Lurker saying hello!
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 105
Lurker saying hello!
Hi -
I've been lurking around these parts for a while and finally decided to say hi. I don't own an Olds but I grew up playing with my father's '65 Cutlass Convertible which he still has 22 years later. For those that like a short story, he drove me to school everyday for 7 years in this car, needless to say I was hooked and absolutely fell in love with it. I have attached a picture below, one day I hope to do a frame-off on it, hopefully along side my father.
Now for the long story. When I was 10 my mother decided to get her license. This meant that our 1 car family had to get another. With one parent in a teacher's salary and the other a state social worker, money was tight. My father wanted to pick up a classic, it was easy to keep up and he only had a 3 mile round trip commute. After many Mustangs and a Camaronlater he stumbled upon this '65 Cutlass convertible with a mismatched door and sheep skin seats. He got it plus a 2 door hardtop parts car for the lump sum of $1200.
That summer started the life long fascination I've had with cara. My father, older brother and I tore into the parts car. This was the first time I used a ratchet. What a learning experience! 3 years later I helped my father sand the car down and prepare it for paint. A couple years later came a new top and seats. My brother and I both drove it to the prom and while my father interviewed in far away places we even swapped cars for the day (coolest car in the HS parking lot!).
In 1999 my mother passed away from cancer, for whatever reason being in this car was the only way I could cope with that. My father was in severe depression and the only way we could find any common ground was to tinker with the Olds. That summer we rebuilt the front suspension. We both think that's the only thing that saved our relationship.
The next 5 years found me in nd out of college. My father decided to remarry which caused a lot of grief, and I generally took advantage of him. I eventually graduated, moved out, and started building a career in IT. Any time I come home however I have to take a peak under that cover. The smell, the sounds, it's still an amazing machine to me.
As you can see this car has a lot of sentimental value to me, even with its rusty frame and other assorted fatal flaws. I wish that one day I can pay tribute to everything I've put my father through by preserving this car for the two of us.
After doing a disk brake upgrade this summer I realized how bad th paint had gotten. I'm a bit of a detailing fanatic and convinced my father to drop it off for a week. The paint polished right up and it shines better than if it were new. Just watching his reaction as I pulled into his driveway the other day was priceless.
I've been lurking around these parts for a while and finally decided to say hi. I don't own an Olds but I grew up playing with my father's '65 Cutlass Convertible which he still has 22 years later. For those that like a short story, he drove me to school everyday for 7 years in this car, needless to say I was hooked and absolutely fell in love with it. I have attached a picture below, one day I hope to do a frame-off on it, hopefully along side my father.
Now for the long story. When I was 10 my mother decided to get her license. This meant that our 1 car family had to get another. With one parent in a teacher's salary and the other a state social worker, money was tight. My father wanted to pick up a classic, it was easy to keep up and he only had a 3 mile round trip commute. After many Mustangs and a Camaronlater he stumbled upon this '65 Cutlass convertible with a mismatched door and sheep skin seats. He got it plus a 2 door hardtop parts car for the lump sum of $1200.
That summer started the life long fascination I've had with cara. My father, older brother and I tore into the parts car. This was the first time I used a ratchet. What a learning experience! 3 years later I helped my father sand the car down and prepare it for paint. A couple years later came a new top and seats. My brother and I both drove it to the prom and while my father interviewed in far away places we even swapped cars for the day (coolest car in the HS parking lot!).
In 1999 my mother passed away from cancer, for whatever reason being in this car was the only way I could cope with that. My father was in severe depression and the only way we could find any common ground was to tinker with the Olds. That summer we rebuilt the front suspension. We both think that's the only thing that saved our relationship.
The next 5 years found me in nd out of college. My father decided to remarry which caused a lot of grief, and I generally took advantage of him. I eventually graduated, moved out, and started building a career in IT. Any time I come home however I have to take a peak under that cover. The smell, the sounds, it's still an amazing machine to me.
As you can see this car has a lot of sentimental value to me, even with its rusty frame and other assorted fatal flaws. I wish that one day I can pay tribute to everything I've put my father through by preserving this car for the two of us.
After doing a disk brake upgrade this summer I realized how bad th paint had gotten. I'm a bit of a detailing fanatic and convinced my father to drop it off for a week. The paint polished right up and it shines better than if it were new. Just watching his reaction as I pulled into his driveway the other day was priceless.
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