For more than 50 years (1949 to 1999), the “88” series of automobiles played a key role in the Oldsmobile lineup. One of these was the Delta 88 which you might think of as the Chevy Impala of the make like this 1970 edition. It’s the Custom Holiday model which is another way of saying it’s a fancier 4-door hardtop. It needs paint and an interior but has a plus in that it has the 455 cubic inch big block V8 as opposed to the standard (and thriftier) 350. Located in Portland, Maine, this GM project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $4,000 OBO. Another tip from Bruce M!
After a major makeover in sheet metal came in 1969, so changes in 1970 were subtle and minor. The 4-door 88 Holiday hardtop saw 66,000 copies leave the assembly line, with about 43% having the slightly nicer Custom trim. The seller’s Delta is wearing tired gold paint with a black vinyl top (the condition of the latter is unknown). We’re told the interior needs work, but the seller skips any photos of what’s there for us to determine how far gone it is (the car is still used as a daily driver, so it must be functional).
Besides the 455 V8 and TH-400 automatic transmission, this car has only seen 52,000 miles per the seller. Looks like those were not easy miles, though its location in New England could have contributed to its decline in 54 years. It’s also had at least three owners who may have treated it differently under their watch. The seller is open to trades (for what?) and our big question is as follows: is the dog guarding the car or is the car guarding the dog?
We had a Reef Turquoise ’70 Olds 98 4 door hardtop when I was a kid. That 455 was great. These were solid cars. But rust definitely could get ahold of them. I remember the lip of the trunk lid started rusting when it was only a few years old. But that 455 and THM 400 are bullet proof. This one the rust isnt all that bad, at least from what I can see, it would’ve been nice to see an under hood or interior shot or two. But I guess this is the new norm for Craigslist ads.
As featured in the song by Robin Thompson”Candy Apple Red”:
Those days of candy apple red
Metal flake
Cruisin with my baby
In the ole man’s 88
Always liked these large 4 door hard tops with a big block and 4 link rear suspension.
My family had a vista cruiser where the back seat folded flat! Lol
If you want a lower price, you’ll have to negotiate with the dog- off leash.
A big ugly boat. This was the first year for the 455 and they were a fierce motor. The turbo 400 could make tires chirp. What else do you need!