Texas Classic Car Show 2008 Best of Show
Dick and Shirley Thomas
1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 CONVERTIBLE
DICK AND I MET IN 1959 AT THAT TIME HE OWNED A 1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 CONVERTIBLE. WE LOVED THAT CONVERTIBLE AND DROVE EVERYWHERE WITH THE TOP DOWN, EVEN WHEN IT WAS COLD, DID NOT SEEM THAT COLD BACK THEN. WE DATED FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE WE MARRIED IN AUGUST OF 1960. THE 1953 OLDSMOBILE WAS OUR ONLY CAR FOR THREE YEARS AFTER WE MARRIED. IN 1963 DICK BOUGHT ME A 1957 OLDSMOBILE SUPER 88 CONVERTIBLE. HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE 1953 OLDSMOBILE UNTIL HE HAD TO LET GO OF IT BECAUSE OF BRAKE PROBLEMS. WE NEVER KNEW WHEN THEY WOULD FAIL. IF ONLY WE KNEW ABOUT DISC BRAKES BACK THEN.
IN 1999 DICK WANTED TO FIND ANOTHER 1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 CONVERTIBLE, SO THE HUNT WAS ON. IN 1999 WE FLEW TO DETROIT AND BOUGHT 3 OLDSMOBILES. THE 1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 HOLIDAY COUPE THAT WE NOW DRIVE EVERY WHERE. A 1952 HARD TOP PARTS CAR AND A 1953 CONVERTIBLE THAT WAS NOT IN GOOD RESTORABLE CONDITION. THAT SAME YEAR WE ALSO BROUGHT ANOTHER 1953 CONVERTIBLE FROM TENNESSEE. THIS ONE WAS ALSO IN REALLY BAD SHAPE. DICK STILL HAD HOPES OF BUILDING A CONVERTIBLE
IN A PHONE CONVERSATION IN OCTOBER OF 2000 HENRY POLANSKY TOLD DICK ABOUT A 1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 CONVERTIBLE THAT WAS ON EBAY. I HAD NEVER BEEN ON EBAY BUT OUR DAUGHTER HELPED ME REGISTER AND I LEARNED HOW TO BID. WELL WE BID AND BID ON THAT CAR AND WHEN THE AUCTION WAS OVER IT SAID WE WERE HIGH BIDDER BUT DID NOT MEET RESERVE. DICK WAS SO DISAPPOINTED. A FEW DAY AFTER THE AUCTION WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE PERSON WHO HAD PUT THE CAR ON EBAY FOR THE OWNER AND AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OWNER'S DAUGHTER WE DROVE TO NEEDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA AND BROUGHT IT HOME ON A TRAILER. WE WERE SO LUCKY TO FIND THIS ONE OWNER CAR THAT HAD NEVER BEEN WRECKED AND WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. IT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR 28 YEARS. THE 1ST OWNER HAD PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND IT HAD BEEN HIS PRIDE AND JOY, HE TOOK GOOD CARE OF IT. HE PASSED AWAY UNEXPECTEDLY IN 1982 AND HIS WIFE PUT THE CAR IN A BASEMENT GARAGE AND HAD THE WHEELS TAKEN OFF AND BLOCKED THE CAR UP AND IT STAYED THERE UNTIL SHE BECAME ILL IN 2000 AND HAD TO MOVE IN WITH HER DAUGHTER. THE DAUGHTER LIVED ON A FARM AND DID NOT HAVE A GOOD PLACE TO GARAGE THE CAR SO THEY DECIDED TO SELL IT.
WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DENVER OCA NATIONALS IN 2001 AND RECEIVED A 1ST PLACE WITH IT.
THE NEXT YEAR WE HAD THE CAR REPAINTED HERE IN TEXAS. WE COULD NOT LOCATE A SHOP IN TEXAS THAT WOULD RE-UPHOLSTER THE CAR TO THE ORIGINAL CONDITION WE FOUND JENKINS RESTORATIONS IN N. WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA. THERE IT RECEIVED COMPLETE LEATHER UPHOLSTERY, CARPET, TRUNK LINER AND A NEW CONVERTIBLE TOP. ALL JUST AS ORIGINAL.
IN 2006 AT THE DALLAS OCA NATIONALS THE CAR RECEIVED 3 AWARDS; 1ST IN CLASS, BEST OF CLASS AND THE HU VANDERVORT MEMORIAL AWARD IN APPRECIATION OF THE PRESERVATION OF OLDSMOBILES FOR THE BEST RESTORED OLDSMOBILE OF 1940 - 1960.
SEPTEMBER 2008 AT THE TEXAS CLASSIC CAR SHOW AT RUDY'S IN AUSTIN, TX IT WON BEST OF SHOW.
JANUARY OF 2009 AT THE 35™ ANNUAL CUSTOM CAR & HOT ROD SHOW IN AUSTIN THE CAR WON 3 AWARDS: 1ST PLACE FOR BEST RESTORED CAR; OUTSTANDING INTERIOR RESTORES AND BEST PAINT.
IN MARCH OF 2009 AT OLDSMAR, FLORIDA AT THE 48™ ANNUAL OLDSMAR DAYS THE CAR RECEIVED 1ST IN CLASS.
IN MAY 2009 AT THE SUN CITY GEORGETOWN, TEXAS SHOW PUT ON BY GEORGETOWN TEXAS AREA CAR CLUB THE CAR RECEIVED 1ST PLACE IN IT'S CLASS.
JUNE 25, 2009 AT THE NAOC (NATIONAL ANTIQUE OLDSMOBILE CLUB) NATIONALS AT PRESCOTT, AZ THE CAR WON BEST OF IT'S CLASS.
THE OLDSMOBILE HAS RECEIVED MANY OTHER 1ST PLACE AND BEST OF SHOW AWARDS AT VARIOUS CAR SHOWS.
IN 2008 DICK BUILT ANOTHER 1953 98 CONVERTIBLE. IT HAS A NEW DRIVE TRAIN, AS
DICK SAYS IT HAS A NEW HEART. HE BUILT IT TO PULL OUR CLASSIC AIRSTREAM
TRAVEL TRAILERS TOO.
NEEDLESS TO SAY DICK AND I LOVE OUR OLDSMOBILES !!!!!
WE DRIVE THEM EVERYWHERE AND ALSO PULL A CLASSIC AIRSTREAM TRAVEL TRAILER
WITH THE 1953 OLDSMOBILE 98 HOLIDAY COUPE AS WELL. WE HAVE SO MUCH PLEASURE
DRIVING THEM.
LOOK FOR US ON THE HIGHWAYS: BLACK CONVERTIBLE, TOP DOWN AND A SHINY ALUMINUM AIRSTREAM TRAILER FOLLOWING. SOOO FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
DICK AND SHIRLEY THOMAS
OLDSMOBILE DREAMING!!
MORE SHOWS TO ATTEND
