With two-tone factory paint and jet fighter visual features throughout the design, there weren’t many sleeker cars around in 1962 than this Oldsmobile Starfire convertible. This particular one has been stored since it was disassembled in 1992 for a restoration that got cut short by divorce proceedings–another reminder that I’m so blessed to have a wife that not only tolerates but embraces my love of old cars! The car is listed for sale here on eBay, has been bid up to almost $1,700 without meeting the reserve and has a buy it now set at $5,500. It’s located in Union City, Tennessee.
image courtesy of lov2xlr8.no
Oldsmobile characterized buyers of the 1962 Starfire convertible as being the master of all they surveyed and that you were “out of the ordinary” if you owned one. With a 345 horsepower Starfire engine, leather seats and a fully-equipped dash, it appears that GM was looking to attract sportier enthusiasts that wanted luxury as well — similar to Ford’s Thunderbird, although I would not have considered the two competitors before researching this post.
As the story goes, this car was disassembled in 1992 and then a divorce stopped the restoration cold. We’re told the car is complete to the best of the seller’s knowledge but be prepared for some components to have gone missing during that long work stoppage. I’m not sure if we’re supposed to believe this is where the car was stored, but even if it’s a posed photo, it is a nice one.
Unfortunately, parts of the car itself aren’t so nice. It appears that someone ground off some paint to try to evaluate the state of the right rear panel in front of the rear wheel. I think I see a seam from a previous repair but it’s hard to tell without an in-person inspection. The seller seems very forthright and states that the car needs floor and trunk pans, and will require repair in the pictured location as well as it’s mirror image on the driver’s side. The front fenders have been removed and both have rust in their lower areas. On the bright side, the seller reports that both doors are solid.
As I have said in the past, replacing floors is a good place to learn how to weld. The resulting welds are either beneath the carpet or beneath the car, and no one has to see them unless you are planning on getting judged at a concours event. And if that’s the case, buy a better car to begin with and plan on spending a lot of money!
The convertible left the factory well-optioned, with air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, power top, power windows, and power bucket seats!
As noted in the auction, the car comes with many “extra” parts as well. With all the trim removed like this the car resembles a giant 3-D jigsaw puzzle! Feel like putting it together? Let us know what you think of this “out of the ordinary” car in the comments below!
Junk, sadly junk. Once such a magnificent car, reduced to this. Restoring one of these today, especially Fred Flintstone cars, is out of the question, so it’s a lot of great parts for someone.
I agree the cost to restore this car would exceed its value 3 fold. It’s a $1500 parts car and I’m being generous.
These are beautiful cars when in top condition. Restoring them is high dollar. Chrome parts are one year only as are body panels. I expect someone will pick this up and start selling parts.
I had a 62 many years ago in two door hardtop style. It was white with red interior and loaded with options. The 394 was a good engine and moved these heavy cars quite well. Best of luck to all.
God bless America
This car alone looks like it could have led to a dee verse.
But honey it’s not JUST a car….
The body parts are listed on ebay for that year. If all the parts are in that pile as it seems Its doable. The cost of a paint job might make it prohibitive though.
30 years ago I would have liked to take it on.
30 years back $5.500 would buy you a very, very nice driver ’62 Starfire convertible. This sad example wouldn’t even be worth the ad fee in your local newspaper.
However, worse cars have been restored before, so a positive attitude like yours helps a lot! 👍 A project like this requires way more properties than positivity only though…
My friend’s Aunt had one of these new when I was a kid. White with red int. It was beautiful and a car I ached to drive even though I was only 12 or so.
If this is your dream car, keep looking. There must be a better one out there. I laughed out loud at “…both doors are solid.”
I was in college. I had a parking spot. I met a young lady who had a one year old 1963 blue Starfire Convertible. She had no parking. She told me to keep it and drive it until she might need to drive home for the Holidays.
I did and I kept it washed and gassed up.
I have two of them in much better shape than this for sale here on Barn finds for less.
600 labor hours you’ll never get back
My first an only question: Who in the heck would strip a ’62 Olds Starfire?? You have GOT to be KIDDING me!! And I’m being nice. One of the jewels of the automotive industry. My blood pressure is going up. I gotta get out of here.
I have a friend that restored a 62 starfire, took hom 5 years and 100k to do it. The wide aluminum trim on the sides had to custom made and that alone was 10k.
Yes he’s eccentric. The joke amongst friends was he must have got his first piece of a** in one and wanted to relive it. I’d say it was probably the best restored starfire in the world. He had a glass enclosure in his living room with own A/C and spotlights that shone down on it, he liked to sit on the couch and admire it from across the room. Sold it for 45k.
That trim is the catch. Good luck finding it. I was retrieving a couple Corvettes about 45 years ago, broke a shackle on a trailer and had to stop and get an emergency weld job on a Sunday over in Illinois coming back to Nebraska. To get her “out of his hair” the welder had the wife go show me their 62(twin to this) he had restored. To save a lot of time and work he found a two dr. hardtop, sliced the body horizontally behind the chrome side inset and covered the welds with the side piece. You in a 1,000 years would never know it. great job. He could weld but not metal work, Smart dude.
Well, I did a google search for Starfire trim the day this one was posted – believe it or not there’s a company offering repops of the aluminum panels for ’61-’63 Starfires and also ’62-’63 Jetfires.
I have absolutely no idea neither of quality nor cost but it’d be wise to check out for anyone considering an early 60s Starfire :
jaswest.com
Starfires were a great looking car. Sadly, this one is tooooooooo far gone.