The Ninety-Eight was touted in 1965 marketing literature as “Oldsmobile’s proudest series”, and that’s saying something given the cars available from GM’s middle-management brand. The Ninety-Eight line offered a variety of models with two and four doors, including this 1965 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Town Sedan. This one is listed here on eBay in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, and the seller has a $7,500 buy-it-now price listed, or you can make an offer. Thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip!
This incredible survivor has been with the same owner since it was bought new at the coolest name for a car dealership of all time: Hippodrome Oldsmobile in Nashville, Tennessee. It has not been in a single accident in 60 years and has been parked in this garage when it wasn’t being driven the 124,240 miles that have accumulated since then. Sadly, it was parked one last time in 2004, and it hasn’t been started since then, so there will be work to do to get it on the road again.
1965 was the first model year for the eighth-generation Olds Ninety-Eight (spelled out in this era, with a hyphen), and they were made until the end of the 1970 model year. They transitioned from the early designs that looked a lot like the previous cars, to what by the end of the 60s and in 1970, had changed into a slab-sided design. My dad had a 1970 Olds Ninety-Eight sedan with a somewhat similar spec to this Town Sedan, in having a thin B-pillar and no power features inside.
This car does have a power front bench seat, and our Ninety-Eight didn’t have any power features, other than what was standard power steering and power brakes, as they all did. The seat fabric has seen better days, and SMS Fabrics shows it on their website, at least in sample form. The back seat looks perfect and the seller mentions not being able to get into the trunk. The lock turns, but it doesn’t open. They have provided a fantastic video here on YouTube showing this car inside and out, other than the trunk, of course.
The engine is Oldsmobile’s 425-cu.in. OHV V8, which had between 360 and 370 horsepower and around 470 lb-ft of torque when new. This one will need the usual tinkering to get it running as it’s been parked for just over two decades now. It’s backed by a THM-400 sending power to the rear wheels, and I’m sure most Barn Finds readers would have it running like new again in no time. They show a couple of photos with a tiny bit of rust bubbling, but it looks easily fixable. Have any of you owned an early eighth-generation Olds Ninety-Eight?
Dr Olds brings the torque. This giant 98 needs it too. 😎
This is a nice Ninety Eight Scotty. Our 70 Olds Ninety Eight 4 door hartop ( Holiday) was this color. Called Reef Turquoise ( not sure what it was called in ’65). It certainly looks solid, and that big old Oldsmobile Big Block will probably fire up back to life without too much effort.Great write up Scotty, I enjoyed it.
Oh man, this thing knocks my socks off. Almost as much as this 66 Ninety Eight I saw at an auction in Lakeland a couple of years ago.
https://www.orlandoclassiccars.net/vehicles/835/1966-oldsmobile-98
Scroll down through the photos, the interior will blow your mind.
That is one Classy Olds Rex. I enjoyed the link.
Great colors in and out on that one Rex.
Pretty close, SG, only the old mans was dark blue, and no A/C, heaven forbid. This was the car my brother got his 1st speeding ticket with, the old man was not happy. I thought it had the 394, but the 425 was no top fuel dragster anyway. In fact, it was a slug, to be kind. The “Ultra High Compression”( 10.5 with a 4 barrel) demanded premium, dude, yet, my old man ran it on the cheapest regular he could find. It pinged like a Geiger Counter in Nevada, but no apparent harm. Since it sat for 20 years, pretty clear, pops drove it until he couldn’t, I doubt it was the cars fault. While I lambaste the old man, he wasn’t stupid, and knew what to drive. Here’s your chance to drive probably one of the nicest cars Oldsmobile ever offered. Might take a bit getting used to, they are BIG cars, but I doubt any buyer of a ’65 Olds ever regretted it. Just a flood of these cars as the kin struggle to liquidate family heirlooms, and this checks all the boxes. A wonderful find, for sho’.
I HAD to look up “Hippodrome”. Apparently, there was a Hippodrome Motor Company, in the Hippodrome Building in Nashville, and featured Fords. It became an Olds dealer in the 50s, and eventually became,,,a freakin’ NISSAN DEALER!! See wha’ happent?
I like the two tone roof treatment. This is a base Ninety-Eight and like Electras didn’t come with power windows until you bought the LS or Custom (Buick).
That LS in the link is a fine looking car, Rex.
the cozy confines of olds 98 parked out front. cool ride
I had to chuckle when I saw the front of the garage wall and wondering how many times this Olds 98 “kissed” the drywall. LOL
Old grand dad was no dummy as he hung a tennis ball from the garage ceiling so he could guide his boat in exactly where he wanted with final resting place being tennis ball just below review mirror ! He should have been a tug boat captain.
I love the ’65 Oldsmobile, especially since I had a 1965 Dynamic 88 convertible. 1965 was an excellent year for General Morors styling all around. All 5 brands were sexy, huge, powerful and comfortable.
My dad traded in our white 1963 Olds Dynamic 88 wagon on brand new ‘65 98 LS finished in the same metallic green as this one but with a black landau top and full power suite right off the lot. Being an early-mid teen living in Southern California and driving off the lot that day with my dad proudly at the wheel, air conditioner chillin’ and AM radio loud and proud, I think we both felt about 10’ tall going down the road! That car was big, comfy, quiet and powerful. It effortlessly hauled our family of 6 all the way from Southern California to British Columbia, Canada and then across most of Canada on the trans-Canadian Highway before dropping back down into the States at International Falls, MN to visit our grandparents in Wisconsin in quiet, air conditioned comfort, arriving relaxed, rested and proud. And then back to California without a hitch. Quite a car. Can’t go wrong with one like this!
Hey Howard, I got a chuckle from your Geiger Counter reference! My Grandpa and Dad were Oldsmobile dealer in 65 and I remember these old boats, really floated down the road.
Thanks for sharing the pictures of the 98. Now I have patterns to make prints of this car should the need arise. And I gotta say, the interior of this car is quite handsome and very inviting. I could see myself and a nice young lady taking a trip to Illinois to see my sisters. In fact, most everything about this car screams ROAD TRIP and with vacation season
already here, I can’t think of a more comfortable vehicle than
this one to stretch out and relax as you float down the interstate on the way to your destination. And if you get too
comfortable driving this car, pull over and get a good night’s sleep. And yes, I did see one of these that was built as a limo. I saw it at an auction at Farm Bureau Field in Bloomington back in ’68. In fact, it looked almost like a Fleetwood 75 and I had to do a double take just to see if it was really real. It was charcoal grey metallic outside with a light grey interior. It had all the amenities of a 75, but in Oldsmobile form. It and a matching hearse were being sold
by Metzler Memorial Home as Mr. Metzler took delivery of two spanking new ’69 Cadillacs from Fanning Cadillac as soon as the ’69s went on sale. As I recall, he got $3K for both cars from a small mortuary down South in Tennessee.
A lot of funeral homes in the south couldn’t afford to buy new
coaches and limos, so they bought them used. There was a
small mortuary in Alabama that was still driving a 50 Cadillac
hearse as late as the 2010s. Hi Angel! I might have my email up and running sometime today. Then we can talk like we used to. Did I say that I want this car?
Auction update: this one didn’t sell at $7,500, twice, and is now listed at $6,800.