wjustinmartin

Hello to everyone.

I am new to the site, as I just purchased a 1969 98 convertible with a 455. I suspect I will do a lot of learning and growing with my new classic ride. This is the first classic car I have ever owned, in partial completion of my bucket list - "own a classic convertible."

My parents had Oldsmobiles all of my life - '73 Delta 88; 1976 98 Royale; 1979 Station Wagon; 1980 Toronado, and I have enjoyed their look and ride my entire life. I was torn between a 1967 Cutlass Supreme coupe with a 400ci motor and this 98, but the 98 won out at $1500 less than the CS.

I am torn between restoring this car as new or doing some mild customizing: rims, maybe a 1 coil drop of the suspension, candy paint, mild street motor, dual exhaust. What do you guys think?

FATRATMATT

Welcome to the site! Good to see more B-body Oldsmobiles showing up here. If it was mine I'd leave it all stock. But it's your car so you must decide what is best for you and it. IMO it's a 40 year old piece of American automobile history, that fact along justifies leaving it stock. Good luck to ya what ever you do. Post some picture when you can I'd love to see it.

Rdrokit

Welcome to the forum. Stock or not just do what makes you happy as it is your car. You will find that whatever you do some people will like it and others will not. You can't make everyone happy so just make yourself happy. Their are guys with stock and custom cars here so if you have any questions just ask, someone will have an answer for you. Best of luck on your "new" ride.

70 cutlass s

Welcome to the forum we like pic. good luck with your car.

wolfman98

Great to have another 1969 Olds 98 convertible here. Mine is for the most part original , I just repainted the motor and engine bay. I changed a few things like timing chain and gears valve covers , fuel pump , gaskets and filters etc. but with stock parts. the hubcaps are not original to the car as they are from a 75 I believe but nice. The 69 should be a 'C' body car?
The first investment should be for a 69 service manual if you plan on doing any work on the car. it has been invaluable to me and I imagine to many guys on the forum.

wjustinmartin

That is the car I just purchased.

I also have a line on another '69 98, too, is someone may be interested. I didn't buy it, but it is in great shape - here is a pic of the other one:

citcapp

Nice convert. These cars are gaining in popularity. Do what makes you happy and enjoy your time with it. We are just caretakers after all.

Oldsguy

Your car is in really nice shape. I would say you don't need to do much of anything except drive it. Welcome to CO.

wolfman98

Both nice cars. The blue one is the one you just bought. And is the green one for sale then? it also looks in great shape though I believe the blue has the original hubcaps for that year. As far as doing some upgrades to the car just remember it is your car and you can do what will make it more enjoyable for you. you may want to add some disc brakes on the front or change some of the suspension. Give the motor a little more vroom , whatever you want to do I am sure will be fine with the owner and most of the guys here too. There are guys who have done these upgrades and can help you out with advice if you need any. happy motoring

jaunty75

Those cars your parents owned are too recent. I think you don't sound old enough to be needing a bucket list yet.


Nice cars, by the way. Both of them. Why did you pick the blue one over the green one? What's the asking price on the green one?

wjustinmartin

Well, I am 42 - I had the money and no debt, so I decided why wait - we could all die any day, right? Drink life to the lees, says Tennyson.

I chose the blue one over the green one based on a couple of factors: 1) price and 2) level of completion. The green car has very little to be done to be a great stock cruiser. With the blue/white - original color black one, there is a good deal to go before a stock masterpiece could be forged. I could just as easily do a mild custom for about the same money.

The green one is very close to being great, and to undo the restoration would be hard for me to do with a clear conscience! The guy with the green one is asking $7200, so it is not a bad deal at all. The blue one was substantially less than that - and it has about 33K original miles, original top with glass window - but needs enough love that a mild custom wouldn't hurt something that is already gorgeous.

I don't know if that answers your questions, jaunty.

old tired rebel

Welcome. Sure is a nice vert.

jaunty75

I was right! Bucket lists are for 75-year-olds. Hell, I'm 10 years older than you, and making a bucket list hasn't even crossed my mind yet. Don't make me feel old with you, a mere child, talking like an old person!


I would go so far as to call that price a steal. Obviously one can't tell everything about a car from one photo, but from that and what you say, that car is probably worth in the $9,000 to $10,000 range. If yours is better still and you got it for even less, then you got it for a very good price.


Please, it's jaunty"75", not just jaunty. That's a mistake people commonly make on here. I would hate to be confused with jaunty01 through jaunty74.

You've done just fine, by the way. Thank you.

cutlassgal

Welcome to the site!! Very beautiful Olds! Just drive, and enjoy!!!!!!

wolfman98

Well I am about the same age as jaunty75 and I got my Olds as a sort of 50th birthday present to myself. Although I don't have a lot of money to put into it I do have a lot of time right now to tinker away at it and put some little things here and there. luckily it did not need any major things done just a lot of cleaning up and freshening up.Being able to do this as a hobby is a great thing at any age and I have a list of things I want to do to the car given the time and money but i don't need a bucket to keep it in. just keeping that list in my head since there is still lots of room

1ATony

Welcome to the site.Man that's a cool car.