The Jetstar was one of several Oldsmobiles to fall under the 88 (or Eight Eight) umbrella of cars built in the 1960s. For 1966, it was the introductory model that suggested a hint of performance as had been the case in 1964-65. Except for a repaint several years ago, this ’66 Jetstar is a survivor-quality car that’s had only two owners and traveled just 55,000 miles. Located in Linden, Michigan, this beauty is available here on eBay where the bidding has reached $6,300 but the reserve still awaits. Thanks for another great GM tip, Larry D!
Oldsmobile took full advance of the space-age race in the 1950s and beyond to incorporate that into the naming logic of some of their cars. Like the Dynamic 88, Super 88, Rocket V8, Golden Rocket, Starfire, and even the Jetstar. The Jetstar-1 was a performance-oriented full-size car for two years before morphing into a family automobile in 1966. As a 2-door hardtop, 13,911 copies rolled off the assembled line that year, followed by models with multiple doors.
This Olds has been shared by only two parties so far in its 56 years on Planet Earth. As a Holiday Coupe, it comes with the basic 330 cubic inch Rocket V8 along with an automatic transmission, and both are said to work well. Shy a repaint some two decades ago, the body and finish look quite nice on this car and the red vinyl interior seems as good as the day it was installed. Though it’s a car based in the snowy Midwest, the seller says this Oldsmobile has never been driven in the winter, opting to relax in a garage instead.
A new set of Michelin tires can be found on all four corners, indicating this machine is ready for a road trip. It looks quite capable and comes with documentation that includes the original owner’s manual and warranty paperwork. To get the full impact of this car’s survivor-like qualities, the seller has provided a walkaround and driving video. Who’s ready to pile a bunch of friends into the expansive trunk of “not your father’s Oldsmobile” and sneak them into the drive-in movies?!
That dash is COOL.
Those 4 spoke steering wheels that eere on some of the 66 Oldsmobiles were really cool too. I always loved the huge gas pedals on the 66 to 70 full size ones too. We had a 70 98 4 door hardtop and temember those huge pedals.
The 98 was the road car,the 88 was the runabout,the Urinate was what you pissed around town in.
This is a great example of a good looking classic that is affordable and can be enjoyed simply for what it is. Yes, there are other more stylistic cars, and they are more expensive, but so out of budget. Knowing that your investment in something like this is much less, it allows you to have more fun with less worry about getting t-boned because some idiot was more interested in what was on their phone than the red light they ran.
“The Jetstar-1 was a performance-oriented full-size car for two years before morphing into a family automobile in 1966.”
Not really. The Jetstar 1 didn’t “morph into” anything because the Jetstar 88 series already existed as the entry-level full-size Olds during the Jetstar 1’s 2-year run. Jetstar 1 was ’64-’65 only and the Jetstar 88 series was ’64-’66. The Jetstar 1 was basically a coupe-only lower-priced Starfire with the same engine (394, 425) while the Jetstar 88s had the 330.
This Olds illustrates just why I find 60s GM cars so cool when even the lowliest fullsize offering looked great! Agree with 8banger above – ’65/’66 Oldses have an extremely cool looking dash; that separate speedometer cluster reminds me of those old style radar screens – maybe that was the Oldsmobile designers’ inspiration…?
https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-old-radar-potable-used-as-used-board-military-planes-isolated-white-background-image40784678
IMO this Olds has just the right amount of options one needs in a classic car – however I thought GM installed dual bowl master cylinders in ’66…?
67s dual bowl master cylinders came out. Good guess!
My late, single all his life, never left home uncle, who was a Pontiac man, could have just as easily had this. The other makes seemed to cater to the average person, with exceptions, of course, GM seemed to cater to more upscale folks. Oh sure, Chevy was for the masses, but Buick, Pontiac, and Olds, were just a cut above. I’d bet manufacturing plants across this tattered country,,all gone now, (my uncle worked his whole life at Briggs and Stratton in Milwaukee) that catered to single men and made good money, the parking lot was filled with these cars.
Again, it bedazzles the heck out of me, some rusty Bronco is worth more. I think we, as a country, have become so removed from what a nice car really is, nobody today even looks at these cars, like the Hawk too. Yeah, their freakin’ loss, I say. We made the best cars ever, and this was one of them.
What a sweetheart. I remember reading about the Jetstar setup a few years ago. They also had another Jetfire setup I believe. Will have to Google again to remember what I’ve forgotten about them.
The Jetfire was the 62/3 Cutlass w/the fluid-injected turbocharger.
Yeah, thanks that was it. I think the Jetfire also used a special additive for its design and had an indicator light when it was low.
That was ‘Turbo Rocket Fluid’! In reality methanol mixed with water…
http://oldsjetfire.com/jetfire-turbo-rocket-fluid/
Pretty sure this was the ’66 Olds model my Dad had – I remember the taillights very well. His was light metallic green.
Before this he had a ’64 Olds Dynamic 88, and after the ’66 he moved on to a ’68 Olds 98, and then I believe a ’70 Toronado.
We felt like lucky kids riding around in the Oldsmobiles :)
Oldsmobile was just a cut above the rest and that’s not just opinion. I owned 2 from those days 70’ Delta 88 (455), 71’ Cutlass S (350). Remember that Olds rumble the 350 sounded just as good as the 455. My neighbor had 66’ Ninety Eight (425) Reliable very smooth automobiles.
Yes I remember it was something like that. Rocket Jetfire fluid. Olds only offered that option for a couple or a few years, with Jetfire system. Not hard to see that it was problematic.