"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
...

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.


In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

Eisboch

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:23:25 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
.. .

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.

In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

When I returned from my second tour, I was really itching to get my
hands on the Road Runner I had ordered - special everything!!! I
ordered it 60 days before I left and wanted it delivered in San
Francisco because I was going to drive it home - cross country.

Well, that plan went totally fubar when I took a cab to the dealer and
it was the wrong color, wrong engine, wrong everything. I was totally
****ed as I paid cash for the car and it was supposed to be ready.

I called my Dad (who was Business Editor of the Boston Herald (or was
it Herald American at that time?) and a syndicated columnist, he got
in touch with the appropriate executive and I got a free 1st class
plane ride home and a promise that my Road Runner would be delivered
within a week at my home address.

Well, the week went by and the Road Runner was delivered to the local
dealer - wrong color, wrong engine, but it did have LSD and the Hurst
shifter.

HOWEVER...

Sitting in the showroom was a gorgeous black Plymouth GTX with the 440
hemi and two, count'em two, 750 Holleys, 3:92 LSD rear end, Hurst
shifter, bucket seats and, as god as my witness, a tre' kewl,
state-of-the-art cassette player - a true muscle car and a half.

Sold the car two years ago for a ridiculous sum to a collector - it
only had 11,000 original miles on it.

And I have no idea why I told that story.

Must be old age.

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 00:40:44 GMT, Lamont Cranston
wrote:

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:23:25 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
. ..

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.

In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

When I returned from my second tour, I was really itching to get my
hands on the Road Runner I had ordered - special everything!!! I
ordered it 60 days before I left and wanted it delivered in San
Francisco because I was going to drive it home - cross country.

Well, that plan went totally fubar when I took a cab to the dealer and
it was the wrong color, wrong engine, wrong everything. I was totally
****ed as I paid cash for the car and it was supposed to be ready.

I called my Dad (who was Business Editor of the Boston Herald (or was
it Herald American at that time?) and a syndicated columnist, he got
in touch with the appropriate executive and I got a free 1st class
plane ride home and a promise that my Road Runner would be delivered
within a week at my home address.

Well, the week went by and the Road Runner was delivered to the local
dealer - wrong color, wrong engine, but it did have LSD and the Hurst
shifter.

HOWEVER...

Sitting in the showroom was a gorgeous black Plymouth GTX with the 440
hemi and two, count'em two, 750 Holleys, 3:92 LSD rear end, Hurst
shifter, bucket seats and, as god as my witness, a tre' kewl,
state-of-the-art cassette player - a true muscle car and a half.

Sold the car two years ago for a ridiculous sum to a collector - it
only had 11,000 original miles on it.

And I have no idea why I told that story.

Must be old age.

Good story though. It's one of the reasons I paid a premium to get the
car I wanted now, as opposed to ordering, waiting 12 weeks, praying,
and then getting the wrong color or an automatic transmission.

Thanks for the story.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:23:25 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
.. .

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.

In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems
to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

When I returned from my second tour, I was really itching to get my
hands on the Road Runner I had ordered - special everything!!! I
ordered it 60 days before I left and wanted it delivered in San
Francisco because I was going to drive it home - cross country.

Well, that plan went totally fubar when I took a cab to the dealer and
it was the wrong color, wrong engine, wrong everything. I was totally
****ed as I paid cash for the car and it was supposed to be ready.

I called my Dad (who was Business Editor of the Boston Herald (or was
it Herald American at that time?) and a syndicated columnist, he got
in touch with the appropriate executive and I got a free 1st class
plane ride home and a promise that my Road Runner would be delivered
within a week at my home address.

Well, the week went by and the Road Runner was delivered to the local
dealer - wrong color, wrong engine, but it did have LSD and the Hurst
shifter.

HOWEVER...

Sitting in the showroom was a gorgeous black Plymouth GTX with the 440
hemi and two, count'em two, 750 Holleys, 3:92 LSD rear end, Hurst
shifter, bucket seats and, as god as my witness, a tre' kewl,
state-of-the-art cassette player - a true muscle car and a half.

Sold the car two years ago for a ridiculous sum to a collector - it
only had 11,000 original miles on it.

And I have no idea why I told that story.

Must be old age.


It is. There was no such thing as a 440 hemi, although the Chrysler 440
engine was nothing to sneeze at. The hemi was a 426.

Eisboch

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 21:17:51 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:23:25 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
.. .

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.

In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems
to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

When I returned from my second tour, I was really itching to get my
hands on the Road Runner I had ordered - special everything!!! I
ordered it 60 days before I left and wanted it delivered in San
Francisco because I was going to drive it home - cross country.

Well, that plan went totally fubar when I took a cab to the dealer and
it was the wrong color, wrong engine, wrong everything. I was totally
****ed as I paid cash for the car and it was supposed to be ready.

I called my Dad (who was Business Editor of the Boston Herald (or was
it Herald American at that time?) and a syndicated columnist, he got
in touch with the appropriate executive and I got a free 1st class
plane ride home and a promise that my Road Runner would be delivered
within a week at my home address.

Well, the week went by and the Road Runner was delivered to the local
dealer - wrong color, wrong engine, but it did have LSD and the Hurst
shifter.

HOWEVER...

Sitting in the showroom was a gorgeous black Plymouth GTX with the 440
hemi and two, count'em two, 750 Holleys, 3:92 LSD rear end, Hurst
shifter, bucket seats and, as god as my witness, a tre' kewl,
state-of-the-art cassette player - a true muscle car and a half.

Sold the car two years ago for a ridiculous sum to a collector - it
only had 11,000 original miles on it.

And I have no idea why I told that story.

Must be old age.

It is. There was no such thing as a 440 hemi, although the Chrysler 440
engine was nothing to sneeze at. The hemi was a 426.

Yeah - I know - I don't know why I do that.

You are right - it was the 426, although mine wasn't - it was the 440

Thing was a screamer though. And good looking. Once I get my web
site up and established, I'll post some pictures.

The only remnant of my muscle car days is the '70 Stingray which I
bought used in 1972 after I was discharged. 29,000 original miles.
All original.

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:23:25 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Lamont Cranston" wrote in message
.. .

Back in the day, my Father had a '57 Chevy with an Olds engine in it.
Can't remember what size it was, but I know it was an Olds.

My maternal Grandfather was the Shop Foreman for the Oldsmobile engine
plant where they used to pour and mill the blocks.


In those days, and even later, each GM division had their own engine
designs. As we moved into the late 60's and 70's all the GM parts became
generic, including the basic car frames. Who can forget that lame excuse
for a Caddy that was basically a soft spring version of a Chevy Nova? A
shame, as it ended the Golden Era of US cars. Interestingly, there seems to
be a current swing back to being more independent and to differentiate
between the car lines. This is good!

Eisboch

Ford differentiated so well with the new Mustang that the name of the
car is nowhere on the outside!

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

"JohnH" wrote in message
...

Ford differentiated so well with the new Mustang that the name of the
car is nowhere on the outside!

John H


I'll tell ya ... I am kinda in the mood for a new toy and the new 2005, 300
hp Mustang is high on my list.

Eisboch

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 21:20:14 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .

Ford differentiated so well with the new Mustang that the name of the
car is nowhere on the outside!

I'll tell ya ... I am kinda in the mood for a new toy and the new 2005, 300
hp Mustang is high on my list.

I don't like them all that much. Way to retro for my taste. I prefer
'em in their original state. Cars should evolve, not devolve.

Which is why I liked the Prowler - very modern look while at the same
time being a little retro in concept.

Now if we could only get GM to crank up the Oldsmobile line and
reintroduce a new 442 design... :)

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 03:13:51 GMT, Lamont Cranston
wrote:

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 21:20:14 -0500, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"JohnH" wrote in message
. ..

Ford differentiated so well with the new Mustang that the name of the
car is nowhere on the outside!

I'll tell ya ... I am kinda in the mood for a new toy and the new 2005, 300
hp Mustang is high on my list.

I don't like them all that much. Way to retro for my taste. I prefer
'em in their original state. Cars should evolve, not devolve.

Which is why I liked the Prowler - very modern look while at the same
time being a little retro in concept.

Now if we could only get GM to crank up the Oldsmobile line and
reintroduce a new 442 design... :)

I had a '68 and now have an '05. Other than the color and the grill
style, they are totally different cars. Drive one, you'll see.

John H

On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD,
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes

"Eisboch" wrote in message
.. .


I'll tell ya ... I am kinda in the mood for a new toy and the new 2005,
300
hp Mustang is high on my list.

Eisboch


Anybody excited about the Chinese cars Bricklin plans to import? I owned a
Russian 'Lada' in the early '80s & it was fun to drive (if you like the
retro thing).