A GDYNETS

PUBLICATION
2015, G. DAVID
YAROS. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.

Car Collector
Chronicles

Volume VIII, Issue 8

Exploring:

Ca

Car Collecting Today

High RPMs

Classic Rides
Reports From the Field
Oldsmobile (1897-2004)
Cadillac (1902- )
Allant (1987-1993)

Corvair (1960-1969)

= Clickable Link

IN THIS ISSUE:
High RPMs

GDY Nets
On the Web

Sale Saga

They Came to
Milwaukee

Summer has finally come

to SE Wisconsin. We are
actually experiencing temps
in the 80s, with an aberrant
90 day now and then. It has
been a long time coming.!
August 22-23 are the dates
for the 11th edition of the
Milwaukee Masterpiece .
Saturday is Club Day. Individuals are encouraged and
invited to show their rides,
and many do. The day starts
with an exhibitor breakfast,
which is very nice touch.
Sunday is the invite only
concours. Nine Oldsmobiles
shall be on the field. Two
W-30 442 convertibles are a
bit rare; a 1969 (1-of-96) and
a 1970 (1-of-91). They shall
be joined by a 1954 Starfire
and a 57 Super 88; also rag
tops.
The American Convertible
Class features 12 cars, ranging from 1948 to 1960. They

2015 OCA Nats

Photos
CCC Forum
EMail:

OldsD88@gmail.com

include a 53 Buick Skylark

and a 1958 Buick Limited.
A brand new feature will
be classic boats. Yes, I said
boats; ranging from a 1920
Zebcraft hydroplane to a
1959 South Seas Samoan.
Get down to Vets Park!
August Automotive Milestones
8/7/1937 Cord ops end
8/11/1966 Camaro debuts
8/12/1908 1st Model T ("Tin
Lizzie") rolls off Detroit assembly line
8/12/1953 Fire destroys
GM's Livonia Hydra-Matic
plant
8/17/1915 Automatic
(electric) starter patented by
Chas. Kettering
8/18/1905 Cadillac crest
trademarked
8/19/1958 Last Packard
8/21/1897 Olds Motor Vehicle Co. incorporates
8/22/1901 Cadillac estabd
8/22/1902 Teddy Roosevelt
becomes first President to

ride in a motor car

8/26/1957 Ford debuts Edsel
8/26/1950 Ransom E. Olds dies at
home in Lansing, MI
8/29/1885 1st motorcycle, patented by Gottlieb Daimler

- Wash em, polish em

and drive em!

GDYNets on the Web

Find GDYNets on the web:

Here Comes
da Judge

August 2015

CCC -THE FORUM -A web

site to discuss the newsletter,
the hobby and our cars.
Car Collector Chronicles
Saved 62 -Our 1962 Olds
convertible, Ransom Eli Olds
and things Oldsmobile related
web site.
The Gray Lady -1955 Cadillac
Coup de Ville web site.

SAVED 62: A website devoted

to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site

also has a lot of information on
Oldsmobile cars and the company founder, Ransom Eli Olds.

THE GRAY LADY: This website features our 1955 Cadillac

Coup de Ville, lots of Caddy
information and an extensive
repair library.

DAVES DEN: -A site devoted to a myriad of interests.

Foremost is extensive information on the Steel City of Gary,
IN. There are also offerings on
steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary
Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14
assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and the tragic story of the
murder of Gary, IN Police Lt.
George Yaros.

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 2

Sale Saga
The Gray Lady has departed the Yaros Car
Barn for the final time. That event transpired
on 7 July. Coincidentally, that is also the date
her classic car insurance policy expired. She
was driven all of four blocks to the waiting car
transporter for loading. She now resides in
Amarillo, TX. Her absence is felt.

They Came to Milwaukee

Not only did

folk from
Switzerland,
all over
Canada and
the U.S.
converge on
Milwaukee, so
did their
Oldsmobile
cars. 520
individuals
and 476 cars
to be
precise!

They came from Flueh, Switzerland. They

came from North Sannich, BC Canada. They
came from West St. Paul, MB Canada, as well
as from several cities in Ontario Canada. They also came from all four corners of the
U.S.; Massachusetts, Florida, California and Washington state. Not only did folk from
Switzerland, all over Canada and the U.S. converge on Milwaukee, so did their Oldsmobile cars. 520 individuals and 476 cars to be precise! The occasion for this gathering of
people and cars was the Oldsmobile Club of America 2015 Nationals meet.
I know not where to begin to recount the happenings? Who knows how many pages
it shall take to properly tell the story?
As at the Cadillac national meet, I again worked the parking
lot, greeting folks as they arrived. Yes that is me, but thankfully
no one would ever know it! Each members car was given an
assigned and numbered space. My job was to welcome them
and tell them both the number and location of their assigned
parking space.
As at the Cadillac meet, I also served as a judge of show
cars. I selected a class of which I have personal and working
familiarity. It was Class 71957 to 1960, ALL. My parents
owned a 57 98, and I owned a 60 Super 88.
Unlike at the Caddy meet, we did have our car at the OCA Nats. Saved 62 was registered and entered for judging in Class 8A1961 to 1970, Full Size and Jetstar 88. (As
an aside, it was a pleasant surprise not to be parked next, or compared, to those ever
present Starfires!) I was somewhat perplexed to find a modern day SUV parked in my
assigned space. It caused no problem early on, as we did not bring Saved 62 to the
meet until Thursday, 23 Jul. As the SUV was still there Thursday morning, I was assigned a different parking space. It worked out well as the new space actually had a
tree which provided me with a modicum of shade. By Friday, judging day, the errant
SUV was gone. Even so, I kept Saved 62 parked in my new space, in the shade.
Let me talk about some of the interesting folk and cars I
saw. I met one gent who owned 80 Oldsmobiles! I told
him he needed to get either 8 or 18 more; that way his
total would be 88 or 98!
There was one gent there who had, I know not what to
call it? It was a sectioned Cutlass 442 body mounted on,
maybe, a motorcycle frame So much of the body had
been jettisoned in the sectioning process that it sported
only half of the original quad headlight setup. The rig had
wheelie wheels on the back and a motorcycle faring for a
windshield. A faux V-8 engine was displayed topside.
Under the body shell was a 2-cylinder, rope start engine
that actually powered the ride. This vehicle was quite the
draw and most definitely a crowd favorite. Moreover, it was hard to tell who was having
more fun with it, the spectators studying it or the owner displaying it?

Page 3

Car Collector Chronicles

They Came to MilwaukeeContd.

Of equal interest were the matching lime green

442 drop tops. I cannot help but wonder what it
cost to create the miniature version of the two?
I do have to say that never, ever have I seen so
many Cutlass 442s in one location. They went on
for row after row. It felt like one was in the loading
yard at the Oldsmobile plant in Lansing.
When one thinks Olds, one does not necessarily
think station wagon. However, they are becoming
quite popular. For the 2015 OCA Nats a
total of 21 were on display. Everyone
seemed to gather round and appreciate
the 1950 woody.

Out of 476
cars on the
show field, all
of two were
I did make a rather interesting observation when it came to
the cars on display. Out of 476 cars on the show field, all
of two were 1954 models. The owner of 1, Dick Baumgarten from Green Bay, WI, asserts that there are only ten
1954 Oldsmobiles believed to exist. Dicks is all the more
rare as it sports factory air. I cannot verify or dispute the
accuracy of his statement, but 2-out-of 476 does indeed attest to their rarity. A pity, as
they are really nice rides and represent a major styling transition from the 50 through 53
model years.
A ride deserving to be singled out for attention was brought to the meet by Harry Soenksen of Chicago, IL. This car was in the Senior Preservation Class. To be in the Senior
Preservation class the car must have taken Best of Class (top honors) in both the Junior
and Senior Divisions.
The car is unique for a number of reasons. It was purchased new by Harrys father. It
came to Harry after his fathers passing. Harry and his son were displaying the car at the
Nats. That means Harrys son may eventually become the third generation to own this
car. That in it self is pretty darn neat!
The car in question is a 1960 Dynamic 88 Holiday Coupe. You and I
would more readily recognize it as a
bubbletop. The color is tropic mist
(green). What makes it stand out in
any crowd are the factory options
Harrys dad ordered. Most notable of
those is the factory three-on-the-tree.
(Having owned a 60 Super 88 with
three-on-the-tree I appreciate just how
few and far between these rides are.)
The engine to which the stick shift is
mated has factory racing dual

1954
models.

Page 4;;

Car Collector Chronicles

They Came to MilwaukeeContd.

exhaust. On taking a look at the exhaust manifolds one cannot help
but immediately notice the oversize header tubes. They have to be 3
+ in diameter!
The car also has a RECLAIMO oil treatment system. It was installed by Oldsmobile as the car made its way down the assembly
line. How do I know this? #1, Harry has factory documentation attesting to this fact. #2, The RECLAIMO unit, mounted on the left fender
well is painted tropic mist, just like the rest of the car.
So, what is a RECLAIMO? It is probably best to let the manufacturer do the talking here. The ad copy may be a bit hard to read. In
addition to filtering the oil, the device uses exhaust heat to burn off
impurities and water that may be in the oil. Sounds like a smoke &
mirrors device to me? I am more than surprised that Oldsmobile
would install such a device at the factory. It did. I saw the order form
and the factory install documentation. I should point out that this unit
is in addition to the normal canister oil filter found on the car.
What was more than obvious about this Olds, in addition to its rarity, was that Harrys father loved the car,
Harry loves the car and Harrys son loves the car. Way
to go, Guys!

Here Comes da Judge

Now, let me turn to the matter of judging. This was

both an interesting, and learning experience for me,
even though I also judged at the 2015 Cadillac Grand
National. The same standard as used at the Cadillac
show of as delivered to the first owner by the manufacturer was in place. The question of how much to deduct for deviations from that objective standard was
pretty much left up to the individual judging teams.
Moreover, the cars within a class were judged against
one another, as well as on their own merit. That is to
say, the entire class was initially viewed and a most
likely best of class singled out by the team. Only after
this was accomplished were the cars individually inspected and judged. In the end, the car with the fewest
deducts (most points out of a possible 1,000) takes best
of class. The next highest gets 1st Place, etc. Plaques
are handed out for Best of Class, 1st, 2nd and 3rd in
each judging class. Would anyone be shocked to learn
that the car initially selected as most likely BOC turned
out to be the car with the fewest points deducted?
What really surprised me were the manufacturing variances between cars of the same year; viz., 1957. All
had heater boxes on the firewall. On some these housings were covered with undercoating. On others there
was no undercoating. On one the passenger side housing had undercoating while the driver side did not?
Uniformity did not exist, even at the factory, back in the day! That it did not taught me that one should not
make snap judgments on questions of correctness/authenticity.
In our class there was a mighty fine 1957 Super 88 convertible, as well as an equally nice 1958 Super
88 2-door hardtop. I and a fellow judge felt the 58 was deserving best of class. Our thinking was it took a
whole lot more time, effort and money to get the 1958 to top tier level than it did the 57. If for no other
reasons than parts availability for a 1958 Oldsmobile is far less than for a 57, and there is whole heck of a
lot more chrome to restore on the 58 cars than the 1957s. Our 4 fellow judges did not agree, putting us in
the minority and the 1958 owner in the position of having to settle for a 1st Place.
One of the 13 1957 Oldsmobiles in our class had a sign on it proclaiming it to be all original. During
the course of my inspection I detected signs that at some point in time the car had been a color combina-

Page 5;;

Car Collector Chronicles

Here Comes da JudgeContd.

tion different from what it now displayed. A review of the trim tag verified this to be the case. The car also
had clear plastic seat covers on it. They had yellowed from age, but served their function of protecting the
seat fabric underneath. Even so, something about the seats just did not look right. The car owner watched
nervously as our judging team gathered around the car with a 1957 fabric selection book in hand, pointing
and speaking in low tones. It turned out that the seat fabric being protected in the all original car was not
available from Oldsmobile in 1957! The anxious owner asked me if there was a problem. Being low man
on the totem pole I did not feel it was my place to break the bad news. I passed his query on to our team
captain. He gave the ok for me to be the bearer of bad tidings. I could see the surprise, shock and
disillusionment set in on the car owners face. He was slowly coming to the realization that he had been
sold a bill of goods by the previous owner. It was still a more than very nice 1957 Oldsmobile, no doubt.
Equally of no doubt was the fact that it was anything but all original.
A final note on judging. Somehow or
other, this followed us home from the
OCA Nationals. Evidently Saved 62 still
has what it takes, after all these years
(53 years since manufacture and 10
years since coming into our care)?

Ok, Ive had my say for the month.

Now its your turn!
I invite/
encourage submission of your comments, opinions and article contributions. I also ask that you please
help spread the word about our publication. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to CCC at
OldsD88@gmail.com.
Now that you have finished reading this months issue of the newsletter, if so inclined, like CCC on
Facebook by going here

______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE:
The Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours
Compare/Contrast: OCA Nats and Cadillac Grand National

Car Collector Chronicles

2015 OCA Nats Photos

More photos may be found here -

Page 6;;