Milton, That story just about brought tears to my eyes!
----- Original Message ----- From: "Infinite Space Systems, Inc." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 2:00 AM Subject: Re: What makes a Oldsmobile a Oldsmobile? Your thoughts? > David, > > For me, it's the '64 Olds F-85 A-body, and to a slightly lesser extent, the > '65 Olds F-85 A-body. > > In mid-September, 1963, a few days after my 17th birthday (born 4 Sept. > '46), my Dad took me to the national new car announcement show for > Oldsmobile, held that year in Kansas City, Missouri. 1964 was the first year > for GM's new intermediate size automobile. When I first laid eyes on the > 1964 Olds F-85 upon the theater's stage, I immediately fell in love with > that particular body style. When the 442 came out for 1964½, I had to have > one. > During the Thanksgiving break in my senior year in college during the Fall > of 1968, I found one. My maternal grandmother lived in Independence. We > always had Thanksgiving evening dinner with her. After dinner, I drove over > to Ketchum Olds on 40 Highway to check the used car lot. Sitting in the back > was a black 1964 442. It was too dark to tell anything about her. > > Early on Friday morning, I called Ketchum's used car department. They said > the car had just come in on a trade and hadn't been cleaned up yet. I asked > how much they wanted "as is." The reply - $800.00. I told them don't touch > it, and I was leaving now. I stopped by the bank and was at Ketchum 30 > minutes later. The car was a Cutlass 2-door coupe with the 442 option > (police pursuit 320 hp, 330 cube engine, 4-on-the-floor, dual exhaust). It > had 113,000 miles on it. The front end had been wiped out in the near past, > because both front fenders and the hood were new. There was a huge bondo > patch in the lower right rear fender. The interior was well used. I loved > her. > > In the Spring of 1971, she first hit the streets with a new life and 482 > cubes of might. By the Spring of 1975, with her third engine (468), second > rear axle housing, and fourth suspension system, she was in her basic final > configuration. Only minor changes have been made since 1975. I will own her > forever. She is Thunder Lizard. > > Milton Schick > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 1964 442 Cutlass, AKA Thunder Lizard, or just Thunder for short > 1964 Cutlass > 1965 F-85 4-door > 1965 Vista Cruiser > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Manly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 8:16 PM > Subject: What makes a Oldsmobile a Oldsmobile? Your thoughts? > > > What makes a Oldsmobile a Oldsmobile? (or a Oldsmobile owner a Oldsmobile > owner and not a "GM" owner?) > > > > This is something that I have been pondering for some time now as I have > read various posts not only here, but also in other web areas and sites. I > am not trying to start any kind of a war, but I would really be interested > in your honest thoughts on the following thoughts; Maybe just to get others > thinking about the bigger picture?!? > > > > There are several different crowds that flock to various years and types of > Oldsmobile's that I have noticed, and some/most view with respect other's > choices, but there are a few that are very polarized as to there exact model > and choice, almost to the extent that they consider all other Oldsmobile's > as non-Olds! Have you run into any of the following - and is it justified? > > > > #1 The curved dash owners, to them, seems that this was and is the last real > Olds ever made. > > > > #2 Pre WWII owners, GM didn't produce a Olds after the war it seems. > > > > #3 The fifties owners, people like me who like the idea of a super 88, or a > chrome laden 98. Wear the sunshades! > > > > #4 The sixties muscle car people, if it doesn't have a V-8 or 4-spd, it > isn't a Olds! Good to go straight ahead... and fast! > > > > #5 The seventies, last of the truly full size Olds, last of the land yachts! > If it isn't big, it isn't an Olds! > > > > #6 Last of the Olds V-8's, you know those few hang on A/G/B bodies in the > eighties. They may be slower than some of the older Olds V-8's, but you have > to give them credit for sticking with a Quadrajet until the very end! > > > > #7 Last of the Olds, the FWD's, with all of their technical wizardry. You > know these, maligned by many as "plastic" cars, but it seems that these very > same people hold the Oldsmobile name up as the "technical" leader of GM.. > Hmmm, I wonder why that would not apply to these cars also? > > > > #8 The Quad four owners, see the note on Oldsmobile technical leadership > above! > > > > And I should add. > > > > #9 The Oldsmobile diesel lovers. Nice engines, wish the plug had not been > pulled so soon. They were just getting past the bugs! > > > > #10 Those who don't care for the last Olds emblem, for us it will be > Rocket's forever, although the new emblem in no way makes those last few > warriors to the Olds name any less of a Oldsmobile! > > > > Now that you have taken the time to read thru this, feel free to express > your thoughts as to my ramblings.... > > > > David > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.0/276 - Release Date: 3/7/2006 >
