'64 Dynamic 88

[human]

So I may be getting a new toy soon. My dad wants me to take his '64 Olds Dynamic 88 convertible. I've just got to come up with a place to put it. Renting a big storage unit would eventually eat up the value of the car, but for about the cost of renting such a unit for a year, I could put up a metal carport at the end of my driveway. That seems to be the more cost effective alternative, but doing so would also mean I wouldn't have room for the Aurora. As much as I hate the idea of getting rid of it, I'm having a hard fighting the logic of this move. The convertible's value is several times that of the Aurora, the sale of which would more than pay for the carport.

I have a bit of history with this convertible, although I've never driven it. Dad bought it when I was 14 with the idea of fixing it up for me to drive when I got my license a couple of years later. That never happened and I ended up with a string of VW Beetles instead. He did get it painted and put on a new top shortly after I graduated from college, after which the car then sat in the garage at my childhood home for almost 30 years until he sold that house. A friend of his has had the car at his place since then and is working on getting it running again.

I'm not sure when this is all going to happen--probably sometime in the next few months--but y'all will be the first to know when the Aurora goes up for sale. I'd really like for it to go to someone who can appreciate it.

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora

[human]

The car in the link below isn't mine but is a nice example of the same model, even if the rear view mirror is mounted too far forward. It should be on the door, not the fender. Wish mine were this shade of green instead of white with a black top and dark green interior. www.hemmings.com/classifieds/cars-for-sale/oldsmobile/dynamic-88/1836112.html

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora

[Toronado3800]

That is a neat car and an opportunity.

I forget your Aurora's story, but if I remember it has an oil problem which you are nursing along. Keep in mind for at least the next decade you can always buy another Aurora for cheap.

[human]

Yeah, my '95 Aurora has had an issue with low oil pressure for more than an year now. It's generally okay in cold weather, below 60 degrees, kind of iffy in the 60s and low 70s, and pretty much un-driveable when it's much above 75 degrees, which is why it hasn't moved from my driveway since April. At some point down the road, I may decide to revisit an Aurora, but right now, this convertible has my attention and the economics of doing it make good sense. Dad's been dangling this car in front of me for close to 40 years and now it looks like it's finally gonna happen.

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora

[human]

I was down at my parents' this past weekend and found out the Dynamic 88 isn't quite as near road ready as I had previously been lead to believe. I was aware the car had been sitting for more than 30 years but the impression my dad had given me earlier was that his buddy who has it at his shop was actively working on it and was close to having it ready to roll but it seems he's been piddling around with it when he's not working on other projects. The big things it needs are to clean the sludged-up 1986-vintage gasoline out of the tank and to redo the brakes. I imagine a carburetor rebuild and servicing the transmission are also on the agenda. Amazingly, the tires, which sat flat for decades are holding air. I'm sure they're badly dry-rotted and I'll be replacing them immediately upon getting the car home, whenever that happens. Dad did talk to him while I was down there and let him know I was taking the car, so hopefully he'll put it closer to the front burner.

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora