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Once again it is time to take a look at another Original Parts Group, Inc. (OPGI) employee–owned GM classic car seen at OPGI’s Seal Beach, California headquarters. This clean red 1969 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 convertible belongs to OPGI Showroom Representative and Huntington Beach resident, David Salisbury. Working in the front showroom, Dave is well-known to many of our local customers. Although he doesn’t drive his ’69 Olds to work every day, he does drive it often enough that most of our Oldsmobile aficionado customers are familiar with both Dave and his car. The car may also be somewhat familiar to Seal Beach residents too, as it was recently pressed into service hauling several local celebrities around in the annual Seal Beach Christmas Parade.
As with many GM classics, Dave’s 4-4-2 has a bit of family history behind it. This car has been in Dave’s family since it was new, and it has always been treasured and taken care of as it passed from generation to generation. Instead of retelling the story we’ve heard, we’ll let Dave tell you about it in his own words:
“I am the proud third-generation owner of this 1969 Oldsmobile 4-4-2 convertible. The car was built in Fremont, California and has been lucky enough to spend its whole life on the West Coast, as it was originally purchased new by my grandfather in 1969 at an Oldsmobile dealership in Los Angeles. It has a 400 engine, power top, power windows, power disc brakes and factory air conditioning. It even came with a cool vacuum operated trunk release that was an uncommon option in 1969.
After many years of faithful service in its original configuration, my grandfather passed away and my father and I inherited it. My father and I then decided to start replacing some things, and first up was a Stage 4 Interior kit from Original Parts Group. With little issue, everything in the interior kit went in and fit great. Next we turned our attention to the exterior and started replacing things like moldings, bumpers, and other trim items along with most of the brake lights and side markers.
This is obviously a numbers matching car, and we wanted to keep it that way. My dad and I went through the engine back in 1990, and when we tore it down, we found that the block was in such good shape, we did not even have to bore it. We had the crank turned, honed the block, put in some new pistons, added a new cam and buttoned her back up. We rebuilt the transmission a few years later, but the rear end has never been touched and is still going strong. The most recent work we’ve done was to replace all the weatherstripping on the car.
Overall, I’d have to say that I’ve been very blessed to be able to work at a business that has everything I need for my car. However, in some ways all those available parts are a temptation that can also be a curse. I do know that my grandpa is smiling down on me for keeping the car as original as possible, though. I have a lot of fond memories of my grandpa and my dad driving this car. It was the first car I ever drove when I was six-years-old sitting on my dad’s lap. It is also the first car I drove by myself when I was 13. Some people may say that a car is just a car, but for me, this car is a family heirloom and will always be a part of me and my family.”
– David Salisbury
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