Randy Carlson writes:
I was born and raised in a little farm town in southwest Iowa. Coincidentally my wife, Sandy's family, came from a town about 30 miles east of there, but we met while in high school in Loveland.
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I had a 1950 Olds in high school and loved that old car. I always wanted another Olds if I could find a good one. In 1959 a long time friend, Dean Seavers and 2 high school buddies decided to build a NHRA drag racing car.
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Dean had used Oldsmobile engines in other cars in previous years, so, of course, he built several Olds engines for the race car. They ran A gas supercharged class using a 1933 Willys coupe body and competed successfully for 7 seasons (1960 - 1966). They then broke up the team, each married and started families.
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A few years later Dean looked for the cleanest, straightest 1950 Olds he could find, bought it, drove it home, put it in his garage, and pulled the original engine and transmission out. He then "detuned" one of the 394 Olds engines to make it "streetable" but not quite stock. He installed it with a 4-speed trans in his 1950 Olds. He then restored the car with new upholstery and a paint job.
Dean enjoyed the car for 38 years (1970 - 2008) at which time he sold the car to me. He had developed Parkinsons disease which after a few years made it impossible for him to drive.
I have always loved vintage cars and have enjoyed collecting and working on them through the years. When I retired I had more time to play with the old cars. We have a '26 Chrysler sedan a '31 Chrysler roadster, a '31 Studebaker sedan and a '50 Oldsmobile sedan. I am currently working on restoration of a REO Speedwagon truck which I hope to finish before I "kick the bucket."
We have been members of VMCCA since 2013 and have enjoyed touring and meeting people around the US who also love cars. We have driven "Dean's Olds" on many VMCCA tours from New England to the Olympic Peninsula to several places on the Gulf plus many places in between.
It is always a real "kick" to drive such as when I had the opportunity to run it on the Martinsville NASCAR track while on a VMCCA tour. We get a lot of comments from people who reminisce about having an Olds like this.