May Self-Starter, my 96 Concours

[Cape Cod Fleetwood]

LMAO! Jeffrey Shively and Timothy K Coy strike again! The May issue of our magazine 'The Self-Starter' is a tribute to the wonderful year of 1996. I sent them pictures a long time ago of my 96 Concours helping me do gardening, I'm a Navy of One here. Had a small arborvite extracted from the front of my house, the azalea beside it had bent itself hard to the left to escape the other bush. I wanted the azalea straight. Loosened the root ball but couldn't get it to stay straight up by myself to tuck the root ball back down. Some rope and the Concours solved the problem. My mom (RIP) was looking through the sliding door in the family room, watching. I'm either nuts or genius. Select genius, it worked. And they used those pics in this months magazine, so pleased, so honored, what a wonderful testament to a truly great car.

My nicest Caddy was this 96 Concours, polo green, cashmere leather interior, options/all. The car on the bottom of Page 16 is its twin. Purchased from the late Olsen Cadillac in Woburn, MA. I remember seeing this car on the lot, way in the back on a rainy Sunday afternoon. No stickers on it. Ran to the sales manager on duty, he had no idea what car I was talking about and said it was probably just turned in on a lease. I said "ITS MINE, have someone call me tomorrow." And Al Kramer (RIP) called bright and early, they just took it back on a lease, as soon as Ritchie (Olsen) owns it, he'll call me. Al called later that day, "the Concours is all set, $15K, come down and get it." (That was a lot of money in 1998.) Have my mech Tony DiFranco go through it a$$hole to earlobe. "He already did that today, its all set. "See you tomorrow Al". And the beautiful Concours was home the next day. And served me well, through thick and thin, for MANY years and 100K+ miles. How my mom loved that car too. I wept when they took my mom's body from here, I was hysterical when the Concours was sold as salvage and towed away from here. What a great car, doomed by a rotted rear cradle.

And this was truly a great car, I don't think I've ever gotten over it. This car was the original "AIRCRW". How many times did that car get me from Meffa to KNHZ to go flying, in all kinds of weather. And get me home from KNHZ to Meffa, in the wee hours of the morning, in all kinds of bad weather, with me driving exhausted/asleep and jet lagged, safely. RIP Concours, you were a monster and finally memorialized forever, you deserve it. Thank you Jeff and Tim, this just means the world to me.

*ITS ALL ABOUT THE CAR*

[scotth3886]

I had a 97 Concours that was preceded by a 95 STS and followed by a 2000DTS. 

Unusual color combo with the pearl red and black.

Did a few unusual events with it in addition to drag racing at Pomona.  It served me well for 3 years or so.