The General Motors-produced 1965 Oldsmobile 98 leaves little breathing space through old Phuket Town’s narrow laneways, and its distinctive left hand drive makes it even more difficult to drive.
The American classic belongs to a young mechanic at West Coast Riders, Sittichoke “Non” Chuanchit, who developed a passion for American cars from watching TV, reading magazines, and learning from his brother who used to own the Harley Davidson shop.
For two years, Mr Sittichoke tried to save enough money to buy his dream car. Just one month ago, he managed to track one down in Bangkok for B350,000.
The original engine was a massive 7.0L V8, but that has since been replaced with 3.0L 6 cylinder twin-cam engine by a previous owner to cut down on fuel bills.
Both the exterior and interior remain in original condition (with a bit of wear and tear), but Mr Sittichoke has plans to restore his new pride and joy.
Mr Sittichoke still hasn’t been able to drive the car too often, as he says he is busy and its size and lack of power steering make it difficult a difficult task to navigate Phuket’s roads. He plans to take it for a proper test run soon though with a trip Hat Yai district in Songkla province.
“I am proud to own this car, and I think this kind of car should be conserved because of its unique and beautiful design.” Mr Sittichoke said.
There are very few classic American cars in Phuket, and most that are here are for display purposes only.