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Topic starter
26/03/2022 12:32 pm
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! Three cups of coffee this morning while dusting my car shelves and admiring my 1:18 scale models.
I was just six years old and very much in awe of all the many cars I saw in my neighborhood and on the roads. My Dad worked part-time at OSTERBURG OLDSMOBILE in South St. Paul on Concord St. and I just fell immediately in love with the '57 Oldsmobile's. That three-way split rear window caught my eye and that car was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. The '57 in any color combination for me, defines the world beautiful (in cars).
My Godfather Paul Novotny, bought a '57 when new, and less than a year later he was unable to drive due to having Muscular Dystrophy. His car sat in his garage, undriven for the next fours years, he wouldn't sell it. In 1962, the car having not even been started for all that time, needed to be towed on a flatbed truck to a repair facility.
Paul passed away that year, thus the reason for the car being removed from the garage. I remember being so sad losing him and even at my young age, sad because his pride and joy '57 was gone too. I only remember being told the car was in dire need of engine repair even with low mileage of 7,000 on the odometer. It was eventually fixed and sold at his estate sale. Had I been old enough in 1962, I'd have bought it. I love my models and if they came in a hundred colors, I'd buy them all. As I looked at my models this morning, it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT...AGAIN!
This is NOT my Godfather's car, but his was exactly like this one.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Topic starter
04/04/2026 4:54 pm
Enjoying my coffee this morning, I'd remembered this "Coffee Talk" I'd posted a few years back, talking about my 1:18 models. I have three '57 Oldsmobile's and of course they triggered my memory. It's always amazed me how old cars can bring back so many good memory's.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
04/04/2026 5:03 pm
I enjoyed the story George, that is one beautiful Olds. I too love the '57. I had my WCPD models pre-ordered. It broke my heart when they never came to fruition. 😥
Jack Dodds and Steve Jacobs reacted
Topic starter
04/04/2026 5:25 pm
Thank you Geno! I too, had the WCPD '57 Oldsmobile's pre-ordered. In fact, I'd talked with Brian (from WCPD) on the phone one night for about two hours...easy to do with him, as he was a talker and admittedly, so am I. I told him to put me down for ONE EACH of every '57 Oldsmobile he produced. When I got off the phone, I was so excited that this 1:24 scale model was FINALLY going to be a reality. Of course we now know that, that reality never materialized as the models never made it to production. I still dream about what could have been.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Jack Dodds and Geno reacted
04/04/2026 7:05 pm
[quote I still dream about what could have been.
As do I, and you are most certainly welcome. 💯😊
Jack Dodds reacted
Topic starter
05/04/2026 5:07 am
[quote I still dream about what could have been.
As do I, and you are most certainly welcome. 💯😊
And of course, I still dream about what could have been, had the mints NOT stopped producing the quality 1:24 scale diecast they were feeding us for so many years. When they did stop, all of us were very hungry and wanting more. I bear in mind though, the old saying, "All good things come to an end".
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Geno reacted
05/04/2026 5:47 am
@georgeschire Sadly they do George, I still pick up models from time to time, not even close as I used to. Especially the Salvat, Hachette, IXO, Atlas and Whitebox models. Since they are well done and accurately proportioned. It doesn't bother me they're curbside, once I put my models on display I don't mess with the opening features anyway. I'm not playing with them, lol. Knowing me, my gorilla hands would break something. I'm just enjoying the image.😁
Pete Rovero and George Schire reacted