Volume II, Issue 8

that response is accompanied with explanatory photos.

Let me furnish a concrete example to illustrate how fantastic the degree of help truly is. I was in need of lo-cating a switched hot wire in the engine bay of my Vair. Not only was Continued on p. 2

This month I thought we would delve into the subject of resources to support the collec-tor car fanatic. There are a myriad of them out there, and they do take many forms. Car clubs, internet fora, and of course, ebay™ are but a few.

Virtually every vehicle marque has a club. If you do not belong to a car club which supports your ride, JOIN NOW! Most clubs provide both a national network and a local chapter. The thing about a car club is, its members have been there, done that and have the answers you want/need. They also hold meetings, put on car shows and publish magazines and newslet-ters with helpful information.

One of the most helpful items, I have found, is the classi-fied ads in my Olds car club national magazines. Yes, I did use the plural. This is because I belong to 2 Olds clubs; the

Oldsmobile Club of America and the National Antique Oldsmobile Club. To get an idea of the type of resources available from car clubs, check ‘em out. I am certain clubs supporting other marques have similar resources.

The internet is replete with sites devoted to whatever is your collector car fancy. A good starting point here is the Antique Auto Club of America. The AACA has general, as well as vehicle specific, fora where information and help is both sought, and provided.

On the subject of automobile fora, I would feel guilty if I did not single out for commenda-tion the Corvair Center Forum. I cannot sing its praises enough. To say the folks there are fan-tastic when it comes to being of assistance is an understatement, in the extreme. More often than not, a plea for help is not only promptly responded to,

COLLECTOR CAR RESOURCES

GDYNets® on the Web

WHERE YOU WILL FIND GDYNets (me) on the WWW:

Dave’s Den -

http://GDYNets.WEBNG.com

Saved 62 - http://www.freewebs.com/jeandaveyaros

The Gray Lady- 55 Cad de Ville

Car Collector Chronicles-scribd

DAVE’S DEN: A website devoted to a myriad of inter-ests. 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. Geo. Yaros.

SAVED 62: A website de-voted to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site also has a lot of information on Oldsmobiles and its founder, Ransom Eli Olds.

THE GRAY LADY: This website features our 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville and Caddy information.

A GDYNETS® PUBLICATION © 2009, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 2009 Car Collector Chronicles

Car Collector Chronicles®

Exploring:

• Car collecting today

• Classic rides

• Reports from the field

• Oldsmobile

• Cadillac

• Corvair

IN THIS ISSUE:

Collector Car Resources

1

GDYNets® On the Web

1

Tools of the Trade

3

Collector Car Pics

4

Reader Alert! Old U.S. 27 Tour

4

Coming Next Issue

4

EMAIL: OldsD88@gmail.com

I told which particular wire I wanted and needed, but also where it was, and then provided with a photo of the precise location! Sort of like “Automobile Wiring for Dummies?” Instead of having to find a needle in a haystack, I was furnished a MapQuest®, turn-by-turn, road map. It certainly made my task a whole lot simpler. I really appreciated the fact my query was not treated with contempt or scorn by the cognoscenti. Nor was I treated as, or embarrassed for being, a neophyte. In truth, the treatment I received makes me want to engage in payback, by helping out if/when I am able to contribute. The bottom line here is, never overlook your car collector comrades as a very valuable resource. They are capable of rendering assis-tance, and stand more than ready to do so. All you have to do is ask. When it comes to parts suppliers, if you do not have a subscription to Hemmings Motor News, you should. The large, reputable suppliers all advertise in it. A key here is, do not forget the concept of parts in-terchangeability. GM, and I am sure Chrysler and Ford, use the same parts on their various lines, such as Chevy, Olds and Pontiac. When I was in need of a rear ashtray for my 62 Oldsmobile, and striking out repeatedly with Oldsmobile suppliers, I decided to bunt. That took the form of finding the part in a Harmon’s Chevrolet Restoration Parts catalog. Hey, whatever works, right? Just remember, there is more than one way to skin a cat; i.e., reach your goal. Do not be so blinded as to overlook the obvious. On the subject of interchangeability, be forewarned that the burden to do the research is going to fall squarely on you. Do not expect, say, Harmon’s Chevrolet to know whether or not a Chevy ashtray is the same as in an Olds. They specialize in what they specialize in, and do not venture far from their chosen area of expertise. In this re-gard, access to an interchange manual will assist you greatly in deter-mining what part fits what car; especially when seeking out that elu-sive mechanical component. I am certain we all are familiar with ebay™. The more years your ride acquires, the more valuable ebay™ becomes as a parts resource. I cannot begin to enumerate all the difficult to find NOS parts I have been able to acquire there. The simple fact is, I could not go to an Oldsmobile dealer and buy a heat riser, of which I was in desperate need. I was able to get it via this online auction. Ditto, for a NORS set of AC™ 45 spark plugs.

COLLECTOR CAR RESOURCES—Continued

Car Collector Chronicles Page 2

“When it comes

to parts, … do

not forget the

concept of

parts

interchange-

ability.”

COLLECTOR CAR RESOURCES – Cont’d. from p. 2 If you are not already doing so, I highly recommend taking advantage of the service’s available search feature. When you do so, you will get more hits if your search queries take into account possible permutations of the basic search term. When it comes to parts searching, it is best to try and cover all possible bases. By way of example: One of my cars is a 62 Olds. So that seems like a more than logical search term, and it is. However, I get far more hits on the term “1962 Oldsmobile.” In fact, for my Olds I use four search queries: 62 Olds, 1962 Olds, 62 Oldsmobile and 1962 Oldsmobile In the more than struggling economy, look for ebay™ to increase in importance as a parts resource. I say this because, in these trying times I shall not be at all surprised to see the current pool of retail sup-pliers for classic rides begin to dwindle. As they do, an easy way to access a nationwide source for hard to find car parts will take on more importance to all of us. But remember, there are only a finite number of NOS/NORS parts out there to be had. Tools of the Trade I suspect we shall never stop discussing tools in CCC? One item that should be considered by every collector car owner is a garage door exhaust port. They are readily available at your local auto parts supplier. They are also easily installed. Yes, installation does require cutting a circular hole in your garage door, but the hole does not have to be perfect. Any imperfections will be covered by the port once it is mounted. Of course, the port is of no value without an accompanying exhaust hose. Together, this combo permits you to run your car in a closed garage in winter, without killing yourself! Ok, I have had my say for this month. Now it is your turn! I invite/encourage submission of your comments, opinions and contributions, and ask that you do help spread the word about our pub. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to: OldsD88@gmail.com _______________________________________ -- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

“You will get

more hits if

your search

queries take

into account

possible

permutations of

the basic search

term.”

Page 3 Car Collector Chronicles

Car Collector Chronicles Page 4;;

The innards of the Oldsmobile “rolling ribbon” Safety Spectrum speedometer. It displayed green from 1 to 35 m.p.h., orange from 36 to 65 m.p.h., and red from 66 to 120 m.p.h. Above 120 m.p.h. the color of the speedometer ribbon, ap-propriately, faded to black! This speedometer was available in the 1959-1962 model years.

The “Trans-Portable” radio from Oldsmobile — It was an available option in the 1958 and 1959 model years. The radio was moved from the dash to the glove box in 1959, to reduce thefts.

ALERT: As you read this month’s issue, we are prepping Saved 62 for a 5-day/10-city organized cruise on historic Old U.S. 27 (← tour link) in MI. (She successfully passed a 125 mi. shakedown drive.) The tour runs from Coldwater to Cheboygan, ending on the shores of Lake Huron. A police escort shall be furnished along the entire route for the 300 + cars expected to partici-pate. There shall be a cruise-in, car show daily. One scheduled stop is in Lansing, the home of Oldsmobile. Needless to say, we are excited. Expect a report and pics in coming months! COMING NEXT ISSUE: • Long Distance Buying — Avoiding the Perils