Talk about making a statement. Even the country club crowd back in 1958 would’ve been impressed with this station wagon: a glistening black (and chrome) 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88 Fiesta Wagon. It certainly had presence and didn’t blend into the background, that’s for sure. Buyers had quite a choice of station wagons in the mid-to-late ’50’s. From frugal, 2-door plain Janes, to Nomad sport wagons, to what we have here: an opulent, luxurious four-door hardtop hauler. GM introduced their glamour wagons the year before with the Buick Caballero and the Oldsmobile Fiesta. They were too expensive for most families with kids and a dog, so their production was low. They’ve been collectable for many years and this one is about as nice as they come. It is residing in Greenwood, Missouri, and is listed for sale here on Facebook Marketplace for $95,000 or best offer. A shoutout to our pal, Zappenduster, for spotting this rare Fiesta long roof!
Styling-wise, the Fiesta is so over-the-top that I don’t know where to begin. I could stare at those chromed fin taillight sculptures, rear bumper, and starburst tailgate ornaments for hours. The 1958 GM lineup was the last year overseen by styling guru Harley Earl. Unfortunately, Mr. Earl’s “Chrome-mobiles” were the antithesis of the sleek, long, low Chrysler products that looked years ahead in comparison. There was so much chrome (especially on the Buick and Oldsmobile), that some referred to these as “Blobby Chrome Monsters.” The old adage of “the photos speak for themselves” applies here. The glossy black paint is more than impressive, the chrome is perfectly blinding, and a large, sparking luggage rack is the shiny cherry on top. What a car!
The perfection continues inside with a tasteful, tri-colored seat fabric of dark gray and white leather with a 50’s-patterned gray cloth. The ’58’s receive a new instrument panel design with a a deep-dish steering wheel and, you guessed it, lots of chrome trim on the instrument panel. This rare wagon is made even rarer with the factory air conditioning option. I’d like to know how many of the 8,498 Fiesta’s produced left the factory with the air conditioning box checked. Probably not many, since it was a whopping $450 ($5,200 in today’s dollars).
The Fiesta came in two trim levels, the Dynamic 88 and the Super 88. Both had the 371-cubic-inch V8 under the hood, and the Super 88’s like this one, had the J-2 option of three two-barrel carburetors which generated 312 horsepower. 102,000 miles are listed on the engine, and it’s paired with a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. In the listing, the seller provides a detailed list of new and rebuilt items the Fiesta received in December 2021.
So, what do you think of this rare long roof? This is only the third Fiesta we’ve featured here on Barn Finds, and it is by far the nicest. What an outrageous grocery getter. Sure, it’s pricey, but can you imagine the cost of rechroming this car at today’s prices?
WOW! It is a gorgeous car. I have no clue what the price should be, but 100 K sounds about right.
For me, the high point of the Exner Era! A jukebox with wheels-the kind of styling exuberance that will never be seen again. I’d love to have it!
The Exner era, sure, but this car is Harley Earl all the way.
That’s right Rex just what I was thinking!
Cars gone wild. Love it.
’57s were a lot nicer looking but this is spectacular. Too bad they lost the air cleaner along the way – for 95 large, I would require one and it might be a hard thing to find these days.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
In my small town, there was a contractor who had money from helping to build the AL-Can Highway during WWII. He raced a Ventnor unlimited hydroplane powered by an Allison aircraft engine. He had one of these in Bright red, used only to drive to and from the races. He was probably a prime example of who bought these.
Nice car I cringed at paying over $35k for my current driver so taking out a mortgage for a car that’s older than me is a stretch for the money it’s posted on the wrong website
Troy its only money, you can’t take it with you and you’re going to be dead a long time.
Joe
Who knows, maybe we’ll be lying in the ground while our spirit comes back again in another form. Then its work all over again!
Ah yes, when men were men, women were women, and gas was CHEAP.
what a stunning olds wagon. there are not many left that’s for sure. perfect colors too.95k is a hard hit. i bet the chrome bill is at least 30k. better than today’s SUVs.
I dunno. I have a 2018 Dodge Durango Hemi 5.7 litre that yields 360 ponies and gets 23 mpg on the highway. All Wheel Drive, high ground clearance, power everything, sunroof, very comfortable seats, lane assist, cruise control, A/C zones, killer stereo with Sirius, super easy to configure three row seating, power assist tailgate, remote start, and dives like a big honking sports car.
Ok it has all that, but does it look like this? C’mon, bro, it’s a Durango.
Philip – tru dat!
And what will it be like in another 60 years?
Excess in the extreme! Amazing piece of mid century madness. Nice pics, but I wish he had climbed down from the ladder for some of them.
$95K ???? They must be smoking wacky weed in Missouri – rarity doesn’t always justify extreme asking prices.
When was the last time you saw one of these???
The rear quarter trim on the ’58 Oldsmobiles always reminds me of a musical staff. All that’s missing is a clef and some notes!
In the early to mid 60’s it was not un common to see some creative musicians paint “notes” on the 58 olds “scales” so well defined on the rear 1/4 panel of their cars.
As is typical with cars like this (a well-kept vintage piece but with a ridiculous asking price), it doesn’t say how long this owner has held the car, but in this case, it’s probably quite a while. Which means that the owner is probably into it for a whole lot less money than the asking price.
So this car, and many others like it in the same situation, have never actually traded at or anywhere near the asking price. The asking price is completely unestablished.
What these sellers are asking the potential buyer to do is to assume that the classic car market still supports these inflated prices, not just now, but 10 to 20 years into the future.
That’s a huge leap of faith for a buyer who has a whole lot of other directions that they could aim their $95,000 in cash while also getting an actual return on their investment, instead of owning a cost center that also has a 5% sales tax pinch on the way in..
Sure, you can’t drive a bank CD to a car show, but for $20,000, the buyer can likely find something else very similar that is decent, while assuming far less damage risk. They’d still have fun at Cars and Coffee, and they put the remaining $75,000 into stock market earn and average 6% to 10% appreciation.
Problem solved.
Not only are demographics working against you, but this is why there is a hard cap on valuations for most “collector cars” that are in very good condition. They cost money to acquire and to own, they have substantial damage and usage risk, and other less-pristine examples are for sale that cost far less but can still provide the thrill of ownership.
Sellers can ask whatever prices they want, pretending that their old cars are a constantly appreciating asset class. Buyers with brains have a significant number of alternative choices.
I would only add that, just as wise entrepreneurs create a detailed business plan before they invest, so should restorers do their homework and find out how much it’s going to cost versus what that car will sell for. The emotional rush of finding a 1973 Citroen SM roller under a hay pile does not last…
Bluesman… So what are you gonna do with all that money that you are going to accumulate? Leave it to some unappreciative relative? I have a friend who is always saying that “money is highly overrated.”
Well…everyone decides, right?
Which is actually my exact point.
And..you, too, are exactly right.
A car like this, way overpriced in the market and at high risk of usage damage and demographic depreciation (interested buyers are aging out fast), with sales tax on the way in and the costs and a decent facility to own it, needs someone willing to look past all of that.
Then that buyer needs to want THIS car. A classic wagon, for sure. Not a convertible. Not a hot rod. Not a Cadillac or Lincoln. Or even a Buick (had to toss that in, ha ha). But maybe it trips someone’s trigger. Who knows.
So you’re narrowing the buyer pool to a handful if people, if anyone, at this price.
I’m a “car guy”, but not a damn fool. Maybe other enthusiasts are willing to plss away hard earned money. Maybe that’s the foundation of the hobby in some quarters.
But most people aren’t. They’ll make other choices with less risk and still go to car shows and have fun.
This car at this price pushes the limits of how much risk and loss someone is willing to take for the apparent joy of owning it.
But, yes, you only need one!
If ever a car had “presence”, it’s this one. It also must be the best of a small group of survivors. Price seems almost as absurd as the car itself!
I don’t know to value this car but it has to be very rare. First of all just the wagon itself is somewhat rare but with AC and J2? That’s rare. The car should end up in a museum
Th is guys so obsessed with the tri-carb setup, he didn’t pan back so we can see the whole engine bay!
Hagerty estimates the value of these cars in #1condition at $64,500. And a #2 at $52,000. It’s a nice car for sure, but definitely demands an in person inspection by anyone considering to purchase the car. The devil is in the details, and I can see from the pictures provided that there are a number of details that need to be addressed before this car can be deemed even a #2 car. When asking a high price for a car the seller should provide many close up pictures of many different areas.
I’m not usually a fan of “chromemobiles” but this one just has something about it that says “come on, you know you want to”.
Rolling art!
“Going to be dead a long time”. I love that!!!!!
Stop obsessing about the $95k…it’s OBO! We’re the buyers, it’s up to us to set the price.
Ok, I’ll go first. I offer $65k, no electric windows, but still nicer than a 2018 Durango.
Blues for Allah.
Never would you have to worry about there being another one at the car show like this.
It is a beautiful example of a well appointed automobile. Oldsmobile was quite impressive back in the day and this one stands tall.
Unicorn.
There’re very very few 1958 American cars I like, but this one…WOWSER!!!