Here’s an ultra-low mileage 70’s time capsule that’s a curiosity. How does a 48-year-old “Baby Olds” compact (which is far from a collectible) stay this well preserved and only show 14,768 miles on the odometer? Maybe there’s an interesting story behind it, who knows? It’s had two owners, the second one babying it for 32 years, and it’s now looking for a new home with a garage. This ’74 Omega is currently in Painesville, Ohio and is for sale here on craigslist for $15,695. Thanks to super sleuth T.J. for finding this one for us.
For nine years, the Chevy II/Nova was GM’s only compact car playing in the corporate sandbox. With the success of the Nova’s 1968 restyling, GM decided to introduce a Nova twin, the Pontiac Ventura, in 1971. Then in 1973, the Buick Apollo and Oldsmobile Omega joined the party, making it three cars that were now Nova clones. And GM’s timing was good as the two newest compact clones were introduced months before the 1973 oil crisis. This one looks straight, solid, rust-free, and has obviously been kept inside. The original paint (I found a paint chart and think it’s Citation Bronze) is shiny and a very ’70’s color, and I only spotted some thin spots near the trademark Oldsmobile split “waterfall” grille. The seller does show a photo of about a 6″ crease on the passenger door. I’m not sure what it hit but as they say, it left a mark. All the chrome, glass, lenses, badging, and bumper fillers look good. And those color-coordinated wheels (that Olds called Super Stock III wheels) look attractive as well.
I really like the somewhat-sporty-yet-luxurious look of this interior. The white vinyl bucket seats and rear bench seat with the textured brown cloth inserts look to be in great shape. And the white door panels and other white interior components really compliment the seats, carpet, and dash very well. The seller states that this Omega has A/C as well as an AM/FM radio with a windshield antenna. You’d probably have to look far and wide to find an interior this original and this nice in another ’74 Omega.
Like the rest of the car, this Omega’s engine bay is very clean and houses the optional 350-cubic-inch, four-barrel carb Olds Rocket V8 engine. It’s paired with a Turbo Hydramatic automatic transmission. The sellers states that this low-mileage Omega “runs and drives perfectly.” Like its fellow clones, the Omega’s three body styles mirrored those of the Nova. In 1974, total Omega production was 50,280 including 10,756 4-Door Sedans, 12,499 Hatchback Coupes, and 27,075 Coupes like the time capsule featured here. Asking prices for low-mileage original survivors are subject to debate. I’ll be curious to see what this time capsule sells for.
I looked seriously into buying a new Omega in ’73 (I think).
I think it’s a much better looking car than the ’74 Nova was.
I think they look great in that Burnt Orange color with rally wheels
& white lettered tires..
When I was a young teenager my dad had a burnt orange omega, he was going to let my brother learn to drive with it. First attempt he threw gravel all over the house and carport. Dad made him park it. It took a while before he got a second try.
Am I the only one who LOVES this interior treatment? Doesn’t look stock, much better than any other GM of this level!!
Really nice! I’d want to get the door repaired. GLWTS!! :-)
Kinda odd that it has bucket seats with the automatic shifted on the column. Maybe these seats were added later? I looked at classic auto brochures site, and the upholstery design looks correct for the Omega, but the two tone color? Not so sure that hasn’t been changed. I’m not a 74 Omega expert, LOL. Neat to see something as rare as this these days. You will be the only one at the cars and coffee with one I would bet.
The base trans was a column shifted three speed manual. If you ordered the optional automatic, you got a column shifter, no matter what seating was ordered. You had to pay extra for RPO D55 console and floor shifter if you wanted that. By the way, this is true for all Oldsmobiles in the 1960s and early 70s. Even 442s that came standard with bucket seats got a column-mounted automatic shifter unless you also paid extra for the console.
Many American cars of that era were equipped like that. Buckets were extra cost on the order form, as was a console. People picked with their pocketbooks and just got what was important to them. In those days you could order a car as you wished. No such thing as crazy expensive packages where you could only get certain options just in them. A more honest time.
Buckets were extra cost, so was a console. A special order often looked like this. Don’t mind it at all.
Nice interior! Nice chrome! That dent in the door – ugh!! Gotta get that fixed.
Now that’s something I could drive everyday and enjoy and not have to deal with all the electronics on today’s cars, heck I could even work on it myself!
Check out the movie The 7-ups from 1973. You will see a Omega in this movie driven by the star. Very quick and you can hear that 4bbl scream!! This one here is very nice. Just fix the dent in the door. Good luck to the next owner.🐻🇺🇸
Big Bear—That `73 seen in “The Seven Ups” wasn’t an Omega–Roy Sheider drove a Pontiac Ventura! Too bad it got shoved under the back of a semi, but the star survived!
It was actually a Pontiac Ventura
Love this olds. Big time olds lover for sure.
$15,695–an unusual price for an unusual car
Someone drove one of these ( a tan 4 door ) into our junkyard in the mid 1980s because the rear bumper had rotted off . When we found out it had a rocket 350 4bbl , it quickly became an Enduro car. It was really fast, but a 75-76 LTD ex police cruiser spun in front of it during a ffeature and took the whole right side of the Omega out. Back then cars were a dime a dozen , so it just ended up in the crusher .I still wish we had saved it for the street ;it would have been a nice sleeper !
Will Fox… Your right.. I had a senior slip in thought!! 😂… Thanks 🐻 .. note.. I watch them filmed it when I was going to JHS in Riverdale in the Bronx. And I do remember seeing the Pontiac park on the side service road of the Henry Hudson parkway.
Why is this “far from collectible”, as presumably would be said of the Buick Apollo, when it is the same as a Nova?? I bought a leftover 73 Apollo after the 74 model was out – 350 and AC. Detuned such that mpg was awful and HP WAY down!! Traded it on a 74 Vega GT (GT – lol) and drove it for 3 trouble-free years, BUT good thing it was rust color!!
What a gorgeous Unicorn!
For the younger readers: Nova; Omega; Ventura; Apollo = N.O.V.A. apparently took 9 years to implement an original plan?
Pretty little car! I LOVE the interior!
Buckets seats with a column shift auto is not unusual, seen many many examples over the years from all of the manufacturers.
So guys. Help me out here. Would it be silly to worry about the undercarriage on this
Love this car. I had a 73 Buick Apollo. Same car. Ran great.
Love the door panels and seats–much cooler than the basic Nova type. It would be even cooler if it had a console. Nice its got A/C and the 350.
The first car I bought was a 74 Omega in 1986 for $800. Green with a dark green vinyl top. 350 Rocket. Loved that car and never should have sold it. A guy in the neighbourhood had a green one with white vinyl top and buckets and console that I listed over for years. Not sure what ever happened to that one but I only saw him drive it to church on sundays. That would be a cool find today.
Nice car at a fair price. I would be tempted if it had a 4 speed. Not sure 4 speeds were even offered in the Omega.
Unfortunately the three speed manual and TH350 were the only transmission options in the 1973-74 model years.
With the 350 engine, 3 speed stick would probably make a cool “sleeper”.
I presume all 3 speeds were all synchro, so a Hurst floor shift kit. would round out a nice package.