“EXCITED AT THE TOP HEADER SHOWING GM’S OFFERING FOR ‘59. HANG ON, THERE IS NO OLDSMOBILE?”
OLD’S COOL
To the fine folk at Unique Cars mag,
Just sat down with this month’s instalment of the mag, Excited at the top header showing GM’s offering for ‘59. Hang on, there is no Oldsmobile? Ahhh must be inside, couldn’t fit them all in on the top of the cover, I get it they are yachts.
Flick through Pontiac yup, Buick again yup, The magnificent Caddy, check, and of course the Chev. But hang on we are missing one.
I know the Olds is a bygone GM stablemate but surely the Car that won the inaugural Daytona 500 in ’59 deserves a guernsey? How about a notable mention? A footnote perhaps? Hmm guess not.
I would be tempted to get all uppity on you and carr y on how I’m never buying your mag again but that would be crap. I need to look forward to something in my letter box that doesn’t have a clear window with awful things like ‘Your energ y bill’ written on it.
Instead I am going to angrily type an email and have a beer before lunch! Yes Before lunch, take that! It is with certainty that with the passing of time I will get over this... But until then where’s my beer assistant?!
Devoted Olds owner
Samantha Nelson Via email
ED Sam - this is normally the bit where we generate a plausible excuse, but I just looked at the rear end of your car and, frankly, we don’t have one. Can we feature it in a future issue as some sort of recompense?
SHIT HAPPENS
Great work on last month’s feature about BMWs in South Africa. While it was technically true that no E30 M3s were imported, there’s usually some kind of workaround with local import regulations and I managed to get one in as a race car that I sneaked onto the road. Driving that thing through The Valley of a Thousand Hills early on a summer morning was about as close as you can get to heaven! It could also be hellish though, as it blew an oil seal out there one day. I had to hitch a lift home and when I returned, the car had been broken into and baboons had torn up and shit all over the interior. I sold it to a guy in Bloemfontein who owned it precisely three days before it was stolen and burnt out. Happy memories though.
Alan Mullery Durban, SA
ED Any letter that involves M3s, monkeys and fire just cannot be ignored. Oman last month, South Africa this month; good to hear UC’s reach extends that far!