Parked before Eisenhower left the White House, this green two-door lie in repose 54 years before a 2014 revival by its current owner. Now the 1939 Oldsmobile Series 60 Business Coupe in Omaha, Nebraska comes to market here on Facebook Marketplace where $10,500 seals the deal. It’s a driver, folks, with shined-up original paint and newly replaced original and aftermarket parts. If you’ve had enough of your Forward Crash Protection stabbing the brakes while an 18 wheeler barrels toward your backside, this simple machine may offer the leverage you need to escape a world gone mad with electronic overreach. The waxed patina look may not float your boat, but at least this one earned its character honestly. Thanks to reader T.J. for spotting this resuscitated coupe.
With no stupid life-saving airbag robbing your sight, all instruments stand at attention, clearly visible through the sturdy steel steering wheel. For the record, I was kidding about the “stupid” comment; I’d consider a collapsable steering column before taking this ride cross-country. Unlike modern BMWs, you can monitor your engine’s temperature without engaging a secret menu in the display. All the important functions work just like today’s cars, though. Punch the gas pedal to accelerate and the brake to slow. Observe traffic through the glass windows and plan ahead to avoid contact with others. Turn the wheel left or right to alter your direction. Doors offer ingress and egress, and a weathertight cabin keeps you warm and dry.
The Business Coupe sacrifices a small back seat in the name of storage for catalog cases, beer cases, and the occasional dead deer. The canted B pillar, forward rake, and fat fenders lend an aggressive look to this pre-war two-door.
Even the entry-level 60 offered a six-cylinder engine making 90 HP. Thanks to lov2xlr8 for some details. A 12 volt conversion and Painless wiring harness promise to keep things cheery and bright. Here we get a glimpse of the original color. My late father’s ’53 Buick Roadmaster came to us in black primer, a look I favored over the factory colors he later applied. There’s something cool about cruising in a running and driving classic that’s more of an “old car” than a flawless masterpiece. Would you consider leaving the techno world behind in this mostly-original ’39?
Noice
Another drive and have fun car, this ones already had all the work done!
I want this one…
Is that a washer fluid bottle way back then?
Yep.. I had an old Plymouth that had a bottle like that.
A nice entry-level priced collector car to get your hands wet into the hobby! The six makes it easy to work on with plenty of room under the hood. However, I wonder if the seller has the original inner door panels or hubcaps?
Looks solid, with alot of potential.
And it’s in my home city of Omaha! I wonder who here has this jewel for sale?
Hmmm….makes me wonder.
My ’46 Ford had a bottle like that also, and working windshield sprayers. But did someone cut the rear wheel openings larger, to accommodate those HUGE TYRES? Such a modification would kill it for me, as would the 12-volt conversion. Why play with its originality, but leave the weathered old paint? I don’t get it. Seems strange to see a ’39 Olds in this state, since I remember them as an everyday sight on the roads. Most of the ’39s from G.M. had a “look” — I like the ’39 Buick best.
The tires might be a little larger than stock, but not much. The fenders don’t look cut to me, the car looks a little too high.
I agree with you regarding the ’39 Buick in particular. As a kid I remember our neighbor’s dark green ’39 Buick and I thought it was about the most elegant car I’d ever seen. I remember ’39 Chevys were extremely popular. Seems just about everyone had a ’39 Chevy. Sorry but I did not like them. Particularly the grill. I suspect the body shells shared a lot of panels, but they just didn’t do anything for the Chevy. My favorite prewar Chev was the ’37.
My ’46 Ford had a bottle like that also, and working windshield sprayers. But did someone cut the rear wheel openings larger, to accommodate those HUGE TYRES? Such a modification would kill it for me, as would the 12-volt conversion. Why play with its originality, but leave the weathered old paint? I don’t get it. Seems strange to see a ’39 Olds in this state, since I remember them as an everyday sight on the roads. Most of the ’39s from G.M. had a “look” — I like the ’39 Buick best.
Hilarious write up Mr. Fitch! Thanks for the laugh this morning.
I think this body style is one of the best pre-war examples….Olds and Chev. I’d love to have this car.
It screams “GASSER”..!
Just sold the same kind of car. It’s headed to the mid west to be hot rodded.
Yes, boys and girls, this is how we found a lot of these cars in the mid to late ’60s in this exact condition! In my hometown, there seemed to be a
gillion of these old cars usually driven
by older folks that bought their last new car in the threadbare ’30s, maintained it well over the years to avoid buying a car with those new fangled devices like power windows,
power steering and so on. Or, they believed another depression could be
just around the corner and buying a new car is out of the question. Often,
when these folks died or quit driving,
cars like this one were parked in barns and garages where they either
rotted away or were turned into some really nice street rods. Does my heart
good to see one of these in its original state. Good luck to the seller.
My great uncle, who was born in 1873, bought a 1939 Buick Century, new, in 1939, and he drove it until he died suddenly in 1976, just shy of his 103rd birthday. Other relatives disposed of his car, and nobody would tell me what had become of it. It had been well-maintained, and there was nothing wrong with it, other than the radio did not work very well. The interior and upholstery were fine, and the paint was only moderately dull in more exposed places. It lived in his garage for its entire life: a true cared-for survivor.
My great uncle, who was born in 1873, bought a 1939 Buick Century, new, in 1939, and he drove it until he died suddenly in 1976, just shy of his 103rd birthday. Other relatives disposed of his car, and nobody would tell me what had become of it. It had been well-maintained, and there was nothing wrong with it, other than the radio did not work very well. The interior and upholstery were fine, and the paint was only moderately dull in more exposed places. It lived in his garage for its entire life: a true cared-for survivor.