Oldsmobile’s flagship model – the Ninety-Eight – reached its apogee in the late 1960s. Peak power, peak options, at least five freshly-designed body styles – and no downsizing yet. These attributes boosted sales considerably after a lull in earlier generations. Here on eBay is the popular convertible version, presented as a near-survivor in green on green, adorned with whitewalls and a tan top. The seller is looking for $25,000 or best offer. The winning bidder can retrieve the car from Navasota, Texas. Thanks to Curvette for finding Kermit here, and sending the tip to us!
The Ninety-Eight was always the top of the line Olds, but it also occupied a hallowed rung on “Sloan’s ladder” – the progression from humble to swanky that Alfred Sloan used to establish GM’s branding philosophy. His five distinct divisions, each occupying a separate price range, offered buyers an entry point (Chevy), several sequentially aspirational steps (Pontiac to Olds to Buick), and finally a top tier (Cadillac) – all by way of keeping buyers in the GM family. The Series 90 – on a full-sized wheelbase – was introduced during 1940, with either inline six- or eight-cylinder engines. By 1942, the six-cylinder option was gone, and by 1949, the straight eight had been replaced by Olds’ new Rocket V8. This example – from the Ninety-Eight’s eighth generation – features the 455 cu. in. V8, mated to a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic. The odometer reads 60,744 miles, and the seller reports that the car runs just as it should. I’d probably spend a weekend on the engine bay – its cosmetic condition could be improved dramatically.
Other than a vast array of power accessories, both standard and optional, Oldsmobile – like many makers of the era – was in a race to provide the kind of seating that you have in your living room. “Pillow top” upholstery was popular – this is a modified version with extra padding outlined by piping. Other than mild creasing that could probably be improved with proper care, these seats, both fore and aft, pass muster with flying colors. The trunk, too, is in decent condition. A tear is noted in the convertible top, and the paint on the top of one fender has lifted very slightly.
The Ninety-Eight sat on a 127″ wheelbase in 1969; only the Cadillac division exceeded this measurement. In a misstep, the ’69 Ninety-Eight was designed with a hood extension, guaranteed to concuss the heads of countless mechanics. Complaints led to elimination of the feature thereafter. The seller notes that the right rear fender skirt was repainted – hard to tell! If a Ninety-Eight convertible is on your bucket list, you could do a lot worse than this example at this price. What do you think about this luxury cruiser?
I don’t mind leading the charge on saying, lose the wide whites. They look silly on such a nice car, and I figure, the only reason they are there is because the seller is an older person, or trying to sell to another older person. Younger folks, ( and some of us older folks) never liked wide whites, and it changes the entire personality of the car. The car itself was just the best car. Years of automotive improvements all came together here, sadly, just not for long. For those that just didn’t make the Caddy leap, this, or a Buick, was the best car you could buy. 4 watchers, no bids, lose the wide whites, ding, ding, ding,,,
Simple solution. Turn the whitewalls to the inside.
Then it ends up looking like an Army staff car with blackwalls.
I agree with Howard; those 40’s “spats” look awful on a 1969 anything! A set of tasteful period-correct whitewalls would be best. This is a gorgeous 98, and it deserves those for more eye appeal. GLWTA!
I agree, just some period correct thin whitewalls, or the thin double stripes. Since the top needs replaced, do so with a black one and you have a very nice cruiser here.
black is a lack, and not complemetary to the green.. beside hot in sun.
Anyone whos ever owned a vert (me) knows you dont drive it with top down mid day anyway.
The white walls need to be the correct width…then ok. Black convertible top? $15,000 ish seems more in line
HA all that to say something silly, the white walls look good, and ya, one could choose a narrower white wall, but no white wall at all is a downgrade. Clean white walls or letter do alot for a car.
Also WHAT EVER on the tires !!
This car is amazing and a steal at that price.
Thank You Jack
20 !? peanuts agreed with HAs rediculous comment ??
ok
room read
UhOh – Here come the whitewall police . . .
A very nice one, and true a nice sunny week end with a minimal cash outlay and shampoo’s and brushes and so can rejuvinate beautifully the engine bay. As per the whitewalls i’ll admit i’m 60 and grew up in the era of whitewalls but personally i’d replace them with something more discret as in one or two inches of white. Again my personal taste. Now i only have to make sure not to knock myself out with that extension. ;)
I agree, and being a 1950’s era baby, I too grew up in the “Whitewall Era”. I also agree that the whitewalls should be period correct. An easy (but not necessarily inexpensive) fix. The big issue staring me in the face is that I live about 300 miles away in the neighboring state of Louisiana. My wife is out of town and I’m trying very hard not to get my buddy down the street to ride out there with me and drive this beauty home! (My wife tells me that I have too many cars now ☹️ and if I brought this pretty thing home, I’d have to live in the neighbor’s dog house – our dog lives in the house with us.) Somebody is gunna become a happy owner, just unfortunately that owner won’t be me😢. Beautiful car!
🎶 “…You are my wife! Goodbye city life! Green Acres, we are there!!” 🎶📺
Green Acres had Fomoco product placement so he drove a Lincoln Continental convertible before switching to Mercury when those were dropped. For whatever reason, Ford and Mopar had much more aggressive product placement than any GM division except maybe Chevy who moved away from it in the ’70s.
How about Foooouuurrr Fifty Five ROCKET! , the biggest block alive, couldn’t hardly wait just to take my turn…. Props to Kathy Matea
Wow…it would take 2 full days to handwash but I would do it to appreciate this and take full Measure of this Picasso of automotive beauty and proper girth.
Everything about this Olds appeals to me. I would never put the keys on the keyrack. I get high single digit mpg in my Torino so no surprise here – mpg is not relevant given huge drop in insurance cost over a late model anything.
Really nice Olds.
This is a beautiful car in what was once a typical offering from Oldsmobile. I must say as nice as it is, the Oldsmobiles from 67 through 70 just never had as much styling appeal for me as the earlier models. IMHO the 66 Olds 88 and 98 were some of the prettiest cars they made. Also 1969 was the first year for the deletion of vent windows. I’ve always felt like that was giving the middle finger to all the people who kept their business flourishing. Still, this car stomps all over anything being made in the last 30 years.
P.S. Loved the “green acres” comparison
Regarding the “spats”. These are not old geezer skirts added on. These are factory spec, designed to blend into the fender. I say keep them.
Think he talking about the white walls not the skirts.
Appears to be a nice original southern car. Nothing like the sound of an Olds engine. This is about 9-10 k too much. Sorry these don’t bring A-body prices
A lone voice of dissent. I love the wide whites. They are needed to break up the back 40 worth of flat green steel.
$25k is a whole lot of green for this.
cheap
Just like Scotty G. We had a ’70 Olds Ninety Eight growing up. 4 door hartop in Reef Turquoise. So needless to say this brings back memories. I know in the ’70 brochure they all had twin stripe whitewalls which I always thought looked very classy. Unfortunately our Ninety Eight rusted away after 2 decades of faithful family service. But boy I’ll tell you what, as a 17 year old kid who just got his license, being able to easily chirp the tires when it hit second gear, listening to that 455 was heaven on earth for me!!! Thanks for the great memories and great write up Michelle. As was pointed out, very correctly, that sharp beak on the hood went away for 1970, I know if we had a ’69 instead I would’ve clocked my head on that thing like 68 times.
Can’t believe I’m the first to make this comment, but with supposedly 60K miles, why would the engine be painted orange, instead of the original blue, with a black air cleaner?
I’m also on board with those suggesting a black top, and thin white stripe tires.
I went thru the whole picture galley; the engine color is difficult to even see. But the red-orange color of the air cleaner is factory original, these were not black.
My stepfather bought one of these new. Dark blue, white top, black interior. A wonderful car and very fast with the 455! Many trips from NY to FL and back. It was the vehicle I learned to correctly detail a vehicle which has paid of over the following decades. 25k seems a little high but I haven’t seen one in years.
lose those stupid looking tires. these never came with a white that wide. they are the pimp daddy option. fix that and you have a cool seldom seen convert. a/c and a 455. can’t go wrong
This was a pretty era for the larger GM cars. But I would not want to run any 455 these days! Even the 94 octane Sunoco is woefully insufficient, and she’ll ping like crazy if you lean into that accelerator. You can de-tune the timing to get rid of that — but then, there goes the smooth running, almost “not-even-running” idle, along with a chunk of the power. Your other options are to load ‘er up with octane booster, or else buy your LEADED 108 octane fuel at the airport (IF they’ll even LETcha). NO thanks on any of these over-powered beautiful barges from this era: I buy cars to daily DRIVE; thank you. But this is ONE PRETTY OLDS!!!
Lose the pimp daddy porta walls and replace top with white top Now she’s real fine my 69!