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17k Mile 1966 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Coupe

I know the term “time-capsule” pops up here on Barn Finds, but how can you not look at the nearly 100 photos of this pristine 55-year-old Oldsmobile 98 and not call it that? I would love to know the story behind this pampered one-family-owned burgundy beauty. With 17,476 original miles (that’s an average of only 317 miles a year), this Holiday Coupe has been on a holiday somewhere the past 55 years and looks nearly showroom new. Located at a Dealer in Ramsey, New Jersey, this 1966 Olds 98 two-door Holiday Coupe is offered for sale here on eBay. As of this writing, it had generated nine bids topping out at $3,555, but the reserve had not been met.

The 98 (named for the Series 90 with an 8-cylinder engine) was Oldsmobile’s top-of-the-line model from 1940 to 1996. The eighth-generation was restyled by Bill Mitchell in 1965 and shared the same C-body platform as its Cadillac DeVille and Buick Electra 225 cousins. In addition to its crisp styling, the 98 models saw an improved Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission, an increased engine displacement from 394 to 425-cubic-inches, and as if the trunk needed to be any larger, an increase in trunk space by four cubic feet.

We don’t know if it’s the original paint, but the Burgundy Mist finish presents very well and looks striking on this long coupe (223 inches!). I couldn’t spot any noticeable flaws in the paint, chrome, glass, or trim from the photos. It looks as close to showroom new as you’ll find in a 55-year-old luxury cruiser. The like-new condition of the tasteful black interior is just as impressive and helps support the claim of only 17,476 original miles.

Just look at that diamond-shaped seat and door panel pattern. The Oldsmobile brochure described it as “decorator textile and Morocceen upholstery, with rich deep-pile carpeting, wood-grained instrument panel, and impeccably detailed appointments.” No false advertising there. This 98 looks to be loaded except for factory AC.

The engine bay isn’t as spotless as the interior and exterior, but it looks well above average for its age. It houses the Super Rocket 425 cubic-inch V8 (one of the best engine names ever created) that increased to 365 horsepower in 1966. We assume it’s untouched and runs as smoothly as the day it left the factory. You see an increasing number of low-mileage, like-new cars from the 70s coming up for sale, but not a large number from the 60s. Like I said earlier, I wish I knew “the rest of the story” behind this Olds and where it’s been the past 55 years. The only clue is a photo of a round sticker on the driver’s door jamb that reads: Delivered by Dormont Oldsmobile, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And like the rest of the car, it’s in like-new condition. If the reserve is met on this beauty, a lucky owner will have themselves quite a classy burgundy boulevard cruiser. Could it be you?

Comments

  1. Avatar Fred W

    Already up to $7600 and 4 days to go! Love this car, and I’m not even a GM guy.

    Like 4
  2. Avatar local_sheriff

    Definately some grampa’s ride, and while I lean towards the 88 being more proportionally ‘right’ it’s impossible to dislike such a land yacht. Much prettier than same year Cadillacs and most likely a lot more peppy!

    Like 5
  3. Avatar Mikefromthehammer

    Great car. It seems to have been advertised for sale here previously for $7,600 by the dealership. Current bid, as of writing, $7,600, with the reserve not met.

    https://www.cargeni.com/car-detail/ninety-eight/1966-Oldsmobile-98-Holiday-coupe-1968-OLDSMOBILE_203538205983.html

    Like 1
  4. Avatar Dan H

    So you see kids, not all cars came with air conditioning when I was growing up. It was an option that the original buyer had to pay extra for and many cars bought up north didn’t have it.

    And even though we had it on the family car, Grampa often wouldn’t turn it on to get better gas mileage and save money. We’d hang our tongues out the window and hope to catch a cool breeze somehow.

    Like 32
  5. Avatar Miguelito Loveless

    Great low rider material.

    Like 11
    • Avatar Jack

      Yes, and that would absolutely ruin a precious time capsule of days gone by

      Like 31
    • Avatar Tom Bell

      Just not funny any more. That is I hope you’re joking.

      Like 12
  6. Avatar Steve R

    This appeared on Dennis Collins YouTube channel when he went to an auction to bid on a couple of other cars. There is a short clip of him talking to the original owners son about the car. The history he got from the son is not included in the description of this car in its eBay listing.

    Steve R

    Like 10
  7. Avatar Poppy

    Amazing time capsule. Nice to see the original triple white stripe spare tire.

    Like 2
  8. Avatar Brent

    If only it would fit in my garage.

    Like 3
  9. Avatar roland schoenke

    I want it, too bad the cash is already allocated. Had a 72′ loved it.

    Like 1
  10. Avatar Steve Clinton

    $11,100 and the reserve hasn’t been met?

    Like 1
    • Avatar Steve Clinton

      Make that $15,100 now, and the reserve STILL hasn’t been met.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Steve R

        What’s your point? Nice cars are expensive.

        Steve R

        Like 2
  11. Avatar Bill McCoskey Member

    It’s likely this was an ordered car just for that owner. Anywhere in New Jersey can be found summer days with hot and humid days. A NJ Olds dealer wouldn’t likely order a big 98 sedan with all options and no A/C., as by 1966 most large luxury cars in the Mid-Atlantic area were sold with A/C.

    Like 3
    • Avatar chuck dickinson

      Also strange it doesn’t have a tilt wheel either.

      Like 0
  12. Avatar PaulG

    The 425 is a special engine, and this is a beautiful package. Over 14k and reserve still not met…

    Like 2
  13. Avatar Ted Mathis

    “The 98 (named for the Series 90 with an 8-cylinder engine) was Oldsmobile’s top-of-the-line model from 1940 to 1996.”

    The 1995 Aurora I had would beg to differ.

    Like 1
    • Avatar chuck dickinson

      Were Auroras labelled as an Oldsmobile? I thought the Olds name was absent from the outside, but it’s a been a while since I’ve even seen one.

      Like 1
  14. Avatar MLM

    This is one very nice cruiser and I hope it goes to a nice home to someone who is going to take care of it and not butcher it up(i.e. lowrider).

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Doug F.

    Something just doesn’t sit right with me with this car. Especially the picture of the trunk. You can see fresh wet stains on the right side of the picture and dried up stains from both sides on the entire mat. Is the rear window leaking bad? Where’s this water coming from and why does it have so many stains? Can’t just be from washing the car. I wonder what it looks like under that mat? Has this car been outside for a long period of storage and been repainted at some point? The door jambs look a little suspect also.

    Like 2
  16. Avatar TJM

    Horrible looking dash. Otherwise I like the car. Not a huge fan of full size Oldsmobile styling until 1970-72.

    Like 1
  17. HoA Howard A Member

    I wonder if it smells like cigars? Successful cigar smokers drove a car like this. I’ve told of the story of my old mans ’65 Ninety-Eight.( my father was neither, successful or a cigar smoker, but he drove an Oldsmobile, by golly, just like GM wanted) This is the car we always hoped the old man would buy. Never happened, fact is, it got worse. After the Oldsmobiles, he went with Lincoln and Caddy’s. Not what a teenager wanted to see. Beautiful cars, and the end( almost) of what I call the “classy Oldsmobiles”.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Kevin

    What a great car,I have always loved oldsmobile, and have owned several, the last being a 68 delta 88 sedan with 455 2-barrel,was very solid when sold in 2015,and still going strong in 2019,when I saw it at a car show.

    Like 0

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