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Great White Sled: 1970 Olds 98 Convertible

left front TD

Did you ever dream of cruising in a great big convertible land yacht, top down, looking for a gas station? This 1970 Olds 98 convertible with a 455 CID V8 could be just the thing. It’s all original and even has the 8 track player so you can relive the ’70s. The owner claims it’s 95% rust free, but if that’s by weight, that would be a lot of rust, like 200 pounds? One can only hope for the best. It will need a new top as it has a “small hole”. The owner has done some serious work on this to revive it including new timing chain, water pump, radiator and reconditioned heads. He doesn’t provide any information on it’s barn time. The interior looks OK and just needs the driver’s seat repaired. It’s said to run and drive well, so what do you think of the $7995 asking price if there’s not much rust? It’s in New Jersey and listed here on craigslist.

Comments

  1. Avatar Neil

    Last year I spent months and months wading through Hemmings ads, Hagerty prices, Craigslist postings for just this kind of car – a mid 60s/early 70s convertible and the pricing was pretty consistent across every state: $4k for a basket case, $8k for a reasonable one needing some work and $12k for a really nice one you could take to your local show the following weekend. Add $1k to $2k if you want a Cadillac, rather than an Olds, a Dodge or a Pontiac..

    So, on the face of it, this price seems reasonable. The interior is easily repaired, as is the roof. The rust on the trunk lip is probably present on the hood as well and, after having my head under about 30 cars in the space of two weeks, I wouldn’t be surprised if the spat holders are pretty shabby as well. All easily sorted though. The 455 on this one is probably one of the last improved ones too.

    Thing is, after you’ve done the bits you can do yourself, and then paid the upholsterer, and the paint guy, and the chrome shop you’re well over the $12k that would have got you one needing no work at all!

    I’ll give it a ‘fair price’ rating, with the caveat that you would be better spending a little more for a nicer starting point.

    At $7k, though, if you could get it down to that or lower, it would be a much easier decision. Stabilise the rust, throw a rug over the seats, sew a patch into the roof, grab a Drifters 8-track and just enjoy as-is. You won’t make any money on this era of car, but you won’t lose any either – this is pretty much depreciation-free motoring.

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  2. Avatar phoneman91

    The fact that there is rust coming through on the trunk, makes it likely that there is much rust unseen and will not be seen until years later. Wrong part of the country for a viable relatively rust free 45 year old vehicle.

    Try the Southwest for a rust free 45 year old vehicle. Would have had to be garaged though to prevent sun damage .

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  3. Avatar MH

    I would say 5K is a good price. I would buy it.

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  4. Avatar DJ

    I’m doing some engine work for a customer on a 1973 Centurion Convert. It’s from that area and it looks great on the outside after the repaint. But there’s rust hiding and waiting to come out. Bolts under the hood are rusted and everyone I touched broke. Car only has 70k miles on it but the northern winter is just not good on older cars.

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  5. Avatar Ed P

    I can picture this car fixed up and parading down Main St with the top down and a local beauty queen on the back waving. How about you?

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  6. Avatar don

    agree $7900 might be a little high, but a lot has already been done to the car mechcanicaly, if it were closer to me and not on CL i’d buy it to put next to my 75 all white Grandville convert.!

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  7. Avatar Jason

    Love it from the side. Hate the ugly Olds face on this otherwise stately cruiser.

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  8. Avatar randal defoe

    had three in the past 1970 72 75 loved the all all had 455 rockets

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  9. Avatar TWGeorge

    I have one of these in my garage. A bronze-y brown with white interior. It hasn’t got any of the rust issues on the body that this one shows, but it’s over 100k on the odometer. We inherited it from my mother-in-law when she passed. She bought it new.

    It floats down the road and is a joy to drive.

    Like 0

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