Some classics that appear on our desks at Barn Finds are so staggeringly beautiful that we struggle to know where to start. Such is the case with this 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 Hardtop, although its amazing presentation is no accident. It recently underwent a nut-and-bolt restoration, and you would be forgiven for considering that as its greatest strength. However, this Olds is more than a pretty face, with its engine bay housing the “J2” version of the company’s V8 engine, bringing a Tri-Power setup to the party that unleashes plenty of additional power. The only thing this Super 88 appears to need is a new home, so why not take a close look to see if you could oblige?
Oldsmobile’s Third Generation “88” range enjoyed an extremely short production life, gracing showroom floors in 1957 and 1958. Our feature Super 88 Hardtop is a first-year example that presents as superbly as you might expect following a meticulous restoration. The color combination of Festival Red and Victorian White is typical of the period, making a bold visual statement while remaining exceptionally classy. Finding fault with a car of this caliber is basically impossible. The paint holds a mirror shine, the panels are exceptionally straight, and the tight and consistent gaps suggest that whoever performed the work had an eye for fine details during its reassembly. The trim is in as-new condition, and the glass looks flawless. The perfect finishing touch is the whitewall tires, with the rears shrouded by fender skirts that emphasize the car’s low and sleek lines.
So far, so good. However, just when you think the news can’t get any better, we raise this Hardtop’s hood. Nestling between the fenders is a 371ci “Rocket” V8. The standard engine produces 277hp and 400 ft/lbs of torque. However, the Tri-Power setup that forms part of the J2 option pack fitted to this Olds boosts those figures to 300hp and 410 ft/lbs. The increases sound relatively modest but produce a marked improvement in both acceleration and top speed. The rest of the mechanical package includes a four-speed automatic transmission and power-assisted steering and brakes. The engine bay presents as impressively as you might expect, but this Super 88 continues a growing trend we have recently seen at Barn Finds. The seller supplies no concrete information regarding how this classic runs or drives, although, considering the TLC that has been lavished, I would expect nothing but positive news.
I sometimes wonder whether I will ever tire of the interiors found in many American classics from this era. Manufacturers seemed to compete to capture the buying public’s imagination with intricate trim and chrome designed to make every journey a special occasion. The story is no different with this Olds, with the two-tone exterior color combination found on the interior painted surfaces. The upholstered surfaces add Black to the mix, with the carpet the same color. There are seemingly acres of sparkling plated components, and the gauge cluster could happily find a home in almost any museum of modern art. Once again, there is nothing justifying criticism, and the winning bidder will undoubtedly welcome the ice-cold air conditioning, factory pushbutton radio, and the clock.
Some classics blend into the background like automotive chameleons, while others stand up boldly and proudly. This 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 Hardtop firmly falls into the second category, making it easy to understand why it has received twenty-eight bids since the seller listed it here on eBay in Medford, New York. That action has pushed the price to $18,900, which is below the reserve. However, with sixty-three people placing it on their Watch List and over two hundred views during the last day, it is fair to expect that the action will intensify in the auction’s dying minutes. Will you join the feeding frenzy, or join me as an interested observer?
I often mention “the single uncle” this or the” peacetime military service” that, but truth is, in the late 50s, there were a bunch of people still in the military, or ex-military guys that hadn’t married, lived at home and had good jobs, like my single uncle, and these were the cars they bought. If you lived in a big city, there was always one on every block. We tended to notice those things then. While I don’t ever recall the J2 option on anything, it’s here because it makes a statement. According to some sites, only about 2,000-2500 were ordered as such. Incredible, as I read it was a paltry $83 dollar option. Considering over 384,000 Oldsmobiles were sold in 1957, of those so equipped, they probably became beaters, and donated the motor to a Willys gasser in the 60s. Beautiful cars, takes rocket fuel, if available, or most certainly some kind of additive. 10:1 doesn’t like todays fuel. ’57 Chevy? Nah, ’57 Buick? nah, ’57 Poncho?, maybe, but a ’57 Olds, ding, ding, ding, we have a winner.
💯 Howard.
This is why people love the Oldsmobile division. Rocket motor delivering bigtime for 1957.
4 sp Autoloader w 3.41 gear ⚙️ What a sweet car.
Hi Stan, this car was no slouch. I read, it was no CJ Mustang, but did do 16.4 at about 85mph, 0-60 in 8.7 seconds, and could indeed bury the needle with a top speed of 121. These actually got okay mileage, if you kept the foot out of it, as I believe they only ran on the center carb and could deliver mid-teens. The place these cars shined was passing those pesky smoking semi trucks on limited 2 lane passing. From say 40mph to over 80, it did the job.
As a little kid my first favorite car rolled into our driveway in the form of a white over silver grey ’57 Olds 98 4 door hard top with a red highlight in the side chrome trim. Never forgot it and this car sure does bring back that time in my life. Beautiful car.
My favorite car was a 4 door 98 holiday that was my daily driver in the ’80s. It was white with a red stripe between the stainless side trims but just a single 4bbl. The interior was the same colors as this one. This is very near perfection and I predict it will go way north of 35k. Only two things I would change – I would paint the steering wheel rim to match the lower dash (the yellow looks a bit dingy) and I would run it without the skirts (just personal preference). Boy o howdy, I wish I could afford to chase this one!
What a nice visually stunning car and power to boot. 83 buck is about 950$ today so a tidy little sum back in the day.
And numbers wise not a huge bump thats why most guys didn’t option it alot.
But man a nice car! Bet its very smooth.
And push back in the seat when u mashed the gas. Enjoy 😊
Hi Harry, that’s true. Probably a toss up, power steering or J2. Mom probably won out with PS there. The reality is, for most ’57 Olds buyers, something like a J2 just wasn’t needed to drop off the kids at school and to sit at the factory parking lot all day. Many chose a ’57 Olds because they did a lot of road travelling, but the 4 barrel was probably their biggest seller.
👍🏻 Howard , tried to give u a thumbs up but web site wouldn’t let me. 😊
Howard – thanks for articulating the ‘single uncle’ for me. The kids next door had a single Uncle Loren who drove a red 1958 Corvette. The 8-year old kid who lived next door to them (me) couldn’t get enough of that car – white coves, bucket seats, and a 4-speed!
It only took me 50 years to buy one for myself, but I’ve driven them ever since.
Those single uncles of post-war America represented an ideal of freedom of choice, to do what you wanted, your parents’ puritanical values be damned. Cars like the J2 Olds and the Corvette were a badge of honor and a symbol of rugged individualism. Somehow 4-door 4wd pickup trucks just don’t elicit the same vibe.
Had one in ’64-’65. New wife lived with my parents and used as a daily driver for work after I was drafted in Jan ’66. When I got home I found she had been convinced if she sold the tri-power and put on a sgl 2bbl setup she would save on gas. I even had replaced the vacuum linkage with progressive mech which was better IMHO.. Oh well life went on and now my ’90 Silverado 468 W-31 eng (80 next year) satisfies my itch LOL
Beautiful car from a time when individual design was a brand conscious source of pride. Shame Oldsmobile and Pontiac, each contributors to automotive history were strong players.
Nitpicking, but it looks as though the steering wheel could use attention.
I agree on that steering wheel; why do a near-concours restoration, but just let the moderately worn steering-wheel stay as it was? Other than that, though, near-perfection! I hope they didn’t convert the clock to quartz! The folks across the street from me in 1964 inherited a 1957 Olds like this one when the grandfather suddenly died of a heart-attack at age 64. His daughter (who got the car) is still alive and healthy, and still has a full-time career at almost 94. She says she got rid of the car years ago — doesn’t know what happened to it. Those vertical dividers in the rear window certainly stood out in the late 1950s! I’d LOVE to have the funds to buy this one! But I would dread having to go to an airport for gasoline that wouldn’t have it knocking like crazy! And those additives you pour in when you fill up somehow never quite make up the difference to match the real-lead, high octane “rocket-fuel” we had in 1957!
I’ve explained before my father used to buy cars, mostly early 50s Chevys and Pontiacs, get them running and sell them. Lots of cars through the 50s & 60s. I was notorious for stripping the make plate from either the front of the hood or trunk lid. Didn’t help that my father’s cousin had an auto junkyard. I can not remember where I got it but I do remember having the rear emblem from the trunk lid of a ’57 Olds. That thing was huge, heavy & pointy. Down right dangerous.
Back then I didn’t from engines, horsepower, ratios or tri-power. I’ve always been more interested in design. Of course, as I got older I got more interested in power, but still didn’t know what I had. As long as it burned the rear wheels across the intersection and would pass everything on the road I was happy.
This Oldsmobile would make me happy. It’s beautifully styled and powerful. My ’65 Olds Dynamic 88 convertible would smoke the rears like crazy. Loved that car. Drove it across the country from the east coast to the west coast. I miss Oldsmobile, but the way GM cars are badge engineered now, there’s not much to miss. A 2024 Cadillac is no different from a 2024 Chevrolet. Both the same car, just different make plates on them.
That car is just absolutely beautiful!
Today’s cars don’t even come close looking this good.
You see a lot of the 50s Chevys cars and I love them. But how many Oldsmobile of this quality have you seen?
Can’t afford it but I sure want it.
Bob, I agree! I want it but can’t have it! I have to say, though, in the era before government regulators stepped on everything, car manufacturers sure were free to invent, pursue, design, make things new each year, and make ’em utterly beautiful (or, downright ugly, as the case might be). Then you have those “orphan” designs which just didn’t quite work, somehow. Case in point: the 1952 Studebaker. “First by far with a postwar car” in 1947, was hoary with age five years later. Unable to afford a total redesign for 1950, after three nearly identical years, Studebaker created a “monster” out of it for the ’50 enterprise — you either loved that “aeroplane” nose… or you didn’t (I loved it!); but one thing was certain — there was nothing else like it on the road — and it ALMOST disguised its 1947 roots. For 1951, they improved the mechanics but toned-down the wild design (big mistake, making the 1950 look better than the ’51). But… WHAT to do for ’52? They knew what was coming for ’53, so the ’52 was a “place-holder” of a sort. It attempted to “predict” the 1953 re-design, but instead it looked like a throwback to the 1947-1949 years– and a homely one at that! When was the last time that you saw one, though?
This is actually a tri-tone paint scheme. The blue-gray up at the door top extends down between the chrome strips to the rear of the car. Unlike most tri-tone cars, this one looks great. Apparently customers disliked the three piece rear window, but I’ve always liked that look.
A guy who lives a block away in our neighborhood until recently had one of these in his garage. Fabulous styling. The pillar rear window is fantastic design. The fender skirts back then would suggest a young driver with a hot engine.
Steering wheel needs to be pristine. When I bought a 1950 Hudson sedan and the huge steering wheel had a crack, I was lucky to find a NOS steering wheel for it at a car show for $300 back in 1991.
To Martini ST: SHARP EYES, My Friend! — and a neat place to put a third colour. Some tri-colours came out fairly well — the 1955 senior Packard, for example. But, owing to its “afterthought” side-trim, the Clipper looked terrible. I liked the pillored rear window, with the “spines” extending forward across the top, myself. This was back when each make within one of “The Big Three” still had its own design-team and individual personality — especially at G.M.. They worked within a price-range and body-shell — but, other than that, each division did its own thing. Wish it still could be that way!
My uncle Joe was a priest. He bought one new, white on white white interior. We used to travel on vacation from Ohio to Wisconsin. Run 70 all day 777 miles from our house to cabin. Then he would drive Bach home to his parish in Illinois. Great road car, like floating on a cloud. 14- 16 hour trips like nothing. Wish I had it now.
Paul, I agree: fine travelling automobile! Too bad we can’t get the right gasoline for it anymore. Wish I could own it!
@ Harrison Reed
Here in Vegas we do have gas stations that do have 100 octane at the pumps and racing fuel at the pumps.
Bring that beautiful Oldsmobile here and cruise the strip
To Angel Cadillac Diva: Neat! But I live in the Northeast, in the Adirondacks near Vermont, where snow and rust abound, and we don’t have a “strip” (smile). So, I’ll have to “dream”.