The quality of life some cars live is not all the great compared to the human realm. Some cars get locked away not receiving attention for many years. This is a bit of a double edged sword. We can all appreciate a car that has lived indoors out of the elements, but at the same time, it is nice to see a car get the attention it needs, and to get its “legs stretched” every now again. Repainted almost 30 years ago, this Olds has remained virtually untouched until now. This convertible project is currently bid up to $3,550. Find it here on ebay out of Bangor, Pennsylvania.
With a believed 65,000 miles on the clock, this 371 Rocket V8 was running just last year according to the seller. Much of the engine and bay reflect a “65,000 mile look” but some various items in the engine bay are heavily rusted. The future owner would certainly be looking at inspecting all of the systems of this Olds before getting it prepared for road duty.
A bit dusty, and rusty, the interior of this Olds appears to have not been covered very well during its hibernation. The dust on the dash is of no concern, but the mild rust developing in the front floor area is a bit concerning. This area of floor looks solid, but the sheet metal looks to have been thinned a bit. There is no carpet, and the bench seat that is present is not original to the car. There is no convertible top, but the frame is present and looks to be complete, and functional.
Although painted 30 years ago, the seller claims the paint work is suitable enough for a driver, but has aged, having some cosmetic issues. Looking over the photos, this Oldsmobile looks very solid with no evidence of any rust. Although having been repainted means there could be some hidden issues buried beneath the paint. The seller has explained that some rust repair has been performed on this 88, and the only visible exterior rust is on the front edge of the hood. Clearly needing some time and attention, this 88 convertible is still a stylish and neat convertible. Would you drag this Olds home and give it the attention it deserves?
Well, that’s a much more solid project than you usually get for $3500. And a ragtop no less.
Good looking car! Solid enough, it seems. Love that Olds steering wheel!
I’m a sucker for an Olds!
This is the collection barn finds had on a couple of weeks ago. The gentleman had an ad on central jersey Craigslist.
I would like to get a look at the other cars which surround it. Looks like a 60’s GTO behind. To bad all of the interesting stuff seems to be mostly located far east from the Pacific Northwest.
The Olds convertible is a nice looking car and if it were closer I would take a good look.
It’s a 64 bonneville convertible, nice car
No evidence of rust…except the “apparently thinned” floorboards. Might just be poor photos but that paint looks like it was applied with a trowel, and the chrome trim, especially around the taillights looks like crinkled up aluminum foil. I love the lines but I have a feeling there’s some not so nice surprises hidden here.
What a time in automotive history. Gas was cheap and artists deigned cars instead of computers and wind tunnels. Gahh…I miss those days.
Not to mention that the folks who grew up in that time have an eye for design and the surrounding visual world that is, in my not so humble opinion, more refined and interesting than those who grew up in the CAD assisted design universe. I mean a bean shaped Hyundai versus ANY car from the mid fifties to the early sixties! Not to mention every design that came before from the twenties on.
My experience is that with buying one like this, if there is old rust that was covered up 30 years ago, it has most certainly reemerged by now. So it is unlikely that there is much hidden that needs to be discovered. It will all be readily visible, and therefore much easier to quantify the time and cost to restore.
I have the twin to this car. Unrestored as well and paid $3,000 for it in 1996. These Olds are fantastic cars and the engine runs with little vibration. They are a joy to hear run. All the younger people who visit my garage love this car because it looks like a cruiser.
While I have little, if any, interest in the Olds, I look in the background, and see a sad situation unfolding. I should be so lucky to have classic cars “gridlocked” in a warehouse somewhere, but the bigger picture here is, such a shame. Someone, obviously with money, stashed these cool cars away ( and by looking in the background, there are some nice ones, including this Olds) that will not be enjoyed. That’s the problem with collections like these. They’re great to collect, but then something like this, where none get restored. I hope these cars, individually go to someone that will enjoy them, not sit in a warehouse with 20 other non-restored cars collecting dust.
I agree!!
I’d love it – shipping it would be a killer though :(
Shipping is not necessarily a killer – I have quotes from $1200 to $1500 to ship my Allante from NH to southern CA – about as far as you can go and stay in the USA. Plus plane fare to go look at it, with cash or bank check in hand in case you buy it. That is on an open car carrier, but this will never be a concours vehicle anyway. The quote is for a car that can be driven onto the carrier under its own power and brakes, not much more if it has to be winched on and off.
Besides this Olds , what else is in there? Awhole collection of goodies..
I haven’t seen very many of theses on the market over the years, those I have seen were high end restorations and sold in the $70 to $90k range. This looks like an excellent project. It’s classy, it’s big, it’s rare, and it’s an Oldsmobile!
Being a child of the eighties I thought of Oldsmobiles as stodgy old man cars. But thanks to this site I have a growing appreciation of the marque. I can see myself in an old Toronado at some point and while I don’t need another convertible this one looks like a nice cruiser.
I love this car.My Dad had one two tone, turquiouse and white. I remember him putting me on his lap and letting me steer it into a one car garage. Tight fit ! Still remember looking at my mother in the driveway with her hands over her eyes and screaming “What are you doing?” to my father. Great memory! I loved the slide speedo.I would restore it in his honor.