14k Mile Flat Top: 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday

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When you look at the overall condition of this 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88, it seems to make the owner’s claims that the car has a genuine 14,400 miles on the clock seem to be conceivable. The presentation of the car is very impressive, and the seats still wear the original factory plastic covers. Barn Finder Mark H spotted the Oldsmobile for us, so thank you for that Mark. You will find the Super 88 located in Springfield, Ohio, and listed for sale here on Craigslist. The owner has set an asking price of $15,500 for this old classic.

The styling of the Super 88 is pretty stunning. The wrap-around front and rear windows, combined with the pillar-less sides, gives the car an enormous amount of glass and imparts a light appearance to the car. This belies the car’s physical size and weight, making it look smaller than its 18′ total length and lighter than its 4,300lbs total weight. The Fern Mist paint looks to be in great condition, as does the majority of the external chrome and trim. It’s hard to tell, but there looks like there might be some chrome peeling off the lower edge of the front bumper in one spot, but the rest of it looks quite good.

It’s pretty hard to fault the interior of the Oldsmobile. The tri-tone interior trim looks great, and the original plastic on the seats has ensured that these have remained in as-new condition. I really like the symmetrical look of the dash, while the door trims and carpet also appear to be perfect. I also love the styling of the wheel, and can’t help but feel that this must have caused quite a reaction when the car was new.

When you have a car that weighs as much as this Oldsmobile does, then having some horses under your right foot is pretty important. This car delivers, with the 394ci V8 pumping out 315hp. This is fed to the rear wheels via the Jetaway Hydramatic transmission, while the Oldsmobile also features power steering and power brakes. The presentation under the hood is quite good, although there does appear to be some coolant staining in a couple of spots on the top of the radiator. The owner says that some recent work has been undertaken on the brakes, including new wheel cylinders and shoes. However, the old components have been included with the car. He also recommends that the car is fitted with new tires before it is driven any distance.

If this 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Sport Sedan is as good as the photos seem to suggest that it is, then the new owner isn’t going to be faced with much work before they hit the road to enjoy the car. If the mileage claim can be verified, then that makes this one special vehicle. Good examples are currently selling for more than $20,000, while $35,000 is not out of the question. Therefore, if this one is as good as the owner claims, then it would seem to be a very good buy.

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Comments

  1. Howard A. Howard AMember

    Sport sedan ? This was an old mans car, and nothing sporty about it. However, in the early 60’s, our neighbors, The Gutniks, had a car just like this, only a louder shade of green. I remember, it just barely fit in their garage. What a tank, hey? Haven’t seen a ’60 Olds 4 door in years.This is a super find.

    Like 9
    • Bob C.

      Hi Howard. It was mainly Chevy who referred to these flat tops as sport sedans. Better yet, they called all their 4 door hard tops sport sedans throughout the 60s. At least this was before the cursed Roto Hydramatic.

      Like 6
      • bry593

        Former BAT car. Sold last year I believe.

        Sport Sedan = 4-dr Hardtop

        Like 3
      • John

        This is very similar to the 1960 Oldsmobile that was on BaT but it’s not the same car. That one was a 4 door sedan, with the non-flat top roof.
        Amazing how similar these two cars are. The one on BaT sold for $8,000. That’s half price compared to this one.

        Like 0
    • Bruce

      The term sports sedan as we know it now began with the original BMW 2002 which had yet to debut. In 1960s terms this was a spots sedan because it was a pillarless sedan or hardtop. Oldsmobile also used the term Holiday for their hardtops at this time..

      Like 0
  2. KSwheatfarmer

    I’m a 58 model and have to say this is likely the first 60 Olds I’ve ever seen. Very unique styling to say the least. I think my grand kids will some day look at my cars with the same reaction I now have to this one, a relic from the past. I like this car a lot, just not enough to want it.

    Like 4
    • Howard A. Howard AMember

      I’m surprised to hear that. Unless you live in a VERY rural area, these cars were grandma and grandpas choice of car for taking the grandkids to Bigboy, well into the 60’s. Surely everybody, I thought, had seen or ridden in these.

      Like 4
      • NotSure

        Didn’t Pontiac have something very similar around this time? Those horizontal tail lamps are giving me some deja vu

        Like 0
  3. Charles

    There are just so many ways to offer the same design on the GM body, and this was one example of stretching the limits of variances. A last-minute change from a heavier design to a lighter look based on what Chrysler was planning to come out with and the lack of design continuity showed. They were around, but not that popular in my neck of the woods. Still, a better buy than the competition, but a small market consisting of folks with money, typically empty nesters, but didn’t know how to spend it.

    Like 1
  4. Fred W

    I remember this model well. In the early 60’s I was already a car nut at 7 or so and remember the neighbor kid’s parents had two 60’s (but theirs were Pontiacs- one like this but burgandy, the other a drop top), same color. They kept both well into the 70’s. This BF listing, compared to 90% of the listings that have low mileage claims, is actually believable. I see nothing to dispute their claim – all the paint, including the engine compartment, has that beautiful tone that only slightly weathered original paint has.

    Like 9
  5. flmikey

    This is a beautiful car…to the right person…and a bargain…to the right person…the buyer will either be someone who grew up riding in this car with their parents, or a vegan hipster that wants to use it to drive to gigs…with that said, great find, and glad to see cars like this in this condition…

    Like 16
  6. Jack M.

    I’m certainly not an early Oldsmobile expert, but I don’t believe that this car would have left the factory with a blacked out front grille. The chrome was probably getting rusty and pitted and the seller hit it with a spray bomb.

    Like 2
    • karl

      Look at pictures of other 60 Olds ; you’ll see a lot look like this one. Either the recessed areas are painted black from the factory or the sunlight isn’t hitting those areas . I suspect they were going for a “floating” chrome design, somewhat like the 59 Fords

      Like 1
    • joe cat

      If you google: 1960 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday 5

      they all have the blacked out grill.

      Like 6
    • Bob

      In 1960 I was 14 with a paper route and a car wash service for my neighbors. Our next door neighbor named Abe traded his ’56 88 in for one of these only in the 4 door sedan series. I used to wash it every two weeks. I remember when he parked it in his garage at least two feet of that car stuck out. Another one of my jobs for Abe was to clean out the front end of his garage. I remember those days like it was yesterday!!! This car is in remarkable condition!!!

      Like 12
    • Duaney

      The grille is all factory, the bars are all chrome on the leading edge, the black you see are the air spaces between the bars. After all, the radiator has to get air somehow.

      Like 2
  7. Crazyhawk

    Looks like Olds had 20 stylists working on this design and they all got paid by the hour. Cool looking ride though….

    Like 3
  8. Will Fox

    My second favorite year for Olds; right behind the `57s! Neighbor across the street bought a `60 Super 88 4dr. sedan in this shade new; it was a popular color. Traded his `55 Super 88 sedan for it.
    Seriously; this is a superb time capsule!! Where on earth was THIS hiding for the past 59 years?! The plastic cover on the seats aren’t factory; those were always added by the dealer at purchase. If they are original, I’m surprised. even with low mileage, they usually yellowed and cracked apart simply from age. This beauty BEGS for proper 2 1/4″ whitewalls though; looks like a base model 88 with black walls!
    Now I wish I had $15K; just try finding one nicer for that price. You won’t. This flat-top is a real treasure, IMHO!!

    Like 15
  9. TimS

    All green which is great, and a 4-door which doesn’t make me turn my nose up. Certainly nobody else would have one at a show. Somebody loved this car and I would, too.

    Like 13
  10. Ken

    Hmm…makes the beautiful 1960 Buick look even better by comparison. Like the 1970s ad campaign said, “Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?”

    Like 3
    • Andy

      No, not really.

      Like 1
    • r s

      This IMO looks way better than the 60 Buick, of which my family had one. My mother HATED that car. She said it was ‘gutless’ and driving it was like riding around in a bath tub. Worst of all, my dad bought it for her after trading my older brother my mom’s 1960 Continental Mark V 2 door hardtop, a car she absolutely loved.

      Like 0
  11. JimH

    This car looks like it could be used for the sales brochure. For a sixty year old vehicle, it’s in amazing condition.

    Like 7
  12. Kenneth Carney

    Been almost 30 years for me. Saw one
    here in Winter Haven in about ’91 or ’92.
    At $2500, I should’ve bought it but my
    wife wouldn’t have it. Although that car
    was nice for its age, this one is much
    nicer. Dammit, now that I’m old, I still
    can’t afford it!

    Like 5
    • robert semrad

      That’s why, whenever it comes to cars….we don’t listen to women. They’re not our mommies.

      Like 2
  13. Ian McLennan

    As I recall, sitting down on those plastic seat covers in the depths of a 35 below Canadian winter before the car warmed up could be a sphincter clenching experience. Surprised these lasted that long. They usually cracked after a couple years.
    Beautiful car.

    Like 7
    • Del

      Nice space ship

      Like 3
    • ctmphrs

      Try sitting on them in short pants and 100 degree weather.That will wake you up.

      Like 5
    • r s

      However beautiful these old car interiors look, I suspect that the original seat foam is not very spongy anymore and the stitching in the covers must be dried out – in short, these perfect old interiors LOOK great but don’t plan on expecting them to be like new for very long if you use them at all.

      I’d say a whole reupholstery job would be in order if the car is to be used and keep its interior beauty.

      Like 0
  14. BigDoc

    Beautiful car always liked the style and the ride was great.

    Like 1
  15. Miguel

    If this was a Cadillac with the same body style, the price would be much higher.

    Like 3
    • Ken

      Cadillac never made such a homely-looking car.

      I don’t get the admiration for this thing. Of all the full-size GM offerings for ‘60, this was the least attractive.

      Like 0
  16. CJ

    What a great looking car! Great shape and would cruise nicely down the interstate; like setting on a sofa….!

    Like 7
  17. TortMember

    Never been a four door fan or of that style of roof that GM offered back then but what a nice car for the money. Can’t get into the car hobby much cheaper and have a nice car to go on a Sunday drive or a local car show.

    Like 4
  18. Bob

    After looking more at the photos, you would think with a car with 14,000 original miles on it it would have an original spare tire in the trunk! More than likely these cars came with U.S. Royal tires… Narrow white walls weren’t offered in 1960. Something funny here????

    Like 0
    • DON

      For all we know the car could have had a blowout in 1970 and the spare ended up on the car and a new tire became the spare . Every car has a history !

      Like 3
    • Adam

      spiffy

      Like 1
    • GPMember

      Not sure about Olds of this day, but some company’s had the spare tire as a option. You could order it from the factory or get one from a salvage yard for less money. Even a tire/ wheel shop, etc.

      Like 1
      • Howard A. Howard AMember

        Nah, that’s a modern day thing, no spare. In 1960 EVERY car had a spare tire. My brother bought a new Malibu, never looking in the trunk, hit something on the road, blew a tire, you can imagine his surprise when there was no spare in the trunk. The car was towed to a dealer, where he had to wait 2 days for the dealer to get a spare wheel.

        Like 3
      • Bob

        Every car back then came with a 5th tire, the same that was on the car. I even bought a brand new Hornet in ’72 with a spare tire the same as what was on the car. The space saver spares came out later. Now the Korean crap don’t even come with a space saver spare! They give you a can of fix-a-flat!!

        Like 1
      • r s

        “In 1960 EVERY car had a spare tire.”

        And a bumper jack, and a bumper you could use to jack up the car.

        We take for granted that we don’t get many flat tires these days but back then it was not that uncommon an occurrence.

        Like 2
    • Fred Alexander

      Back in time if a buyer didn’t like the OEM tires offered on the car of their choice they could make a deal with the salesman to change the tires, Hence the sale ot “Take Offs” flourished, usually gobbled up by dealership employees or friends of.

      Like 6
      • r s

        That’s 100% correct, and a piece of almost-lost automobile trivia.

        Like 2
      • Eric

        I remember being able to get brand new take-offs of pickup beds from specialty truck body sellers.

        Like 2
  19. Martin

    Loved the speedometer on these GM cars of that era. A series of rising bars progressed from green to orange to red at 65 mph. Also the gas gauge needle would go from full to empty when you floored it and then back to the original position. What a cruiser.

    Like 4
    • Bob

      The number 65 you see near the speedometer was the speed alert. You set the speed you wanted to go and there would be a buzz sound when you hit that speed. My ’62 Buick has that feature.

      Like 3
    • Howard A. Howard AMember

      The old man’s DeSoto had that type of speedo. As a kid, my old man was a cautious driver, and we rarely saw the red part, but I always wondered, what color was after red?

      Like 0
      • Martin Shann

        The GM speedos stayed red from 65 up.

        Like 1
    • r s

      My 1969 Chevy wagon had a gas gauge needle that moved way up and down when you accelerated or slowed down, obviously the float part of the sending unit in the tank was very much affected by the gas sloshing back and forth.

      I could tell how low the tank was when if I hit the brakes, the gas level didn’t go up much anymore. Time to get some gas!

      And in those days, I would put in $2 or $3 worth at a time and get half or 2/3 of a tank.

      Like 1
  20. Bob McK

    If I had room, I would bring this beautiful car home.

    Like 4
  21. Catie H

    It has the bubble textured seat covers. These were more pliable than the smooth ones and lasted longer. They were also kinder on bare legs in hot weather but they left a very interesting texture on your thighs, lol.

    Like 3
  22. AZguyMember

    this needs a set of nice crisp white Detroit Steels and to be lowered…..just a touch!

    Like 1
  23. Andy

    Is the rear portion of the driver’s side inner front fender dented?

    Like 0
  24. Bobror

    A poster said this was a former BAT car. I checked BAT and found a 1960 Olds four-door sedan same color but not a flat top. So, I don’t believe this car was ever on Bring A Trailer.

    Like 0
  25. Solosolo UK ken tillyMember

    @Howard A. If EVERY car had a spare back in the sixties, how come your brother’s Malibu didn’t?

    Like 1
    • r s

      Believe it or not back then people would actually knock out your trunk lock to break in and steal your spare.

      Like 1
  26. Joe

    It was the Fall of 1962 and if we weren’t house hunting we were car shopping. I remember us going to the Oldsmobile dealer in Richmond Hill Queens NY to check out the new 63 Holiday 88 but it was probably more than my dad could afford. Being the only bread winner with a wife and three children instead we drove out with one of these only ours was a light tan metallic with matching interior… those were the days!

    Like 2
  27. Harold Wood

    My First car was like this. Was a Bank repo and the bank Financed it for $200. nothing down and no cosigner as long as I had my dads permission to buy it since I was only 16. LOL sure can’t do that these days. Drove like a dream like floating on Air down the Freeway. The power it had would surprise you.

    Like 2
  28. PatrickM

    This is a great looking car!! Love it!!! Would really like to have it. But, I am looking for something more practical. However, this is tempting me. Not real crazy about the color, but I can live with it. Hmmmmmm…….

    Like 0
  29. roger

    need a gas truck to follow you

    Like 0
  30. Dave Thompson

    Interesting to read the comments. Some seem without knowledge. This would have been a great car. I have a 59′ 4 dr. htp. Love it. Same kind and style of car my Dad had when I got my drivers licence. Some of the young folks back in the day in their Fords or Chevs wouldn’t chuckle too much when one went by them. 394 cu. in., 315 hp, and a ton of torque. Did this 1960 sell? Dave

    Like 0

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