A big, 1960s GM convertible, what’s not to like, right? Admittedly, this ’67 Oldsmobile Delmont 88 is a bit rough around the edges but there are still things here to consider as the issues seem more cosmetic in nature. Anyway, this Oldsmobile is located in Sykesville, Maryland, and is available, here on eBay for a BIN price of $4,000. Thanks to local_sheriff for this tip!
Oldsmobile offered three full-size convertible models in 1967, the 126″ wheelbase Ninety-Eight, the 123″ wheelbase Delta 88, and the similarly-sized Delmont 88, such as our subject car. Regardless of the model, these are big cars and qualify, for what I refer to, as whammer-jammer status. They have a tendency to instill in the owner, the confidence that, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do own the road!” As the seller notes, the Delmont 88 was a two-year only model, offered in ’67 and ’68. The total ’67 Delmont 88 production, according to www.classicoldsmobile.com, was about 108K units with approximately 3,200 convertibles finding new owners; not everyday common but not “very rare” either.
Right off the bat, this Delmont 88 could use some paint, obviously, and the seller admits as much (it looks like it got caught in a sandstorm!). The chrome and stainless trim are showing some weakness and alignment issues but the body does not appear to have any rust through though something is starting to happen on the driver’s side rocker panel. And while we are scrounging around the body, the lower leg of the driver’s side fender doesn’t align too well either. The seller claims that the floors are in extremely good condition and the “car is very solid”. He adds that he has additional images of the underside that he can make available to prospective buyers. Rounding out the exterior is the convertible top, it is clearly distressed and the seller states that he thinks that something is wrong with the “solenoid” as in the top doesn’t lower. As I recall, there is no solenoid involved here but there is a separate 30 amp circuit breaker and that could be what he’s alluding to.
The interior, fortunately, is a bit better, as least as best as can be determined. The black vinyl upholstery is referenced as having only one tear on the passenger side but there are other places where splits are noticeable and the piping is deteriorating – all typical things for a 53-year-old car with 91K miles – and especially for a convertible. You can also include the dash pad in the “needs attention” department. The best way to photograph the interior of a convertible is in top-down mode – perhaps a further indication that the top is fixed in the up position?
In 1967, the Delmont 88 came standard with a 330 CI V8 engine but the seller references this Oldsmobile as possessing the optional “Super Rocket” 425 CI V8, which is probably the 310 HP version. The seller claims, “Engine runs great Transmission shifts smooth”. The transmission in question is a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic unit. This is an A/C equipped car that the seller references as an “automatic” air conditioning unit. Hopefully, it’s not and it is the standard manual, four-season variety. The automatic units, known as “Comfortron”, are notoriously fickle, made more so with age, and they can be very difficult to make operational if they are non-working. Parts for the control head, master switch, thermostat, and light sensor were hard to source twenty years ago! No word regarding operational capability.
So, while not without its problems, this Olds is not a bad base for some top-down fun. The cosmetics can always wait, though admittedly this is a pretty dodgy looking car. But the mechanicals seems sound and the convertible top pump and electronics on this vintage GM B & C body are not complicated. This just might be an enjoyable and reasonably priced cruiser, don’t you think?
I remember many years ago, coming down route 4455 in New Paltz New York looking down at the speedometer and seeing that I was going 120 miles an hour. Never felt a thing, it was like a cloud floating down the road. It was my girlfriend’s mother’s car and a four-door but it could and would do it whenever asked
Does anybody remember which model had the lights in the rear bumper to accent the lights above them?
That would be the ’67 Delta 88, which also was different by having each headlight pairs separated by markers
No, the Delta Custom is the model that has the extra lights in the bumper. There were three trim levels in 1967, Delmont, Delta, and Delta Custom.
Hah,so there was a ‘Custom’ trim to the ’67 88 line too?! Thanks for correcting me Joe, that would explain the Deltas found WITHOUT the extra taillights.
As for the 88’s body; is it still considered a GM B-body by ’67, sharing its basic structure with same year Impalas?
Hi Miquel , I had a 1965 olds Dynamic 88 convert that was like that.
My neighbor had one of these, hardtop ( black vinyl ), black interior, base engine, yellow exterior. but a good sound car. The only thing negative about it was that it was VERY cold blooded. I believe it had a light that was blue or green that said cold. No matter what, that car would stall if you didn’t wait for the light to go out. Never had a problem with that car and we drove the tires off of it. But living in Michigan, and waiting for that light to go out seemed like eternity.
too bad ted’s wasn’t a soft-top.
If it is the 425 “Super Rocket” it would be 365 horsepower, not 310. We had a ’66 Olds 98 “Luxury Sedan” with that engine, and I embarrassed a good number of “performance cars” with it.
Note the attached image from the ’67 Olds sales brochure. The 300, 310 and 365 HP, 425 CI engines were all referred to as “Super Rocket V-8”
JO
Jim, thanks for the reminder. There are a million “experts” on the internet. Mostly in their own mind. Unless I see provenance, no matter how convincing something stated may sound, I take it with a pretty big grain of salt.
PSA for the day.
Well, I learned something today! Thanks for posting that. I also learned that the Toronado was heavier than the 98!
In 1971 I had a ’65 Dynamic 88 convertible. Cost me $400 from a used car dealer. Drove that car across country to California. It would burn rubber anytime I asked it to. Loved that car. Oldsmobile had great dashboards back then.
Bash boards awesome ,with two big jaw ashtrays in front two in back and only two seat belts :o
Always had an affinity for theate 60’s Oldsmobiles being the once proud owner of the 4 door version of the 67 ninety eight.
Loved that car it rode and drove like a dream and had a 425 as well.
Neat that this car has the identical front end as well ehich is ironic in my opinion.
not ironic but iconic. Stupid phat thumbs and the “smart phone”.
Looks like this specific Olds was featured on BF April 4th 2017!
https://barnfinds.com/restore-preserve-1967-oldsmobile-delmont-88-convertible/
Back in the late 70’s after losing my union truck driving job to a union strike and OPEC III, plus bad times all around, I was forced to sell my beautiful 78 Scout II TERRA Truck I used for camping with my travel trailer, that was actually paid for, nothing special, just a two year old Coleman 22’, 4,000 lbs Travel Trailer. That I ended up living in for a while after going from a $15/hr (good money at 23, in 78),40-50 hr week job, to the last unemployment checks of 320/ every 2 weeks, where I was cleaning more than that in a week, to a truck driving job I was forced to settle for at $4.25/hr busting my but delivering building supplies! So anyway here I was with a beautiful trailer to live in, that I was forced to park/live in at an uncles garage, with nothing to tow it with, commuting to work in a 61 Corvair I found that ran great. Till I found a 67 Delmont 88, the original owner used to tow their Airstream with! He had ordered special to do so. It had a high compression 425/4 brl Dual Exhaust Rocket, with a Turbo Hydromatic with a factory tow package! That included a 3:42 Posi Trac rear and trailer hitch. With only 62,000 miles! That ran amazing! The only reason why he sold it was he was broadsided in the passenger side rear door, but a VW Bug! Just enough to total the car, but leave it drivable and weather tight, never breaking the glass! Could not be rolled down, and it was a real pain to get the door closed if opened, but I just licked it an removed the inside handle. But man did that big old bomber run good! Especially on the highway!!! Plus smoke both rear tires up easily! With the air shocks in back, bags of sand in the truck an huge snow tires it was also great in the snow. The man I bought it off was also a master mechanic, that had added front disk brakes and tranny cooler! The car was able to tow my trailer like it wasn’t even there! Had more power than my Scout!
Back in the day, the local Olds dealer provided cars to the high school to use for summer school driver’s ed. My buddy and I plus 2 others and the teacher in a 67 Delmont 88 sedan. Very comfortable cruiser especially when one of the students dropped out. Teacher had a duplicate brake pedal but that was his only control other than firm admonitions not to do anything stupid. Cars were returned after the summer session ended and I heard were a good deal on the dealer’s lot. Never knew the story on these.