1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Convertible
Owned since June 1984
August 15, 2007.
I blew out one of the old 1 1/2 whitewalls and was shocked to find out that I could not buy whitewalls of any sort at the local tire shops. So I had to special order tires from Diamondback, a company that specializes in Vintage car tires, newly made. So, since I had to special order and pay lots of money, I figured I'd go high style and get three inch whitewalls, here's how they look:
May 29, 2006.
I'm fortunate to still have the car of my youth. After many years in storage, I got the bug to take the car out in the spring of 2006. I had been starting it a couple times a year, but it had not been out on the road for a number of years due to a fuel starvation problem which I finally resolved thanks to the help of an old friend (screen was clogged in the tank, I blew compressed air back and it "POPPED", and there's been no problem since then)
The car is upstate NY at my parents house, so I see it about once a month. I've been doing some mechanical work to it each time I go up there. So far I changed the radiator, hoses and belts, new battery and fluids.
The car runs fantastic.
I have great emotional attachment to the car, as I feel as though I spent my entire 20s in it. I took my then 18 year old wife on our first date in the car. We went on our honeymoon in it. My nightclub life in the 1980s was accented by the frequent trips after club hours in this car with other nightlife friends.
I plan to scan some of the many photos I have of this car in action in my life over the last 22 years.
The car is a mild period custom. Chrome spoke wheels were a must-have in the 70s and 80s, they very much dress up the car. The two-tone interior was of my own design, the color blocking was an attempt to make the car look more like a 1960s car. Everyone thought it was a 1960s car anyway, since by the time I got this car in 1984 American cars had been so downsized and blanderized.
The car was painted this red before I got it. The fiberglass parade boot was a great find as they were very rare and usually only found on the Cadillac Eldorado. I found a new one around 1985 I guess. I had it painted the color of the car, which I found out was a 1973 Cadillac color. The car was originally a light blue.
Here's a pic from about 1988:
