I really don’t know where to start with this story so I’ll just dive in. In 1972 when I was a sophomore at C. K. McClatchy High school in Sacramento my father’s friend, Alan Mc Donald gave me a 1953 Oldsmobile. It wasn’t just any 1953 Oldsmobile. It was a Ninety Eight. The Ninety Eight was the top of the line. It was in mechanically great shape but the body and interior were rough. The car had hydroelectric windows, automatic (Autronic Eye) light dimmer, wonderbar radio, power steering and power brakes. It also had the famous ”Rocket” 302 engine.

I spent my entire junior year and 1/2 of my senior year working on this car after school with a friend Rick Gray on body and paint. I learned a lot about “sanding” cars. (It’s hard work) About the time I finished in February 1974 the 50’s were back in. Happy Days and American Graffiti were the in thing. My yellow and black Ninety Eight was the coolest. It was all stock but could get up and go when it had to. I became popular with that car quick. My dad’s gas card bill really started climbing once I got the car done. (I was told to “cool it” on driving excessively around town.) Gas was starting to climb due to the oil embargo. Oh well it was time to get a job so I could pay for this beast’s gas bill. In October 1974 I started at Thrifty Drug store as a stock boy to do this. Little did I know then that this would become a 25-1/2 year career instead of working in the forestry field (my passion at the time). I did go as far as a AA degree in forestry at American River College but management came knocking at Thrifty’s and the $$ talked. It paid for the completion of the car and the fun trips I took it on.

I kept the car until 1979. It made many trips to the Bay area to Oakland A’s and Golden State Warriors games. I also took it camping. (It had a trunk that could hold all the necessities to be comfortable) On it’s last long trip I took it to Santa Cruz with a friend and leaving Santa Cruz the transmission went on the blink, losing third gear. I had to drive all the way back to Sacramento in second gear. (An 8 hour drive at 30 mph and stops.) I became frustrated with the car at this point and called Alan and told him it was time to get rid of the car for something newer and sportier. Our deal was anything I did to improve the car he would pay 1/2 but when I wanted to get rid of the car he would get it back. He must of known how the young mind worked and gambled I would be no different. I told him I didn’t want to deal with the expense of fixing the Olds tranny and he could have the car back. He took it back and I went out and bought a 1967 Triumph Spitfire that was fixed up from another one of my dad’s friend’s. I enjoyed it at first but it too had problems but that’s another story I don’t want to get into now. Bottom line is I should have kept the Oldsmobile.

The car became a forgotten thing over the years until about 4 years ago when I ran into Alan at my father’s place. I asked him if he still had the Oldsmobile and had done anything to it. He said “no” and went on to say ”It’s sitting in a body shop yard in West Sacramento (Lee’s Vintage Auto Body). I asked him if I could go see it and he gave me directions to the place. I went and saw it and at that time it looked like some thing I really didn’t want to deal with in its current state. Then last year I got the itch again to maybe get it. I called Alan and asked him if he would be interested in parting with the car and how much. He said ”He was 71 years old and he wasn’t going to do anything with it in his lifetime and I could have it”. Part of me said, ”Get it” and part of me said ”Are you nuts”. (I have a 68 Barracuda convertible and I’m currently putting a 58 Packard Hawk back on the road). I still hesitated until one day I was talking to my friend, Dianna, about it and she said, “It’s your actual high school car. You’ll regret it if you don’t snap it up.” With that advise I made the move to pursue getting it. There was one problem, the car was now behind some newly installed storage containers on one side and 10 cars lined up on the other side. Many of the cars were non-rollers so it was stuck. It had to be lifted out with a crane. The body shop was restoring a 1949 cement truck (yes a cement truck) and was getting a crane to put the mixer back on the truck. This would be happening in a couple of months so I had to sit tight. Finally the call came that it was going to happen but that crane’s boom was too small so another larger crane was brought in to do the job. I was at work when the job was done so I don’t have any pictures of this site. The crane job cost $300.00, which I thought was a deal considering the crane was brought in just to do that.

Now I had another problem, where to store it. Storing it would have been a problem as I live in Lake Wildwood and I don’t think they would approve. Some club members offered storage so I was ready to go get it. Steve and new member Vic offered to help me and I ended up going down with Vic.

Vic had been down once before when the car was still “trapped” behind the cars and container so he knew what I was getting into. Upon arrival the car was sitting on the pavement ready to be rolled up on the car trailer. With the help of the body shop “big guy” we were out of there in less than 30 minutes. On the way back Vic needed to stop and see Lee about something and Lee gave it the look-see. Lee seemed like he approved and while we were there we popped open the trunk to find a treasure of parts I stuck in there when I gave the car back...the hubcaps, fender skirts, extra trim and accessories. Don’t get me wrong the car needs lots of work. But how many of you can say you have your actual high school car?

My goal now is to have it done by my 40th class reunion in the year 2014. First though comes my Packard Hawk currently at Roamin Angel Bob’s shop getting mechanical work done. Once that’s done then it’s the Olds turn. There’s a 50/50 chance of making that 2014 date but since it’s back in my possession the odds are in my favor. Currently it’s at Vic’s house while we figure out what will be needed first.

Who knows…it may start. I was told it was fired up over the years. This time I’ll keep it and get the tranny fixed.

by Ralph, “The new Olds man”