II nor what epithets were attached to them. No country in Europe was directly attacked by Japan the way the U.S. was, so feelings ran very high here.

This is comparing apples and oranges and ignores context.

Maybe you are and maybe you aren't. I doubt you speak for the entire continent of Europe.

If you're not interested in "ancient" politics, then don't use phrases that bring up ancient politics.

 

Nice car and welcome to the site.

Don't worry about the previous NON PC terms you used. There are always people that are overly sensitive. Even with some "Yanks"!

 

appearently, didn't mean it that way and sorry it was picked up that way now let's drop it maybe please?
thanks 66ninetyeightls appreciate it
also edited first post