“THEY SAY CARS ARE BUILT TO be driven and this car is definitely a driver,” Oldsmobile lover supreme John Trial states while demonstrating the ins and outs of his 455 Rocket-powered Cutlass droptop. “From day one, the goal was to build a car that I could hop into and hit the ground running.” It’s not a coincidence that John built this car with all the goodies that would make it a great driver and an eye-catching stunner — and also give it the capability of heading anyplace at a moment’s notice. “The Olds is an amalgamation of my idea of what a muscle car should be; it’s built up to reflect my passion for these cars.” Besides the vintage outer skin and aesthetics, the car is assembled with some of today’s best upgrade parts, many of which were created with classic GM A-bodies in mind.
How John got to this point is a story unto itself, complete with all the typical highs and lows you’d expect in a full-scale build like this one. It all started with a phone call. “I found out about the car through a friend of mine. He’s really not a car guy per se but
