Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[Big Man]

True, considering you could have bought a Cadillac for just $200 more.The Cadillac would have had all of those options standard though and quite a few more---including the bigger engine.

My aunt Margaret (my Mother's sister) saw my post on Facebook about my Dad's '53 Olds 88 and made the following reply:

"What I really remember was your mom was taking summer classes and she took me to the Farm House in Blowing Rock for dinner one night. She said she was embarrassed that she only had an 88 because most of the cars in the parking lot were more expensive cars. I just laughed at her."

My aunt Margaret was several years younger than my Mother and was in college at Appalachian State at the time. My Mother, who was a teacher, was going back to school in the summer and working on her Masters. The Farm House is (was) an up scale restrauant in Blowing Rock, NC, just a couple miles away from Boone, NC where ASU is located. It wasn't long after that my Dad took care of my Mother's "embarasment" by buying a '55 Olds 98 four-door sedan - loaded, of course.

 

[jamespowers]

My aunt Margaret (my Mother's sister) saw my post on Facebook about my Dad's '53 Olds 88 and made the following reply:



My aunt Margaret was several years younger than my Mother and was in college at Appalachian State at the time. My Mother, who was a teacher, was going back to school in the summer and working on her Masters. The Farm House is (was) an up scale restrauant in Blowing Rock, NC, just a couple miles away from Boone, NC where ASU is located. It wasn't long after that my Dad took care of my Mother's "embarasment" by buying a '55 Olds 98 four-door sedan - loaded, of course.

Holy Crimony! The four door 98 would have cost MORE than some Cadillacs---especially if it was loaded. Your father just wouldn't buy a Cadillac but he would pay the same lol lol lol Your aunt was right in both cases.

 

[Big Man]

Holy Crimony! The four door 98 would have cost MORE than some Cadillacs---especially if it was loaded. Your father just wouldn't buy a Cadillac but he would pay the same lol lol lol Your aunt was right in both cases.

Apparently, my Dad got the 98 because the hood was better suited for my dancing.

 

[jamespowers]

Apparently, my Dad got the 98 because the hood was better suited for my dancing.

lol lol What were the Bulldogs?

 

[Big Man]

lol lol What were the Bulldogs?

My Dad was principal of Oak Hill School from 1949 until his retirement in 1979. Our school mascot/name was "Bulldogs".

 

[Stanley Doble]

In 1976 a real estate broker friend bought a new Buick Electra 225, fully loaded. When he told me the price I said, you could have bought a Cadillac for that money.

He replied in all seriousness that if he was seen in a Cadillac it would hurt his business. I knew at once what he meant.

In many parts of the country the same attitude prevailed. The really rich drove Chrysler New Yorkers and Buick Electras and yes, Olds 98s. Cadillacs were too flashy, they meant you were too slick, stuck up or made too much profit.

 

[LizzieMaine]

In 1976 a real estate broker friend bought a new Buick Electra 225, fully loaded. When he told me the price I said, you could have bought a Cadillac for that money.

He replied in all seriousness that if he was seen in a Cadillac it would hurt his business. I knew at once what he meant.

In many parts of the country the same attitude prevailed. The really rich drove Chrysler New Yorkers and Buick Electras and yes, Olds 98s. Cadillacs were too flashy, they meant you were too slick, stuck up or made too much profit.

I live where lot of old-money New England WASPs have their summer places, and this is exactly their attitude. We used to get a lot of their cars at our station, and you could always recognize them: usually maroon or dark blue Chryslers or Buicks, or Oldses, usually a few years old, and never displaying any sort of accessory, not even whitewall tires. Only parvenus and strivers drove Caddies, the sort of people who would always be blackballed from the Yacht Club.

 

[Stanley Doble]

Here in small town Ontario there were a few Cadillacs, always bought used by shopkeepers and small business owners.

The only exception was the mother of the local Cadillac dealer who got a new Coupe De Ville every year.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Our next-door neighbor, a factory machinist who was notoriously tight with a dollar, surprised the whole neighborhood one day by trading in his nineteen-year-old DeSoto for a brand new Cadillac Sedan De Ville, ruby red, leather seats, air conditioning, 8-track, power windows, the whole deal. It was the first time any of us had ever seen power windows, and he sat in his driveway all that afternoon and demonstrated them while we stood around gaping with amazement. I don't know what got into him to buy this car, or if he'd decided to spend all his money so the kids wouldn't get any or what, but for about a week he was the talk of the whole block.

Then one day his daughter and I were playing in the back seat and I threw up all over the carpet, and everything was back to normal.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I've had a Buick Electra and a Cadillac Fleetwood, there is little difference, when you get down to it.

I happen to prefer the Caddy for a few extra details/gingerbread, and the prestige of the name. Besides a matter of preference, they're pretty much the same thing.

Around here Caddies are pretty common. Realtors, doctors, lawyers, bankers, pensioners, and myself are typical folks you see driving them

In 1976 a real estate broker friend bought a new Buick Electra 225, fully loaded. When he told me the price I said, you could have bought a Cadillac for that money.

He replied in all seriousness that if he was seen in a Cadillac it would hurt his business. I knew at once what he meant.

In many parts of the country the same attitude prevailed. The really rich drove Chrysler New Yorkers and Buick Electras and yes, Olds 98s. Cadillacs were too flashy, they meant you were too slick, stuck up or made too much profit.

 

[Big Man]

Saw a really nice 1928 Ford today. My son, who took this picture, said, "I thought that was a big car till I saw you standing beside it." [huh]

 

[Stearmen]

If I remember correctly, back in the 90s, more American millionaires owned Buick than any other make. They also wore JC Pennys suits, go figure!

 

[Stanley Doble]

I've had a Buick Electra and a Cadillac Fleetwood, there is little difference, when you get down to it.

I happen to prefer the Caddy for a few extra details/gingerbread, and the prestige of the name. Besides a matter of preference, they're pretty much the same thing.

Around here Caddies are pretty common. Realtors, doctors, lawyers, bankers, pensioners, and myself are typical folks you see driving them

They are fairly common around here too. Times have changed. Cars don't carry the cachet they once did. At one time a car reflected the owner's social, financial, professional and possibly even religious and political status. Today nobody cares.

 

[LizzieMaine]

They are fairly common around here too. Times have changed. Cars don't carry the cachet they once did. At one time a car reflected the owner's social, financial, professional and possibly even religious and political status. Today nobody cares.

Quite true. I knew a lot of WW2 vets who wouldn't even *ride* in a Volkswagen, let alone own one. I myself could never buy a Ford -- I know Henry's been dead for almost seventy years, and I admire the engineering of the Model A, but there are too many unpleasant emotional associations with what Ford himself stood for in the '30s.

The Boys from Marketing made a science of the emotional and psychological power of car branding, especially in the fifties, when they had it gagued down to micrometer levels. They could watch a guy drive by in a Mercury and make an extremely solid estimate of what he did for a living, where he lived, what his goals were, how he voted, what he liked to eat for breakfast, and what baseball team he supported.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Around here a high-end car carries some clout, still, to a point.

Ironically enough, people look at you as more likely to be well-off, if you drive a well-maintained older car versus a fancy new one.

They are fairly common around here too. Times have changed. Cars don't carry the cachet they once did. At one time a car reflected the owner's social, financial, professional and possibly even religious and political status. Today nobody cares.

 

[1930artdeco]

Around here in the bay area, I don't see many Caddys at all. Now Mercedes and BMW's are 11 cents a dozen. The only time I notice a car is if it is from the 70's (now) or older, or the car is worth $500,000 plus. Even a $100,000 Tesla does not garner the looks they should.

Mike

 

[jamespowers]

Saw a really nice 1928 Ford today. My son, who took this picture, said, "I thought that was a big car till I saw you standing beside it." [huh]

Your son has a point. Now if it was a Duesenberg....

 

[jamespowers]

My Dad was principal of Oak Hill School from 1949 until his retirement in 1979. Our school mascot/name was "Bulldogs".

Aha! Makes sense now.

 

[jamespowers]

Around here in the bay area, I don't see many Caddys at all. Now Mercedes and BMW's are 11 cents a dozen. The only time I notice a car is if it is from the 70's (now) or older, or the car is worth $500,000 plus. Even a $100,000 Tesla does not garner the looks they should.

Mike

Interesting. I see Cadillac's around here all the time. I also see Nazi Staff cars too though.
Tesla garners looks----people laugh as they go by. $100,000 for a car that small ought to be a crime. p

 

[jamespowers]

In 1976 a real estate broker friend bought a new Buick Electra 225, fully loaded. When he told me the price I said, you could have bought a Cadillac for that money.

He replied in all seriousness that if he was seen in a Cadillac it would hurt his business. I knew at once what he meant.

In many parts of the country the same attitude prevailed. The really rich drove Chrysler New Yorkers and Buick Electras and yes, Olds 98s. Cadillacs were too flashy, they meant you were too slick, stuck up or made too much profit.

Cadillac was always a Cadillac here. It carried cache. If you didn't buy a Cadillac and had made it then you were considered cheap and a skinflint.