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Classic Cruiser: 1957 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday

With distinctive styling and lashings of chrome trim, this 1957 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday 4-Door Hardtop is an attractive car that needs very little to make it really sparkle. Barn Finder local_sheriff spotted this absolute beauty for us, so thank you so much for that. The classic Oldsmobile is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and you will find it car listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has now reached $5,100, but the reserve hasn’t been met.

The Oldsmobile is finished in a combination of Cutlass Bronze and Shantung Beige, which really does give the car a stunning appearance. The owner supplies a really comprehensive set of photos of all aspects of the car, and it looks to be really solid and free of any rust issues. The external chrome and trim have a great sparkle to them, while the period-correct hubcaps and wide whitewall tires add a touch of class. The factory tinted glass also looks to be in good order, and the exterior of the Oldsmobile gives the impression that this is a car that’s ready for some classic cruising.

The interior presentation of the 88 is also quite good, but this is the area of the car that looks like it is going to need the most work if spotless presentation is the goal of the next owner. Even then, the work required appears to be quite minimal. The front seat wears a new cover, but while the one on the rear seat is free of rips or tears, it does look like it might be stained. It would probably be worth the effort to have it professionally cleaned to see if it will respond well, but the next owner should probably be prepared to purchase a replacement cover. The original rubber mat on the front floor appears to be stretched in a number of spots, and while this might be able to be brought back into shape, this is another item that could require replacement. There are a couple of chips in the paint on the dash, but the rest of the interior presents exceptionally well. Even the original factory radio is said to work perfectly. For me, one of the interior design highlights in cars of this era is the use of chrome trim and highlights on the dash. Today, authorities would probably crucify any manufacturer who attempted to include such trim in their current offerings, but in cars like these, they hint at a more relaxed and less regulated era when image was everything.

Compared to its major competition, the Oldsmobile 88 was a relative lightweight, which meant that having a 371ci V8 pumping out 277hp under the hood gave the car pretty spritely performance. In addition to that great engine, this Olds features a 4-speed Jetaway Hydramatic transmission, power steering, and power brakes. The engine and its surrounds look quite clean and tidy for a car that is 62-years-old. The beauty of this car runs more than skin deep because the 88 is said to run and drive really well. I noticed that the Olds has been fitted with a full dual exhaust, which must give the car a great engine note.

This Oldsmobile 88 Holiday 4-Door Hardtop is a car that appears to need very little work for it to truly stand out, and it also appears as though the tasks required could be performed in a home workshop. The worst-case scenario is that it will require new mats on the floors and a new cover on the rear seat. Otherwise, it looks like it is a car that is ready to be driven and enjoyed. One thing that I will say is that I would be very interested to know what the reserve is on this car because I have found the same car listed elsewhere with a price of $21,900. Would you buy it at that price, or would you rather take your chances bidding on eBay?

Comments

  1. Avatar LMK

    That is a handsome old gentleman….

    Like 3
    • Avatar Steve Bush Member

      This seems like a nice car as long as it doesn’t get bid too high. My dad bought a similar 1955 Olds 88 in early 1965 for about $350 after his 1952 Chevy was stolen from his job. To my six year-old self it seemed like a pretty cool car in two tone green and beige with plenty of space in back for the three of us kids. Unfortunately, the automatic transmission failed after about three months and he bought a new 1965 Plymouth Valiant for about $2k in June right before I turned seven. It turned out to be a decent car, but didn’t seem quite as cool.

      Like 5
  2. Avatar geomechs Member

    My dad had a ‘57 Olds very similar to this one. The ‘58 models were arriving while this one was still on the lot. The reason was that it had factory A-C which at the time scared people off. In our home town people gave Dad a hard time for being that frivolous but Dad thought it was the greatest invention he’d ever seen. By 1960 half the new cars in our town had A-C…

    Like 12
  3. Avatar TimS

    Yes, it’s priced high and of course it’s a 4 door which means it’s not “awesome.” But it’s ready to drive and nicely optioned, so I suspect it will sell one way or another. I’d love to have it for a dry-day driver. Never see another in my town.

    Like 5
    • Avatar ken tilly Member

      @TimS. Until you commented on it I never realised that it was a four door, which to me, makes it even more appealing.

      Like 8
  4. Avatar Billieg

    Would love to own this car but they are going to want too much for it. Maybe I’ll bid $12k and see what happens…

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Rex Kahrs Member

    I think the styling is brilliant….it’s a 4-door disguised as a 2-door. Very clever. If you remove that rear door handle, you’d barely notice it’s a 4-door.

    Like 11
  6. Avatar FordGuy1972 Member

    This classic wears it’s four door hardtop styling very well and is a beautiful example of late ’50s excess. The chrome seems to be in great shape, a major plus as a second mortgage would be needed to re-chrome those bumpers. One thing I would change is the tailpipes. They look odd positioned below the exhaust cutouts in the bumper. That was a fad for awhile, having the exhaust gases exit through the bumper, but because of the discoloration it caused to the bumper, it was a fad that didn’t last long. I’d route them to exit at either end of the bumper center section with a slight down turn at the ends.

    The hardtop styling can help sooth the too-many-doors crowd and overall, this Olds is a beauty and probably worth at or near the ask.

    Like 3
  7. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    Looks pretty good to me but that’s just me. I can imagine this being taken on a cruise, ice cream store or to the local car show. Whether it gets the asked for price or not just depends on people. I wouldn’t mind having it, as I think it’s sexy as heck.

    Like 5
  8. Avatar rpol35

    I didn’t realize that the “three window” Holiday rear window treatment was available with a four door model, I thought it was only used on the two door hardtop.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Angel Cadillac Diva Member

      When I was 17, my first three cars were a 1962 Lincoln Continental convertible, a 1961 Buick Invicta convertible and a 1965 Oldsmobile Delta 88 convertible. Loved all three of them, but the 88 was the coolest. Ended up driving that one out to California from NJ. Sold it out there, flew home and replaced it with a 1962 Buick Electra 225 convertible.

      Like 6
  9. Avatar Tempo Matador Ray

    “Hey Norton, grab the girls and will go for a spin. O.K. Ralph…what a beauty.”
    🍔🍟🌭🍦

    Like 2
  10. Avatar Britcars4me

    The four door with no center post are my favourite cars of the era, and that rear window looks terrific. If I had a few extra bucks I would love to get this to go along with my vintage camper.

    Like 4
  11. Avatar charlie Member

    The routing of the exhaust through the bumper, like on my ’54 Corvette looked cool, but, resulted in the Corvette’s case anyway, of exhaust coming up over the trunk lid and into the passenger compartment. Chevy “fixed” it by having a fake tail pipe come through the bumper opening and a downward facing exhaust tip just inside the fender. When I bought mine (in ’66, used) the teenager who was selling it had routed the replacement generic tail pipe through the bumper openings – I talked to the parts guy at the local Chevy dealership who was a friend, and he told me about the GM fix which the teenager had probably undone to be “cool” but gassed. Since the soft top and the Plexiglas side curtains were anything but tight, it was only safe to drive with the top down.

    Like 3
  12. bobhess bobhess Member

    My dad had a ’98 solid silver gray metallic 4 door hard top with a red accent stripe and a 3 tone interior. Engine was the next one down from the biggest engine but it had a 4 barrel. Fast and good looking! I got to clean it a lot but didn’t get to drive it until we’d had it a few years and I had my license. Still think it’s one of best looking of that era. Eyelids and skirts don’t do much for it though.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Billy

      Am I the only one to notice the badly sagging front bumper on an otherwise very decent original car?? So sure it can be repaired but why fix other things then decide to sell it with such and obvious flaw. It implies some serious damage the current owner wasn’t prepared to shell out for.

      Like 1
      • Avatar ken tilly Member

        @Billy. It’s most probably the build quality of the era showing through, nothing to do with accident damage IMO.

        Like 0
  13. Avatar stillrunners

    Nice car you don’t see often…..

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Stevieg

    As a teenager in the 1980’s, I had a friend that was a couple years older that had one of these. It was in absolutely perfect shape, white with the red stripe & a red interior (it was red based, but tried colored…I don’t recall the other colors for sure, but I think maybe black & white). I do recall it had the J-2 package. It had been part of the (at least locally famous) Wally Rank collection. It wasn’t a muscle car nor was it (in my young mind) a luxury car, so I wasn’t too impressed, although I did like the look of it.
    My friend must have felt the same way, because he traded it even up for a mid 1970’s Plymouth Trailduster SUV with a 440 & granny geared 4 speed. Fun truck, but hindsite tells me he should have kept the Olds. I now wish I had that Olds.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar bigdoc

    Bidding at $9100.00 And will go higher IMO for this beautiful car.

    Like 0
    • Avatar PatrickM

      Sold for $9,100.00

      Like 0
      • Avatar LMK

        It says the reserve wasn’t met at $9100.00

        Like 1
  16. Avatar Bob C.

    For you young folks, the location of the gas cap is pretty funky. Lift up the door under the left taillight. They did some weird stuff like that on mid to late 50s cars.

    Like 1

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