This Page Last Updated: January 09, 2004
The 2783 Mile Odessy of Mike Dziadik's trip to Lansing, Michigan for the 100th Anniversary of Oldsmobile, or:
Always, Always, Tighten Your Lug Nuts!
Note: I am not, nor is this page affiliated with General Motors or Oldsmobile.
This page first debuted in September of 1997. Through the e-mails I've received from it, it appears to have brought enjoyment to quite a few people. To maintain that level of appreciation, I've updated the page, and have expanded it. I hope you all enjoy!
Update added December 13th, 2000:
Haven't updated the page in awhile, but seeing as this is the day after General Motors decided to abolish Oldsmobile from it's offering of automobiles I wanted to add the following:
I think it's a shame that the oldest existing American car company has been discontinued. It was R.E. Olds that showed Henry Ford how to set up and run a production line. Olds was full of inovations, from that production line, to the Rocket V8, the Hydromatic Drive, the '66 Toronado as the first American car w/ Front Wheel Drive since the Cord in the late 30's, one of the 1st Air Bags, in '74, built in Video players for the kids in the Silohette, and the Aurora who's modified design motor has been powering Indy cars over the finish line in 1st place for the last few years.
It was certainly no fault of the product, especially with the automobiles they've been producing for the last five years. Having driven them I was particularly impressed with handling, response, and stopping power, especially the Alero and Intrigue. In my opinion it was inconsistent marketing and two many changes in management that caused it. Going after high end improrts that everyone that drove them already liked was foolish. While they were busy re-inventing the wheel, Chrysler was designing the PT cruiser which appeals to all age groups, and has a waiting list a mile long.
So for us Oldsmobile owners and fans we'll always remember where we were on December 12th, 2000. For us it will be a "Day that will live in infamy".
O.K. we now join my page, alreay in progress:
Hi, I'm Mike Dziadik, regular guy and Oldsmoblie Afficianado. In August of 1997 I set out to join up with the Florida Carivan as they travelled to the 100th Anniversary of Oldsmobile in Lansing Michigan where carivans of Oldsmobiles from all over would be converging. Following are the pictures and story of what led up to those events:
Back in 1991, I disassembled my 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme for the purposes of restoring it. I had thought/hoped it was a project I could turn around in a year. Boy was I wrong!
I began with the engine rebuild which was completed in 1993. It ran very rough when I first got it all together. Compression was all over the place and time and money were scarce. The body was in pretty bad shape, and since the motor was atleast together, I decided to focus on the body as it didn't need to be running good for awhile (4 years). Due to that pesky lack of time and money, I really didn't get a chance to do much with either the body or the engine until the Spring/Summer of '97.
Despite not being able to do much in terms of restoration from '93 to '97, I was scouring junkyards finding a trim piece here and an interior piece there that I needed. What's funny is that at the time, the condition of my car was so bad that many times I thought the cars that I was taking parts off of were the ones I should have been restoring! I saved as much as I could from working a second job, and strapped myself to the car with every free minute that I wasn't at one job or the other. So from Memorial Day Weekend of 97 on, I managed, working right up until the last minute along with help from my wife, my son, and borrowing a friend from work one night to actually "finish" the worlds largest model car kit. We finished just hours before I took it on a 900 mile test drive from Georgia, to Lansing Michigan.
After some bizarre setbacks, I finally managed to catch up with the Florida caravan in Brooks, Kentucky on Monday night. We set out early Tuesday morning bound for Kalamazoo Michigan where we were to meet up with the California caravan. From there, it was on to the Delta Engine plant, and then on to downtown Lansing with an escort right up to the Capital! My photo essay begins in Kokomo Indiana where Wiese Oldsmobile made lunch for us and hosted us for an hour or so.
Through words and pictures here's the rest of the story:
The first page starts at Weise Olds in Kokomo, Indiana, and will also contain shots at the rest stop in Kalamazoo waiting to link up with the California Caravan, our gathering and lunch at the Delta Engine Plant in Lansing, and our parade of cars down Michigan Avenue on Wednesday August 22nd, 1997 right up to the Capital steps.
The second page are moments from the welcoming ceremony on Michigan Avenue and infront of the Capital.
The third page is a variety of 100 years of Oldsmobiles parked all over Lansing, and a shot of the charming Maplewood Bed & Breakfast where I stayed run by the wonderful Pat Bunce.
The fourth page is more for my family and friends just to show that not only did the car make it to Michigan, it then transported me safely through Ontario Canada, on through New York State and on to Connecticut so that I could spend a few days with my grandmother who was in failing health. The car continued to faithfully carry me back to Georgia for a grand total of 2783 miles!
(On a personal note, my Grandmother, Victoria Dziadik, passed away on October 15th, 1997. This page is dedicated to Vicky as she really liked riding around with my Grandfather in their "Merry Oldsmobiles").
For a look at two recently acquired 1966 Toronados that we're working on, take a look at More Dziadik "Works In Progress".
Click here to see the Cutlass striking some rather scenic poses.
For the long awaited long Lost Black and White Images from the Lansing Centennial, click here.
I look forward to hearing from you. Send me mail and let me know what you think about the site.
Links:
Dziadik Commercial Photography
Linda Vaughn, my son and me. May '99