When the seller located this 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Fiesta Wagon, it had been inactive for decades after its original owner placed it into storage. The extended hibernation means it has only clocked 17,500 miles, and in automotive terms, it is barely broken in. The seller purchased the Wagon, took it home, and returned it to its rightful place on our roads. It is set to find a new home, leaving the buyer to choose between restoring this beauty or preserving it as a genuine survivor. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Olds listed here on eBay in Oceanside, California. The seller set their BIN at $18,000 with the option to make an offer.
Oldsmobile launched its Fourth Generation 88 range in 1959. As was common at the time, the production life was exceptionally short. Demonstrating this is the fact that this Super 88 Fiesta rolled off the line in 1960, making it a final-year example. Its first owner ordered the car in attractive Turquoise with the optional chrome roof rack. They drove it fairly sparingly until 1972, then placed the Wagon into storage. It hibernated until the seller discovered it. They revived it and returned it to active service. They don’t mention evidence verifying the mileage, but the Wagon’s history makes the figure plausible. The Olds looks tired, but there is great news hiding beneath the surface. The seller claims that there is absolutely no rust. If that is true, the buyer could choose between restoring or preserving this beauty. It would turn heads in either form, although I admit that I would be drawn by the prospect of shining paint and sparkling trim. The wheels are a later addition, and while I prefer originality, I accept that they are a wise addition to improve the Wagon’s handling and safety. I would probably source a set of the correct steelies and hubcaps, bolting those on for shows or trips to a Cars & Coffee.
This Wagon’s mechanical specifications promise an entertaining driving experience. Its 394ci V8 produces a factory-verified 315hp and 435 ft/lbs of torque. Buyers received a three-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, but this survivor’s first owner teamed a four-speed Hydramatic with power steering and power brakes. The curb weight of almost 4,500 lbs means that even with the power and torque, this Olds isn’t a muscle Wagon. However, its performance would be willing, and it should comfortably handle being loaded to the brim. The seller confirms that this Super 88 runs and drives perfectly, with the brakes working extremely well. There are a few issues requiring attention, including engine and transmission leaks. The seller has to trickle fluid down the carburetor in the morning, suggesting a rebuild or replacement is on the cards. Otherwise, it appears to be a turnkey proposition.
Even if the buyer leaves this Wagon’s exterior untouched, they will likely refresh the interior. The front seat looks pretty good, with no rips or splits. The same is true for the door trims, but the seller states that a new headliner should be added to the shopping list. The back seat needs a new cover, but the carpet appears new. What makes this Wagon particularly attractive is the interior versatility. The back seat is a split-fold arrangement, allowing space for passengers while accommodating long objects. However, it extends beyond that, because the original owner ordered the third-row, making the Wagon an eight-seater. The turn signals are currently inoperative due to the missing mechanism on the steering column. Otherwise, it appears there are no functional shortcomings.
Rarity claims made by sellers sometimes require verification. The listing for this 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Fiesta states that the company only produced 3,475 of these Wagons in eight-seat form. My investigations support that number, making this a pretty rare beast. What would be genuinely fascinating is to discover how many survived, given that a relatively short lifespan was common among Wagons of this era. Considering its condition and rarity, do you think this Olds is worth the asking price?
First, I’d imagine Oceanside is near the ocean( boom-tis) and this IS your daddy’s Oldsmobile, and as younger folks, we never would look once at this car. This car meant late for school, dentist appts., shopping at Robert Hall, those horrid Sunday visits to Auntie Idas, merely a way of getting there. Look at you now, highly prized because of its sheer rarity. Not sure about the wheels, they look original to me, just a wider trim ring, and sorry, 117K, but that’s not a bad thing. Remember, this car has been around almost as long as me. I do think this car sat for a spell, but returned tastefully, and someone is going to get a sweetheart of a car. The “way back” seat, was the most popular place to sit. It was the farthest place away from the old man and his “ball game”, and we made faces at the people behind us. With that back window open, and the love of oil the engine had, we sucked in a lot of fumes,,,and we’re okay. I actually liked that smell. Cool car.
I was born the same year as this car Howard and it feels like a lifetime since i have thought of shopping at Robert Hall. Every September my mom would drag me there and bye clothes that i could not stand but still brought back a lot of memories not all bad like when i was finally able to pick out my own clothes. I always enjoy your comments Howard.
Barnfinds: Come for the cool wheels, stay for Howard’s insightful history lessons and obscure cultural references. OK please excuse me… I’m off to push my truck in a river so I can tell my wife I need this sweetheart of an Olds. Room for anything you can think of and look at those lines! Those elegant bumpers and the “bumpside” (sorry Ford, but it fits here?) running back to the taillights sends me from six to midnight in a jiffy.
LOL
right on eddie !
and ya, this is one of the sweeetest gems ive seen in a long time.. as a wagon fan.
That charriot is dripping with quality crafted American steel, style, purpose
im lookin for a big wagon, gotta have power windows ..
another NICE find today
Barn Finds
This would be a perfect road tripper. Get it setup with A/C from Vintage Air for those hotter than normal days, and you’re off. But this would be “arm out the window…smile on the face” for the majority of your motoring pleasure. Do a full run of Route 66 and get this in every old motel and restaurant picture you come up on. Don’t forget a spare water pump, alternator, belts, a good spare tire, cooler and your small toolbox. You won’t need a tent!
I agree that the mileage is more likely 117,000 – why would the front seat need to be recovered in a car that had only seen 17,000 miles? The car is in overall good condition, and I’ve always liked the styling of the 60 Olds. The dashboard with lighting on the passenger side as well as the on the instrument side, is pretty unique. I’m curious as to why there are no chrome strips in the center of the tail light lenses. Oldsmobile put the plain ones, like on this car, on the Dynamic 88, while the Super and the 98 had said chrome strips. I see no reason why it would have been done differently on the wagons.
really cool rare wagon. i have only seen a few of these and that was different olds national events i went to.no buying the 17k original miles though. price seems fair enough. who knows might be able to buy it for 15k. i really like it.
This wagon really gets the creative juices flowing. Imagine it with the paint redone as it was originally, not that I don’t like patina, but it would be a show stopper with fresh paint!
I agree, I love patina, but this is the kind of a car that just cries out for a nice paint job. IMO Patina works on a work-a-day kind of car or truck, and “survivor” condition works on anything, sort of like if you see an older person, there’s always evidence of the years, but it looks earned. But on this kind of a car, it’s gotta be flash!
Look at that tail! Front is ok, gm & all. But the rear is the coolest thing I’ve seen in awhile.
Very nice wagon. And no you don’t really need to add ac. Driving something like this is suppose to be a windows open, arm on the sill adventure. Enjoy the drive.
The way it is worded, it’s possible the seller is referring to an engine rebuild with 17k on it, I’ve seen that happen before with marginal descriptions like the one offered here. Maybe or maybe not, but 17k, 117k, etc., I personally wouldn’t care about claimed odo-turns on a rig like this, especially at this age. Much higher on the priority list and commensurate with price would be actual body and chassis quality and integrity (no significant hidden corrosion, frame issues, body filler etc.), followed by good chrome/stainless, and decent glass…the stuff that can require small search parties and/or mucho dinero to secure.
Something that has stuck in my memories is the gliding visual quality that many full size cars of this era possessed as I sat on my bike watching traffic from a sidewalk. This was due to their very ‘generous’ length and girth combined with a relatively low height…very much accentuated in this case by those beautiful (to me) long, downward pointing fins fitted to the lower haunches of this year of ‘Oldsmobubble.’
My dad’s ’60 98, white with maroon 4 door flat top was a beautiful and fast piece of transportation. This wagon could be too with a good repaint.
My father owned several Oldsmobiles, one of which was a white 1960 4dr. Dynamic 88, with grey interior. I recall the uniqueness of the horizontal speedometer bar that changed color from green to orange to red depending on your speed.
My Dad had a white ’60 Dynamic 88 2 dr and yes, that speedo was awesome to watch. The flat tail fins are so sleek. Beautiful car. I believe the movie “Hotrod” featured a white ’60 wagon with a lifted rear, mags and a hood scoop. Anybody remember that?
Yeah, that speedometer was really neat. Green to orange at 35, then to red at 65. My older brothers learned to drive on my family’s 60 Olds (poor car!) and they used to joke that at 95, the radio would start playing nearer my God to Thee
Good one! Ha ha.