My Car - Hooked on ‘Olds’

Thirteen years ago, Gerry Wasney purchased his 1959 Oldsmobile 98 for $6,000.

“I had a (1951 Oldsmobile) when I was 16,” Wasney said. “I had a four-door hard top, kept some of the parts to use for this one.”

The Lively resident said he finds his 1959 Oldsmobile more appealing than its four-door predecessor. “It floats on the highway,” he said.

He fixed up the car a little bit at a time. The second year the retired miner owned the vehicle, he had the engine rebuilt.
The original colour of the car was black with a white top. The third year he owned it, he had the car painted a laze red with pearl. “When the sun hits it, it brightens up and glistens,” Wasney said.

He recently replaced the interior from grey with leather white sides to a white vinyl.

The carpet, headliner, sun visors and door panels were also replaced.

The seats, windows and antenna are powered, and there is a foot switch to change the channels on the radio.

The speedometer measures speed with different coloured fluorescent lights.

When Wasney is out and about, he said people enjoy chatting with him about his car. “When I go to town, it should only take me a half hour or so, but people want to know about the car and how long I had it.”

He said someone has offered to buy the car from him for $30,000, and others have offered to trade their vehicles with him.

You can find Wasney at the Car Show in the Costco parking lot every Sunday at 6 p.m.