In addition to getting things running right I also continued exploring and playing detective, which is one of my favorite parts of purchasing a vehicle. I was astounded when I opened the trunk and saw numerous parts- obviously the originals that had fallen off, and a few other items you just don't see every day. I also noticed a large amount of seeds as well as some string and paper that clearly came from a large bag of some sort. "Oh great" I thought. "Mice have been all over this thing. This is gonna be bad."
I've never been happier to be completely wrong. Have a look for yourself.
The underside of the lid looks much better than the outside (for now), however there are bits of rust rolling around in there and even falling out.
Not only was the factory spare tire present, it was accompanied by the original bumper jack, tire iron, fasteners, and cardboard? panel. The jumper cables came with the car but of course are not a factory item.
The next photo was taken after I quickly arranged the items that I found, though they weren't exactly scattered to begin with. Most of them were wrapped in paper and stowed on the driver's side, by the marker light.
You can see an old heater core, new V-belts, a new headlight, some center caps, rope, etc. but let's have a closer look. What is the red thing, a funnel?
Here you see the lower trim for the passenger front fender, a window crank, Cutlass/Brougham insignia, a few center caps, and some plastic pieces that have broken off.
The silver piece that's folded up here is not a tarp, it's a "cold bag" for stowing groceries on the drive home. On top are wool washing/polishing cloths and a chamois.
Now this really impressed me: I've never seen anyone outside of my family that went to the effort of making their own wheel chocks from 4x4 lumber and covering it with latex paint. At least not in the last 20 years.. My grandmother drove around with a pair in the trunk of her '88 Olds Ninety-Eight that looked
exactly like this. And I mean exactly.
And now I knew what this thing was, and where all the darn seeds in the trunk came from! This handy little device has a thumb lever that operates an iris in the handle, allowing you to dispense birdseed at your discretion. The lovely lady that owned this car before me must've enjoyed feeding the birds on a regular basis, and I just get a kick out of the idea.
When you add together the overall condition of the car, the clearly well-maintained powertrain, and this mini shrine you get a good understanding of how much this Cutlass meant to the woman that took care of it for 39 years before I came along. This was obviously much more than just a car, a mere conveyance from "A" to "B"- she adored this beautiful cruiser. I can honestly say that it means just as much to me and that I plan to respect this Cutlass as if it were that sweet lady, or even my own grandmother. Life hasn't dropped too many nice things in my lap, but this time capsule is definitely something to be cherished.
