When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
New to this forum, but long-time owner of a '70 W30, purchased in '76 while still in high school for $1,797 off the Beaverton, OR Dodge dealer's used car lot. It took nearly my entire savings at the time but well worth it. 49K miles then; ~ 92K presently and all original equipment. Car was re-painted within a week of purchasing by the GM Training Center and is the original Nugget Gold. My dad worked for Olds for ~ 30 years, retiring as the Regional Zone Service Manager; hence I had many advantages for parts/service. Coincidently, my good friend and one-time room-mate in college is Jim Brown. His father owned Bob Brown Olds, in Portland. Jim is also the owner of a very fine '70 W30 which he's had for about the same amount of time. Looking forward to learning and contributing here.
Cool story. You were smart to have the foresight to keep the car all these years. Many of us have owned our old cars for a while, but I would guess that few of us have owned the same car for 36 years!
1970CS; very familiar photo! SE Grand Ave, if I recall, circa ~'75? As does your photo showing the Olds building. We lived in Lansing '68-9, before dad was transferred to the LA zone office. Too young back then to remember much from the Lansing years though.
Diego, you are correct; it was stripe delete. I added an aftermarket body-side moulding at the time, so that explains the stripe down the side.
In restoring the car in the late 80's with Greg Rollin from Supercars Unlimited, I removed the moulding (it was ugly). We put correct W-30 stripes on- in gold color to match the interior.
I also deleted the factory vinyl top. My decision in that was based on "looks", the car looks better without a gold v-top. (and, it could be reinstalled if someone wanted it).
George's gold car is today, exactly like you see it in the photo. He and I have remained friends for over forty years, and we still both have our 442's.
Another neat thing to add is that, thanks to spf1410, I was able to trace the history of my car back to the dealership where my dad bought it and even further back to its pre-delivery inspection at Bob Brown Olds in Portland before it was driven by a Portland zone manager for 3 months and then sent to Murphy Motors where my dad bought it. I had the great fortune of meeting spf1410 a couple of years ago and got to see his car in person - a beauty of a car, I might add. Through spf1410, I was able to meet and talk in person with Mr. Murphy, the owner and president of Murphy Motors. And I feel I already know 24KTW30 as spf1410 shared his story and pictures of both W30s together in Eugene.
I had the great fortune of meeting spf1410 a couple of years ago and got to see his car in person - a beauty of a car, I might add. Through spf1410, I was able to meet and talk in person with Mr. Murphy, the owner and president of Murphy Motors. And I feel I already know 24KTW30 as spf1410 shared his story and pictures of both W30s together in Eugene.
George, post some pics of your car!
Randy C.
Hey Randy!
That was a fun day, when we got together in Portland. I love the picture of you and Paul Murphy.
And my '68 4-4-2 convertible received its pre-delivery inspection at Bob Brown Oldsmobile before it went to the Portland zone office as a zone manager car for three months before it went to the Murphy Motors Olds/Plymouth/Cadillac dealership on the Oregon coast (Coos Bay) where my parents bought it nearly a year later as the car's first private owners. It was Jim Brown (the rally red '70 4-4-2 W30) who hooked me up with Mr. Paul Murphy in 2010, the president/owner of Murphy Motors and I was able to show the car personally to Mr. Murphy in the summer of 2011. He remembered the car well, as did even his daughter, as his family used it as a demo for nearly 9 months!
many "ZONE OFFICES" were in office buildings/space without the ability to receive a commercial transport shipment of a vehicle (not to mention dealer prep.) in most cases the cars would end up being shipped to a local dealership
many "ZONE OFFICES" were in office buildings/space without the ability to receive a commercial transport shipment of a vehicle (not to mention dealer prep.) in most cases the cars would end up being shipped to a local dealership
Yes, that explains how some cars ended up at other dealerships when "Zone Reps" turned in a car. This is exactly how one of the few 1964 4-4-2 four doors ended up in my area when growing up.
January 24th, 2012, 12:52 PM
What a nice story! Wish I still had my first 72, lol. Can't wait to see some pics!!
