Family links to an old ride make the best MSCC stories because the narrative writes itself.
The car or truck becomes secondary to the memories associated with it because the human connection is far more important than the vehicle itself.
You can buy a car that resembles the one your granddad drove or you can actually own that very car—the difference is enormous.
Arlen Kublick knows the difference because he is the proud owner of his grandfather’s 1964 Olds F-85 four door sedan. He rode in that car and he has many fond memories of this car—he clearly remembers his grandfather driving this Olds F-85 and sneaking out to the garage for a smoke in the front seat. The rear seat has a small patch of sun damage because he said, “this car literally sat in the same spot in the same garage for decades”. Arlen carries a portfolio of family memorabilia including his grandfather’s Bible to explain what kind of guy he was to onlookers.
Arlen has all the documentation on this car so he knows the list price was $3,334.00 when it sat in the showroom. Arlen thinks it may possibly be the last one left in Canada because they didn’t save too many 4-door sedans once the warranty ran out back in the 1960s.
This Olds F-85 sat in the same garage from 1964 to 2001 and it almost met an untimely end when it was slated to meet a crusher. Arlen’s grandfather didn’t leave it in a will but Arlen’s brother “grabbed it for a 400 dollar donation to the cancer fund” and saved it from oblivion. He kept it in his garage from 2001 to 2014 when Arlen and his son split the cost and coughed up another 400 dollars to reimburse his brother for the charity donation.
Arlen said the car had, “62,400 miles when I got it back on August 7 2014 and now it has 69,143 (August 29, 2015)”. He was happy to report it had no mice after 51 years—a remarkable feat for long term storage. He added all he had to do “was rinse the engine” to get this car ready for the road.
Those miles taught Arlen what he needed to learn about the car and the first thing was upgrade the tires. He said the “car started shaking at 60 miles per hour, and really sucked with bias tires” so he did the right thing and replaced them with radials.
This F-85 is still airtight—so airtight Arlen said you “have to un-pop your ears with the windows closed”. The 330 Jetfire engine is still rock solid and Arlen isn’t afraid of a brake stand with his 51-year-old car because it has (he read in the owner’s manual) an electronic torque enhancer for the transmission. He says when it kicks down it really takes off and the brake stand is easy—he “just gets the rpms up to 1500 and then it goes” and the owner’s manual tells you how to use it to pass.
Arlen also said, “It’ll go from 0-70 mph in low”.
Arlen had already been to about 30 car shows in the short time he’s owned the car but the long term plan is clear. His son is a full partner in the car and he’s already used it for his graduation but he doesn’t get to drive it until he’s 25 even though he will definitely be the next owner.
This family heirloom crosses three generations.