[Ryan1969Chevelle]

Hi all,

I am proud to say I had something to do with setting up a nice dinner and visit with the Stagers. (Usually Beautiful, "Oldsmobile" Loving Wife is the social convener) It took a little strategizing to find a good night to get together but we made it happen!

We had such a great night, shared a great meal, great conversation, and the Stagers brought a great desert!

I was a good boy and made sure I didn't interrogate them about the car, as I tend to concentrate on one thing at a time:-) Al and Lynn are lovely people and we had a very nice visit. It was funny as they were about to leave Al said I am not going anywhere until I get to see my car:-) We hadn't even gone in the garage yet. We had a good look at my organized home for "our" car.

A couple stories Al shared during our dinner visit:

Stupidest thing Al did with the car was accepting a challenge to drag race on the street against a Duster. It was in the winter the first year He owned the car and he had studded snow tires on the back. When he spun the tires some of the studs flew off the tires. I asked if he won the race, Al said no and laughed!

How the car came about, Al was about 20 years old and he and Lynn were dating. AI had a 64 F85 Coupe and had a plan to buy a Chevy II-Nova Post Car, with a 427 and a 4 Speed, Al's Dad wasn't in a position to disapprove of what car Al was to purchase as He was working at Budds doing his Tool and Die Apprentice, but Al's Dad knew a 427 Nova was not a safe selection. Al's Dad went to County Garage and talked to Buck the owner and and the Shop Forman to find a car that I wouldn't get wrapped around a tree. The guys at County Garage knew about the W-31 and Al had seen information on the Ram Rod in 67 so they asked if he would look at this Oldsmobile W-31 package? He asked if they had one to look at, they said of course not. Al said he liked the idea of the Oldsmobile being a full frame car not a Pony car like his friend Rick's. He looked at the dealer books and ordered the car with the plan to have it until he was buried in it!!

After these stories Al or Lynn mentioned that Lynn had run Al off the road in his W-31..............Al was coming home to their apartment above a garage after night shift and Lynn was heading to work at CAA, Lynn mentioned that the roads were cut out of a snow bank and that there was only three tire tracks to follow. Al got home and saw a wrapped gift on the table Lynn had forgotten that was for her gift exchange that day. Al called her work and let them know he would bring it in after having some breakfast. Al decided against breakfast and started off to take the gift in to Lynn. At the same time Lynn had realized she had forgotten the gift so she had turned around and headed back home to get it. Lynn crested the hill less than a mile from their apartment and saw a car approaching, she moved over a little but held her lane so she wouldn't slip off into the ditch. She passed the car and saw snow flying after the car had passed and assumed it was the snow blown around by driving along. Al had had to drive off the road to miss Lynn and drove right down into a deep ditch. As soon as Lynn got home and saw the gift was missing she realized what had happened and drove back to she how Al had made out. Al was climbing out of the deep ditch on his hands and knees with the gift in his teeth by the bow. Lynn had to call the CAA tow truck driver that she knew through work to get Al out and said she heard joking about it for a long time. Al also mentioned that the car didn't get hurt at all:-)

Ryan