This 1987 Oldsmobile 88 is described by the seller as a labor of love, featuring a variety of custom touches that reflect his own preferences for personalization. While it’s sometimes hard to determine the value of a car like this, it appears to have been very well maintained and is likely one of the nicest ones left. The asking price is listed as $7K here on eBay, with the option to submit a best offer.
The list of modifications is long. Here’s a summary that doesn’t capture all of the cosmetic improvements: “Custom 442-like paint and custom “Oldsmobile Super 88” logo on doors and trunk lid. Extremely rare “W88″ dealer-installed front air dam. Grill/headlight surrounds have been blacked out and the grills recessed. Chrome on body has been blacked out. Rear bumper has been professionally powder-coated.” I do like the dealer option air dam, but the beauty of the rest of the tweaks is in the eye of the beholder.
The interior has been modified as well, with custom floor mats and seats from a late-model Saturn product. The transmission was converted from a column shift to floor-mounted shifter, and it’s one of those iconic “aircraft”-style T-bar handles that makes it feel like your launching a 747 instead of an 88. What’s incredible is the level of detail the seller went through to customize a car not many folks would ever enhance. He even had custom seat brackets made for the thoroughly boring Saturn seats. I can see doing that for some sweet Recaros, but seats from a Saturn?
The good news is it’s been looked after as obsessively under the hood. “Original load-leveling system to include rear struts, rear springs and air pump have been removed and replaced with heavy-duty springs and air bags. Steering unit, sway bar bushings and tie-rod ends recently replaced. Steering is tight. Brakes were completely redone summer 2017. Drivetrain is completely stock. Transmission shifts great. In fact this car does not leak any fluids.” So, while this is effectively a one-of-one 88, it’s also in great shape mechanically. Would you ever buy a custom ride like this?
I kind of like it.. but too much $$!!
Too many miles!
Olds were all good until they installed the engine sideways.
All I see is a conversation starter. And if you’re a great bullsh1ter, have a bit of internet savy to place a couple of pamphlet like ads on forums saying that this was a dealer package that sold very poorly at so and so chev-olds GM dealer ship. Which of course was a legit dealer that has long since closed but provides cred to the dealer package story. But the milage ruins it. If it were say 25k in milage you could probably hook a sucker at the big dollar auctions that may have grew up in the dealer ship city but didn’t know they made these. It does look well enough done to pull off. Just have to say the bags were installed to replace the original failing system. I’d be willing to bet that is what will happen to this car.
I admire with this owner did in terms of following his own idea of what a cool car is. Unfortunately, the more custom you get the more difficult a vehicle is to sell. You have to get somebody with the same tastes. best to look at these projects as something you created and enjoyed, versus a profit making thing.
Buy it now, is $5500.00, is the mileage too high for these engines?
442’S drove off the back wheels.
That makes this beholder’s eyes hurt.
You know what , it’s not horrible , the attention to detail is fantastic,
Gm could have put this out in the 80s
An 80’s look is what I was going for. Yes, Oldsmobile could have pulled this off in the 80’s. I’m the builder and owner. This is a my effort at art.
The exterior in my opinion is very well executed, could of done a little better than the Saturn seats, or at least had them re-done to match the rest of the interior. As far as the drive train and the mileage, properly maintained, you can run these 3800’s well past 300k, nice car.
Does it have TrueShield though?
Kind of cool in its own way. Too bad GM didn’t push A little more “sport” on more models. Guess the typical buyers still wanted landau tops and wire wheel covers.
I’d have probably found a set of Bonneville SSE mesh or Troféo wheels and color matched or eliminated the deck spoiler.
Long, long cold winters in Wyoming, how do you keep busy? But, hey, what do I know? I’m doing basically the same thing with my bogus Lotus Focus.
I think it’s great. Nice there aren’t any FWD b-body purists to offend.
A “labor of love”?
What’s that old song, “you only hurt the one you love”?
BIN dropped to $5,500, still taking best offers. Still too idiosyncratic for many except for lovers of gluons.
I could definitely envision GM building this in 1987. They did the sane to several models, like the very similar Buick LeSabre T-type(same chassis and vintage).
Some efforts were less pleasing. The Chevy Celebrity Eurosport VR comes to mind…..came as coupe, sedan, and even a wagon!
“Experience the essence of state of the art European styling, individuality, and innovation.” They actually said that….seriously!