Imagine buying a 2016 sedan now and keeping it until 2080, that’s the equivalent of the owner’s history with this 1956 Oldsmobile 88. I’m trying to think of a 2016 vehicle that would last 60 years and I’m coming up empty. This long-slumbering Olds can be found here on eBay in Merced, California. There is a buy-it-now price of $3,250 or you can make an offer. Thanks to MattR for the tip!
Let’s see a show of hands for those of you who will be around in 2080. Howard, put your hand down! Hey, who knows, maybe while they’re working on other cures they’ll come up with a way to add a few decades onto our lives. A guy can dream. This looks like an incredibly solid car and a great way for someone to jump into the old car hobby for hardly any money at all, comparatively. There isn’t a photo of the classic hood ornament in one of the overall photos, but here’s a detail photo of what it looks like. That pedestrian-friendly (not) thing is one of the great hood ornaments of all time, in my opinion.
1956 was the last year for the second-generation Olds 88, or Eighty-Eight, and the seller’s father bought this one in 1960. He used it as a daily driver until 1966 when he parked it and only used it 10-12 times a year until 1971 when it went into storage and has been there until recently. So not only has the father owned it for 60 years but it has been parked for 49 years.
As if the back end of the car wasn’t cool enough, check out that front end! The split grille was new for 1956. This car looks great, no? There are no engine photos, unfortunately, but this one like all Olds 88s in this era should have Oldsmobile’s 324 cubic-inch V8 with either a 2-barrel carb and 230 hp or an optional 4-barrel carb and 240 hp, according to Hemmings. This one has a new fuel pump and the seller, the son of the owner, says that a mechanic went through it to get it running but it needs brake work and general tinkering from sitting for almost 50 years.
The interior needs work and this is the only overall photo, unfortunately. Most of these materials should be able to be sourced or very close matches to them and check out the view of the gauges in front of the driver – simple and elegant with warning lights instead of gauges for charging, temperature, and oil pressure. This looks like an absolutely fantastic car for anyone who thinks that there are no solid, old, inexpensive cars out there. Good buy or good-bye?
I know I won’t be here in 2080, but with the right stewardship, this car certainly
will be! These cars were built to last and
here’s the proof. Of course, we boomers
recall that being said of cars made in the
’70s. ‘Oh these modern cars are junk and
you won’t many of them around in 2020″
was the standard belief of collectors who were quietly squirreling away Camaros, Mustangs, and Road Runners
during the malaise era. And yet, on sites
like this, we’ve seen literally dozens of
’70s cars cross your desks where you
submit them for our approval. So Scotty,
I think you may be right with your analogy
of a 2016 car being around in 2080 in some state of preservation. Lord knows
I’m doing my best to preserve my MILs
’01 Buick LeSabre or our ’91 Ford F-250
longbed project truck. I only wish I had
the parts and cash needed to work on
them while we’re all on lockdown. If I did,
they’d both be in pristine condition by the
time the restrictions are lifted.
The problem with modern cars is their total dependency on microprocessor based electronics. We hams have learned that lesson with 35 year old Kenwood TS-440s and TS-940s. Cars have far more computers and wire connectors. Muscle-era Mopars will always have issues with the bulkhead connection under the hood. It’s exposed to the quadruple whammy of water, road salt, petroleum derivatives, and heat from the nearby exhaust manifold.
I’ve spent my girlfriend’s pathetic 2013 Focus into life again to the tune of about $5K over the last few years, and I’ve said to her again, “you need something you can afford, pre – 1980 with no computers, and no more complicated than a roller skate.” THAT, she can afford. I haven’t won the battle yet.
My d.d. is a ’92 LeSabre. Automotive electronics are amazingly durable. Exposed to extreme heat, cold, and vibration, it’s amazing a that the PCM and other modules still work as intended. Can you imagine still using a PC built in ’92?
I know I won’t be here in 2080, but with the right stewardship, this car certainly
will be! These cars were built to last and
here’s the proof. Of course, we boomers
recall that being said of cars made in the
’70s. ‘Oh these modern cars are junk and
you see won’t many of them around in 2020″
was the standard belief of collectors who were quietly squirreling away Camaros, Mustangs, and Road Runners
during the malaise era. And yet, on sites
like this, we’ve seen literally dozens of
’70s cars cross your desks where you
submit them for our approval. So Scotty,
I think you may be right with your analogy
of a 2016 car being around in 2080 in some state of preservation. Lord knows
I’m doing my best to preserve my MILs
’01 Buick LeSabre or our ’91 Ford F-250
longbed project truck. I only wish I had
the parts and cash needed to work on
them while we’re all on lockdown. If I did,
they’d both be in pristine condition by the
time the restrictions are lifted.
I know I won’t be here in 2080, but with the right stewardship, this car certainly
will be! These cars were built to last and
here’s the proof. Of course, we boomers
recall that being said of cars made in the
’70s. ‘Oh these modern cars are junk and
you wont see many of them around in 2020″
was the standard belief of collectors who were quietly squirreling away Camaros, Mustangs, and Road Runners
during the malaise era. And yet, on sites
like this, we’ve seen literally dozens of
’70s cars cross your desks where you
submit them for our approval. So Scotty,
I think you may be right with your analogy
of a 2016 car being around in 2080 in some state of preservation. Lord knows
I’m doing my best to preserve my MILs
’01 Buick LeSabre or our ’91 Ford F-250
longbed project truck. I only wish I had
the parts and cash needed to work on
them while we’re all on lockdown. If I did,
they’d both be in pristine condition by the
time the restrictions are lifted.
Ok Ken we got it……Lol
I have the 1927 Hudson that I bought in 1960, whoo hoo! Drove it to my high school graduation, many dates and it was the get away car for our wedding. It will not be sold in my lifetime. :)
Send a pic Speedo!
There probably will be 2016 cars in 2080…..but they will never have the style an class of these early cars!
Gold – a buy
I will be 124 years old in 2080. I have worked on cars close to 50 years. Today’s cars are just rolling computers. And it will get worse. We cannot find any competent mechanics to fix this junk. If people really knew how cheaply thus crap is made, they would buy 50s and 60s cars. Today’s front bumpers weigh about 15 pounds max. Behind that plastic is Styrofoam. What a joke.
So true, George, throw-away cars that cost a fortune–but they are designed to absorb the impact and not pass it on to us, which is by itself an admirable trait. Auto mechanics are becoming computer technicians, and another art is lost for the ages. For me, its the personal freedom that every car brings that i am most fearful of losing forever, and many of today’s “leaders” would accept nothing less.
Sorry ’bout that folks! Not used to not having an edit button on this new format.
The reason they have such a shortage of
skilled mechanics is this: society today
looks down on people that make a living
by working with their hands. College has
been oversold to the point that young people today won’t take a job unless it pays 50K a year just to sit at a desk and
push buttons all day. And when their gadget laiden computermobile breaks
down by the roadside, they don’t know
how to fix it! I’ve preached this point to
my neices and nephews til I’m blue in the
face and only two of them showed any
real interest in getting their hands dirty.
My niece that lives with us is a real car gal. She does her very best to keep her
Mom’s car out of the shop by doing what
maintainance she can herself. And she’s
single too! You’ll see a 2016 car in 2080
alright, but only in a museum.
Sorry about bustin’ your chops Ken! I figured that was what it was..been there…post won’t go them next thing you know you’ve posted 37 times..That’s cool about your niece..thumbs up..Need more ladies in the repair business if for nothing less to keep from getting taken advantage of.which happens all to often.Sad how many people can’t even check fluids let alone repair their cars.Just had and go and can barely do that right. Just a shame really.
Supposed to be Gas and go…
The 1955 Olds 88 two-door post I bought in 1984 with my first good-sized freelance job check is still driven regularly, It’s the best car I’ve ever had.
It was a 29-year-old vehicle when I found it. I’m it’s 3rd owner.
Above, someone pointed out the dwindling number of mechanics capable of keeping these guys going. After 35 years in an unrelated career, that is what I do now- work on old vehicle for folks- only old vehicles, pre-’75. Compared to what I did in a previous life, it’s a difficult, filthy, hot, cold, painful, utterly frustrating job, and I adore it.
New cars are junk. Agreed. I won’t own one. This Olds brings back memories of my Uncle’s 98 Holiday Coupe, the first car I ever rode in with Air Conditioning.
The owner parked it when it was 10 years old. Sure is rough for having been used for only 10 years. Hopefully someone will buy it and bring it back to the way it was built.
Scotty, I believe this design was made in ’55, ’56, and ’57, and a new design was issued in ’58. If any pedestrian was endangered by that hood ornament, they were in a lot more trouble than impact with a fairly rounded point, but you are right, it is very pretty. I don’t know what it’s like in the USA, but in Canada we have a lot of private repair shops who can tackle anything motive, and I find they have more expertise than car dealerships.
You are partially-correct, sir. I said that the grille was new in 1956 but the second-generation Olds 88 was made for the 1954, 1955, and 1956 model years. The third-generation 1957 models were different and a total redesign came in 1958, the last year of the third-generation cars.
Looks like the same color scheme as my dad’s 55 4 door. I was about 3, but I still remember it.
This ’56 was very similar in body style as the ’54 which I was driving in my HS junior and senior year. My Father bought the ’54 in about 1960, and it was a 88
2 dr hardtop, solid color Baby Blue, such a beautiful and well built car back then. I would go back in time right now just to see and drive that car again. It got sold right after I got drafted in ’68 and never knew who bought it. These cars did have a nice hood ornament from the factory and the dash design I thought was one of the best ever done by GM.
The ’54 taillights were a bit smaller in height than the ’55 and ’56 as I recall, and the grille design changed a little each year. The Old’s Fiesta Hubcaps looked great on these old 88’s if any of you BF reader’s remember these.
I owned a tired ’56 Olds like this one back in 1964. I would pass up on another one. There are too many other great ’50’s cars to be had. Just wait till this pandemic passes, there will be bargains galore if you have the money.
Nice to just rumble around in no rush dreaming of better times.
It’s okay Gary. When it comes to fixing cars, my nephew is no slouch either. Their father and I passed on what wr knew to them so that they wouldn’t be taken advantage of by some hotshot mechanic here in Florida. Car repair ripoffs were common here when the kids
were born so we taught them how to do it
themselves and do it right. Now here’s the kicker: both of them have learning
disabilities but they took to doing car
repairs like a duck to water! I’m proud as
punch of both of them and it just goes to
show you that you should never judge a
book by looking at the cover. My late wife
was also a pretty good mechanic too. While waiting for me to off work she
changed an alternator for a young.mother
who was stranded in our parking lot! It
wasn’t uncommon to see her under the hood of someone’s car doing something to it. Back then, we did it to save money.
Kids today don’t have that chance.
That’s awesome Ken! Yeah i know what you mean. Most don’t have the skills or interest or both these days. Been turning wrenches 26 yrs or so now. Love it.Nothing like bringing something back that others cast of as junk or not worth time/effort. In VA. now but born a Floridian! Originally from Okeechobee.