This 1963 Oldsmobile Starfire is claimed to have a verified 22,000 miles on the clock. We see these lower mileage claims quite often here at Barn Finds, and it is always nice when the owner can supply the documentary evidence to back their claim (which this owner apparently can). Listed for sale here on eBay, this Olds is located in Cleveland, Ohio. It is being offered with a clear title in a No Reserve auction that has so far seen bidding rise to $15,100.
This first generation Starfire looks to be in really great condition. The body looks straight and the paintwork looks really good, although I think that I’ve spied a mark in the paint on the trunk lid. One of the things that I’ve always loved about cars of this era is the thought and work that went into designing and manufacturing a lot of the external trim items. I mean, the trim and chrome on this car appear to be virtually faultless. Sometimes trim like this loses out when paired with a light paint color, but to me, it still looks pretty nice.
The interior of this Starfire appears to also be in awesome condition. Apart from the fact that the floor mates look a bit dirty, I’m really struggling to fault the inside of this car. I have to say that I also like the red interior trim, and the floor console with tacho is just so neat. The seller states that everything is in working order and the air con blows ice cold.
Under the hood is the 394ci engine backed by the Hydra-Matic auto transmission. Pumping out 345hp, this was quite a mighty motor. I’m actually slightly under-whelmed by the appearance of the engine bay. When you look at the overall condition of the rest of the car, things just look a little tired under here. If the seller didn’t have documentary proof regarding the mileage, this would really make me wonder about the claim. Speaking of the documentation, the seller has a fairly substantial pile of documentation dating right back to day one for this car, and it’s all sitting in the glove compartment ready for the new owner.
This is one really nice car that is only let down for me by the appearance of the engine bay. If all of the documentary evidence checks out then this could be a really sweet car to consider buying. Where the price is sitting at the moment in the auction is probably getting into the ball-park for this Oldsmobile, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it actually pushes closer to $20,000 before the auction ends.
the engine bay looks GREAT
no stupid armorall type of products used, kudos to the owner
I agree. This is what an untouched engine compartment should look like after over 50 years. The heat and dust will always make it look a little less perfect than the rest.
Very sharp looking. I’m usually not crazy about white cars, but this one looks great.
Front end resembles our ’64 Super 88. Cruise at 80 and feel like doing 30. Sad day when GM decided to drop the make along with Pontiac. Apparently the Chinese are fond of Buicks
Beautiful car with factory AC!!! Must be a blast to drive, hope it finds a good home.
Nice, but it looks like there’s a fair amount of quarter panel damage on the passenger side. Wonder why that isn’t mentioned…
I looked 3 times at the pics…I think it’s not damage, just the reflection, however slight, on a white finish. Doesn’t appear in all pics of that side. (?)
I had to look a bunch of times at that quarter panel as well. Still not sure if it is damage or shadow. In any event, quite a nice car.
Interesting sales history, cars listed and sold over and again. This one shows sold first time listed and this is the second relist. Grand Prix 2+2 Aero sold twice and a Trans Am up again after two sold listings.
I love this car! And it looks great under the hood. Come on, Adam!
Maybe I was being a bit harsh Boatman, but I just got so caught up on what looks like a fair amount of surface corrosion on the driver’s side valve cover. Don’t get me wrong: I didn’t expect it to look showroom fresh and I really don’t enjoy looking at engine bays where it’s obvious that the owner has gone mad with the sprays and the rattle cans. It’s just that I found that particular problem really distracting and not in keeping with the general condition of the rest of the car as a whole (including the underside).
What on earth is supposed to be wrong with the engine bay?
Had a 1964 Dynamic 88 Holiday Coupe
Copper top/ Desert Beige with tan vinyl/ brown cloth insert seats. These cars came with 330 cu in. and 394 cu in engines.
The one detractor was the so-called “ slim Jim” transmission. The later TH 400 was much, much better. Loved the car. Oldsmobile was GM’s oldest, proudest division.they have no appreciation for heritage. None.
John, No 330 CI available in this car. 394 only.
330 in the Dynamic 88, perhaps? And 394 was optional. 394 was probably standard in the 98 and the Starfire.
I had the 394 cu in V8.
My manual said 330 cu in was base V8 and 394 was optional.
Wowsa! Thats some set of wheel covers!
Like JP, I noticed the quarter panel, looks fairly minor to me, but other than that, what a ride!
AGAIN, Air con?. Is A/C!!!!! TACHO, maybe what you had for lunch Is a TAC or Tachometer.
Chuck Cobb, thanks so much for your feedback on this. It’s really hard to strike a middle ground on these articles because they are read in so many different countries, and all use different terminologies to describe the same item or feature. Writing these articles is a balancing act simply because it doesn’t matter what terminology I use as a writer, someone somewhere is going to get upset by it. Having said that, I’m always willing to listen to feedback from readers because that’s quite simply the most effective way that I can improve as a writer.
Boy, oh boy! These were real chick magnets back then. If she was a bit skeptical, just get her to take a short ride around the block. That oughtta do it.
It’s a “tach”. Not a “tacho” or “TAC”.
Sitting in one of these when they were new at my hometown Chevrolet-Oldsmobile dealership made me think, “I could drive one of these!” (If I was a older than ten. If the front seat was adjusted as far forward as it would go. If nobody was looking and I had the keys.) I used to daydream a lot as a kid. Incidentally, my favorite feature of early sixties Oldsmobiles was the steering wheel.
Very nice. Top of the line, and must have been targeted at fancy women, that notch at the bottom of the gas pedal was for high heels. In the mid ’60’s, when I was just starting to adore cars, the old man had a ’63 4 door 98. Very impressionable for a 10 year old. Once going somewhere, I noticed a ’63 Starfire. Way cooler than dad’s 4 door, and that silver stripe( back then, the color silver was not like it is today, and to see the stripe, looked like platinum to us. When he was looking for a different car, we hoped like heck, he’d come home with a Starfire, but alas, it was another ’65 4 door 98. It’s faded,but that sticker on the air cleaner said “Ultra High Compression”
. Dad’s 98 had that motor. I remember more than once, the old man givin’ her the “Italian tuneup”.
And being my old man’s son, I can’t help myself, but what would you rather have, a basic Rambler that little Mitt may or may not have threw up in, or for the same money, this ultimate Olds cruiser,,,that’s the old car hobby.
These were around 10.25:1 compression. Very torquey.
The main indication other than the obvious seat-of-the-pants oomph, was the down shift hold effect. When placed in second gear on a downhill slope: the engine itself limited the downhill speed. That was cool. Low compression engines have much less of this effect.
The 394 high compression engine ran best and showed its 1964 potential on Sunoco “ blue lightening” or Aviation fuel. It was as if it was absolutely made for these fuels. Smooth, and very powerful.
I would get av gas and add tetraethyl lead. This would approximate the gasoline specified for this vehicle in 1964: premium leaded.
In the 80’s and 90’s, you could buy cans of tetraethyl lead as additive. Not sure this is available now.
I have been a Olds fan as long as I can remember. Well I do remember it was first time I seen my dream car and sign papers to buy her. A 70 0lds W30. I sold 15 years later and still regret it. I owned a starfire exactly like this except a pale blue. I had about ever year Cultass til they went front wheel drive. I would love to have this car but the classic and muscle car market has went out of sight. I can’t see paying a price that can purchase a new car or one that’s two three years old for a 50 year car.
Well, what would you pay for the Mona Lisa as opposed to a brand new painting? Collectors and/or aficionados rarely buy new (with some exceptions). If old cars held no charm or interest they’d be selling for $150, which, 50 years ago, most did. Classic car collecting, meaning mainstream consumer vehicles as opposed to rarities designed for royalty, is a relatively new phenomenon, hence the escalating prices…
exactly!!!
I know, I try now to refrain from talking about price today, but as nice a car as this is, I feel it’s actually $15,000 dollars worth of car ( not that I could afford it), compared to what’s come through here lately. Aside from it’s beauty, I could actually figure out the radio and heater controls. I rented new Chevy Sonic a while back,(I thought it was actually a nice car) and just for giggles I looked at the owners manual, 1/3 of it was how to operate the radio.
Beautiful car , hope it finds a good home , would love to cruise this one !
First generation Starfire? Hmmmm. I beg to differ. The 61 and 62 Starfires were a much different car. The tranny for them was what I remember being called a “slim-jim” due to its narrow case. That tranny sucked, even after being rebuilt. I should know, I had a 62 Starfire convertible, baby blue top and bottom with a multi tone blue interior when I was 17 in 1967. It surely would get up and go, passed everything but a gas station. The brushed aluminum slabs down the sides were a real eye catcher. Coolest feature was the “Wonder Bar” radio; push a “bar” on the radio or a button on the floor to change the station to the next one of the present stations. I really hated to give that car up when I went off to school in Chicago. My mom kept it for a while until she sold it for something more practical.
I’d love to find a ‘62 in similar condition.
Not a Starfire, just a Super 88. Belongs to one of my road warriors. Gorgeous car.
This is a ’62. Still great looking car.
Of all the early Starfires, ’66 was my favorite, ’62 would be my second choice. Shame the Toronado killed them off.
http://www.mjcclassiccars.com/cars/66OldsmobileStarfireCoupe/04.jpg
A half century ago, a buddy of mine and I were tooling around L.A. in his mother’s ’63 Starfire coupe. It could have been the twin of this one, colour-wise.
Great cars!
Stop criticizing the use of abbreviations that are not the common US usage. This site is on the World Wide Web and no one’s version of the English ;language is better than the next guy’s.
Missed it Mitch. Explain. Msd t Mich, X pln?
I always look at cars and see different expressions in the looks of the front end, some look mean, some look scared. just different looks, I don’t know if Im the only one who does this but this car has that shy, innocent look, …….maybe its just me……..
Look at the current Malibu’s…yikes
Do I have to? Thing is, cars aren’t really “cars” anymore – they’re vehicles. Who’s gonna collect a 2013 Buick Whatever 50 years from now? Of course there are exceptions, but not in the mainstream market.
Oddly enough I believe back in the day, they said the same thing about the cars of the 50’s and 60’s….especially in the 70’s with the fuel crisis and rationing…..the 8 MPG big blocks were headed to the crusher.
I agree with your comments but stranger things have happened AND things tend to “come back around”….
My father in law had a used car lot on a main drag in Chicago in the early 70’s. He had big blocks, hemi cars, SS, GT’s you name it and he couldn’t give them away. we are talking the iconic muscle cars of the late 60’s and early 70’s…not the 4 door Malibu’s and Coronets, we are talkin 2 door Super Sports and Hemi cars rolling in and out of his lot for $900 give or take! He had a momentary thought that he should take a good number of these cars and put them away. Sadly, he did not do that……with the thought of …..who’s going to want these gas hogs 50 years from now ??!!!!
I’m thinking 122k on the mileage, based on the condition of the interior and the underside.
“based on the condition of the interior”…..? What are you looking at that we all missed? I have a 64 Olds 98 with 58K on it, survivor all original car. Dad bought it in 1965 at 9 months old.
Now the underside I could agree for a minute looks like more than 22K HOWEVER what it looks like is YEARS…..not so much the miles. If you know anything about the Midwest, snow, salt etc….the bottom of a car can look like this in just a few years time and very little mileage. IT IS ABOUT EXPOSURE not mileage. A car can look like this even if not driven in a Midwest winter BUT if it is parked NEXT TO the daily driver in the same garage…..the saturated daily driver covered in snow, salt and moisture, again being saturated, the moisture, carrying the salt, gravitates to the collector car and does far more damage in rust and corrosion that you can imagine.
That is why, if you need to park your collector car in the same garage in the Midwest with snow and salt PARK YOUR COLLECTOR CAR ON PLYWOOD, (1/2 thick or more) the wood will absorb the moisture before it gets to the car in most cases.
I am usually the skeptic…….this car is a true 22K mile car. The interior is, by in large, great for 22K miles. No way 122K on the interior, my opinion.
In college i had housing with parking. Most students didn’t, but some came to school with car. I car sat an almost new Starfire in blue over blue. I offered to bring the car to the young lady owner anytime she wanted it; but she had little interest. I drove it more than she did. It did keep it clean and full of gas.
28 Nov 20 – I owned one of these exactly like the one pictured. Same color, same color interior and even had the a/c. My dad bought it for me when I was a junior in high school (1967). Sure would like to have known about it so I could have bid.