A lot of objections to project cars are answered by this terrific looking 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire hardtop. I’ll go into detail later, but you can tell from looking at the listing here on eBay that the car is pretty darned solid. It’s waiting for you under the stars (see what I did there) in Los Angeles, California. Bidding is extremely low as I write but the reserve has not been met.
As I said, this car puts to rest many of the things that keep me from seriously considering some projects. For one, it runs and drives well. Secondly, that is claimed to be the original paint (not 100% sure of that based on the patchiness, but ok, let’s accept it for the moment). Third, there’s factory air conditioning present, although it’s not functional at the moment. Fourth, the interior is presentable as-is, although it’s not the really cool factory vinyl. Five, that’s the original engine and transmission still in place. And finally, there are those super cool period wheels (anyone know exactly what those are? I didn’t find them after researching, although I found a lot of similar wheels).
And don’t forget, this is a pretty darned desirable car in the first place, especially if you like “space age” styling like I do. Just look at those terrific tail lights?
The seller calls this a “solid California car” and looking at the underside I can’t argue. We’re told that any damage is surface only, and while the pictures are by no means perfect, they are clear enough to me to at least inspire some confidence. Obviously, the car isn’t 100% original, but it sure is a nice one!
Before you get too excited, that’s a new carpet that has just been installed, so it’s not that cossetted of a find. However, it looks nice, doesn’t it?
Finally, here are those seats. No, again, not factory, but they look just fine to me. I’d have to wear them out before I replaced them, that’s for sure. And have you ever seen a cooler steering wheel?
Just imagine this view after a weekend of detailing. Yeah, I like this one; can you tell? I’m guessing you might, too. Care to go for a Starfire ride?
Nicest Olds, EVER!!! And there are no sky stars in L.A., however, the price of this car will certainly soar as high as the stars, I’m sure. All these early ’60’s GM coupes were top notch ( Riv, GP, Starfire) but the Olds, I felt, was the nicest. Unless something was done to the valves, this “ultra high compression” ( 10.5 to 1) motor will need some additive, and electronic ignition. A small price to pay to be cruising in a ’62 Starfire coupe. (even at 6-9 mpg) Outstanding find.
High end Olds had the coolest interiors back then. Way luxurious!!!
As a kid in the early 60’s I had a toy called a “dashmobile” with working shift lever, etc. This dash looks just like it!
Fred, thanks for the memory–I had one too!!!! Maybe that’s why I liked this car so much!
I learned to drive in one of these. Ours was metallic blue. The seating surfaces were leather – two tone metallic blue leather, but leather nonetheless.
It’s an Oldsmobile, ergo worth every penny.
Enough said.
THESE WHEELS MAY HAVE BEEN OFF A PONTIAC? I remember driving a 62 of a friends, never owned one but Oh my they were pretty quick with the 394ci!!!
“Factory paint” means little when so much of it is gone…this is definitely one of those cars that is too classy to sport the whole “patina/rat rod” look, and it deserves a proper repaint. It would be lovely (and unusual) once restored.
I pay no attention to claims of original paint, especially when in this condition as I would repaint it anyway (3K later).
There is no mention of the side trim condition in the ad but if in decent shape or could be repaired, it would be a definite yes.
I even like the rims on it (needs knock-off’s).
A Pertronix Ignition would solve Howard A’s concerns.
These were/are sharp cars.
This is one of my favorite cars from the early 60s. A buddy of mine and I talk about them all the time. The stainless steel trim on them was exceptional. I like both the coupe and convertible versions. This one looks like a good one to bring back to glory.
Here’s a picture from Jerry Flint’s book “The Dream Machine” and you can see the hub caps that were normally on these. I also found a shot of an interior from the auto editors of Consumers Guide in their book “Sizzling Cars of the 60s”. It looks a lot like the interior of the instance vehicle with minor exception.
Here’s the interior view….
61 to 64 were my favorite Oldsmobiles. I too love this car, and it is just the way I’d want my next project. I would leave the interior alone for now, but definitely give it a new paint job and detail that engine. Repairing the A/C would be a must!
The SEATS are factory, the UPHOLSTERY is not. Sorry, couldn’t resist! And love the Guidematic auto headlight dimmer. Did these have a four speed automatic?
I had one of these in 67-68. Lite blue convertible. The tranny is a 3 speed “slim-jim”, very narrow case so the hump in the floor could be smaller. Not a good tranny, though. 1-2 shift was quick and hard, while 2-3 shift took forever. Didn’t slip, just took a long time. Dealer said that was normal for that unit. I loved the car anyway, drove it till I went off to college, then mom drove it for a few more years.
Lovely looking car. Sure it has patina, but as long as it’s on the surface, and doesn’t penetrate into the rest of the car, you should have little trouble restoring it cosmetically. You’d then have to have everything mechanical sorted out before you can actually drive it.
Fenton Sharks for the wheels? Fifth picture down, if the link works.
http://classracer.com/classforum/showthread.php?t=38013&page=9
Looks like them.
Good eye! Even if you are picky about upholstery vs. seats! ;-)
I think the wheels are Foresight Ventures Drag Mags.
My nitpick on all ads is there is no excuse for blurry, washed out or just crappy pictures today. Even the cheapest cell phone camera has 10 times the picture quality of the best cameras 15 years ago when I was selling stuff on Ebay with pictures that are better than 99% of the pictures in all ads today. Lazy azz people today don’t really care anymore. This ad has pictures above average in most ads but still a lot of room for improvement. The best $8.00 I spent was a decent tripod from Goodwill for my camera. even using a cell phone you could use a tripod as a rest. Just bothers me that people just don’t care anymore but expect you to come running shelling out your money. I just bought a used turret press the other day based on the 3 good clear pictures the seller had. I am sure he used his cell phone to take them but they were clear non blurry well lit pictures.
My Father’s Oldsmobile. (actually, my Uncle’s)
Love the car but just kibbutzing here….looks to me like it had long term exposure to a baking sun. The dash pad as well as the roof looked like desert sun baking which makes the condition of the dash on its vertical face perplexing. Maybe the seats were baked and the seller had them redone cheaply with those lowrider inserts, Still super cool model
Always LOVED these ’62 models!!! My Uncle Phil bought a used ’62 “Dynamic 88” about 1967 when he lived in Pittsburgh, PA. That was a great car…(The Olds V-8 engines of this era also made a distinctive sound-I could tell it was an Oldsmobile anytime I was within earshot of one….) Another distinctive feature of this model of Olds were the “drum” speedometers. Instead of the usual speedometer needle, there was an orange line that got longer as you drove faster-it turned from orange to red when you hit 70 miles per hour. Uncle Phil’s “Dynamic 88” ended up being used as an oilfield “pumper’s car” in my family’s oil business at Bartlesville, Oklahoma-it was cut up for scrap in the mid-1980’s.
Man what a steering wheel!
The console mounted tachometer was typical of GM’s of this era, more of a novelty and basically useless because of its eyes off the road location. Oldsmobile used a weird camshaft profile that gave the engine a distinct “blub blub blub” idle. You knew it was an Olds just by the sound.
A nice car and easy restore for a driver. I would love to own it.
More’n likely it was a vacuum gauge, not a tachometer. For whatever reason these existed, I had NO idea at the time (and still none). Cool car. Love Oldsmobiles. I had a ’66 442 4speed tri-power back in ’68-’69. As I used to say, “it’d pass anything but a gas station.”
I had one of these in 67-68. Lite blue convertible. The tranny is a 3 speed “slim-jim”, very narrow case so the hump in the floor could be smaller. Not a good tranny, though. 1-2 shift was quick and hard, while 2-3 shift took forever. Didn’t slip, just took a long time. Dealer said that was normal for that unit. I loved the car anyway, drove it till I went off to college, then mom drove it for a few more years.