Brotherly advice steers teen toward 1968 Cutlass S

Larry Speicher was an industrious lad growing up. For many years he worked at this father's furniture store, socking away money. His goal was to save up and purchase a first car.

“I earned $1.25 an hour,” the Naperville resident said. “Over six summers, from when I was 11 to 17, I saved $2,000.”

Speicher was ready to buy in December of 1967 and “awe-struck” by that year's Firebird. Before he could commit, his big brother, Jack, pulled him aside.

Jack was an Oldsmobile powertrain engineer who had an inside track on what was coming down the performance pipeline for the GM brand. He knew big things were in the works.

“He couldn't tell me anything, but strongly suggested I wait for the 1968 Cutlass S. It was still in development and testing,” Speicher said.

Later in January Jack snagged some advance paperwork to whet his little bro's appetite. “After hearing him describe it and then seeing pictures, I was hooked,” said Speicher, who walked into his local Oldsmobile dealer the first week of February and ordered his dream machine.

“My father said to reward my hard work — and as an early graduation gift — he would match my funds,” Speicher said. The order went in and Speicher's Cutlass S was delivered April 19.

The driving experience took some acclimation.

“The engine idle was so rough and lumpy,” he said. “It was more than ready to go at a moment's notice.”

Making the Cutlass S so potent was a 350-cubic-inch “Ram Rod” W31 V-8, packed with such things as performance cylinder heads, camshaft and valve train. Its RamAir induction system routes fresh, pressurized air directly into the engine via dual scoops under the front bumper.

Once Speicher tamed the souped-up coupe, an even bigger challenge presented itself. “It took everything I had to stay away from speeding tickets,” Speicher said. Making that job even harder was a brother who knew quite a bit about modifying an Olds.

“He helped me install Hooker exhaust headers, 'straight-through' mufflers, a rear sway bar.”

The teen lasted until August before the law caught up with him and his potent performance machine. Astonishingly, the write-up wasn't for extreme speed. While driving to a swimming lake at a state park, Speicher crested a hill and dropped the four-speed transmission down a gear, causing the exhaust to “burble.” A patrolman wrote him up for excessive noise.

The resulting $15 fine wasn't enough to deter Speicher from continuing to drive his rumble-ready Cutlass. He daily drove the Olds for several more years. In love with his ride and with his brother as an inspiration, Speicher eventually started a career with Oldsmobile after enrolling at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan.

“Every three months I was driving back home to Pennsylvania to visit family,” Speicher said. In addition to the long distance trips, Speicher also used the Cutlass for quarter-mile jaunts, drag racing at various tracks.

Upon graduation Speicher worked in Olds' field sales office, later becoming the Chicago field executive. He stayed more than 40 years with the company.

“I became passionate about the brand and also came to see, just as my brother said, how rare this car is,” Speicher said. “Hearing the engine warm up is like listening to a symphony. It still stirs my emotions!”