This 1958 Oldsmobile 88 4-door Hardtop Wagon has emerged from the barn where it has remained hidden since 1960. Listed for sale here on eBay, it is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The car comes with a Bill of Sale and a very specific BIN of $17,777.77, but the option is there to make an offer.
I think that this Oldsmobile is quite an attractive car. One of the things that I’ve always really liked about cars from the 1950s (especially American cars) is the amount of time, effort and thought that went into designing the external chrome and trim pieces on these cars. It was never a case of just slapping on a piece of strip and saying “that will do.” The trim designs were usually quite intricate and made a statement that aesthetics were an important consideration when trying to woo the public to hand over their money.
The seller is quite open about the fact that this wagon is going to require a full restoration. The body itself looks to be quite straight and clean of any significant rust. There is a ding just behind the front wheel arch on the passenger side that will need fixing. It has also bent the end of the trim that runs along the rocker, but hopefully a bit of very gentle work will see that straightened successfully. The seller states that there is rust in the floor pans, but doesn’t indicate how extensive this is. There are also some marks and dings on the bumpers (as seen above), but these should be able to be repaired and a new dose of chrome should return them to as-new condition.
The interior appears to be complete as best we can tell from the photos. There is going to be some work here because the door trims and the seats will require re-upholstering. The dash looks complete and in good order and the pad appears to be free of cracks, although it does look like the padding has lifted on the passenger side of the dash. The steering wheel has a number of cracks in the rim but there are companies who should be able to restore this. The worst part is that (as the seller puts it) “Mice have gotten to the interior, so you know how it smells”. The car is also fitted with a power seat as a nice little feature.
Under the hood is something a little bit special for this wagon. This particular car was optioned with the J2 Tri-Power engine which generated a healthy 310hp. This is backed by the Hydra-Matic transmission. Unfortunately this engine is locked, so is going to require some work. Hopefully it can be revived as while there were just over 5,000 Fiesta wagons built in 1958, I don’t believe that there were a lot of these wagons specified with this engine.
I did a bit of searching around to ascertain a potential value for this Oldsmobile. What I found was that while finding these for sale is not that common, finding one fitted with the J2 Tri-Power is even rarer. I did find one that sold recently at auction for $77,000. Whether this could be restored to a state that would achieve anything like that sort of price would depend on whether that engine can be revived. I really hope that it can because I really do like this Olds.
And since we’re talking 1958 glitz, the ’58 Olds was right behind the Buick.(splitting hairs, really) There’s some 5( or 10 or 15) mph bumpers for ya’. It’s like every piece of metal had to have a doo-dad. Took some research, but that Harley looking contraption in front of the P/S unit, is the air compressor for the “New-Matic Air Ride” suspension. I read it was extremely troublesome, and many owners had the car converted to springs. Amazing this car still has it. Again, glitz applied with a patching trowel, the likes we’ll never see again and a wagon, to boot. You Aussie’s must have thought, what were those American’s thinking, driving cars like this? Cool car!!
Howard, I spotted the compressor under the hood and, not knowing about the air suspension, assumed it was an early a/c compressor. Couldn’t figure out why there was no air outlets on, in or under the dash. Now I know why. Also, it appears that the owner was not satisfied with the factory applied glitz so he/she applied more: two small reflectors glued to front, back and both sides along with a Rocket 88 (from earlier 50’s) applied right to the center of the tailgate.
Man, that is seriously Over The Top.
Cool car , highly optioned. But no way its been sitting since 1960. Those thin whitewall tires and reflectors stuck on the sides and back of the car tell me it was driven well into the 60’s probably past 1968 when side marker lights appeared. The engine bay is also of a ten year old car not a two year old car
Yup. Didn’t know they had vinyl “Olds” stickers on their rear windows in 1960. lol
@Anthony in RI. My thoughts exactly. There is no way a classy wagon like this would have sustained so much damage in only the first two years of it’s life and 40,000 miles unless it had been very badly treated.
Indeed. a car doesn’t get rusty floor pans sitting in a barn since 1960. The seller or someone else just hung the old plates on it for ‘effect’. I’d say this car probably was driven past 1965 most likely.
No one had conceived of side marker lights in 1960. and the aftermarket wouldn’t have provided them until after the late 60’s, that with the decals and wear and tear tells me the car was used into the 70’s at least.
I remember reading somewhere a long time ago about a big wig from Ford Motor Co satirizing the four chrome strips on the rear quarters by drawing musical notes within it.
I believe it was Ford stylistAlex Tremulis who was responsible.
This thing approaches the holy grail of 4-door 50’s wagon. I think it’s worth the BIN. Very very cool
I don’t. Not with all the work it needs.
My dad owned a 58 Olds 88 4 dr hardtop that we used as a second car , man, that thing gulped gas ,not sure, but I think it had a 4v carb on the auto selector was a “S” which the owners manual stated it meant “super” seeing this is a dealer selling the car, looks like he can’t be bothered with ” fixing” it , but wants a premium price for it I agree with Anthony, some people added on side marker lights to their “pre 68″ cars to make them ” safer” those added to the hood and tailgate was the previous owner’s own ” custom’ touch if mice got into the seats and carpet , most likely got into the wiring under the dash as well oh, on a side note, on the sedan anyways there was no counting all of the ash trays the thing had front and back, the front even had a little light over where the ash tray was so one could find it in the dark this will be a looker/keeper to whomever puts all the effort into bringing it back
Very cool and looks complete, would love to have had a look at the Carbs. Worth bringing back. Hope some one does it proud!
Good luck to the new owner!!
6 pak is long gone. There’s an air breather pic on ebay with block out plates and ad states 99% complete missing front and rear carbs. I mean really though, what would it take to pressure wash it under the hood and take that huge mouse nest outta the cargo area. Even wiping down the chrome. jeez
That is one fancy wagon! They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
I would love to see this car restored to its original glory, but it will take someone with a whole lot more money than I have.
The chrome rivals but does not exceed the 1958 Buicks – what an era! It makes other decades look positively austere by comparison.
The interior upholstery brings back a cherished memory. My father worked for Diamond Reo in Lansing during that time. The company president, Jack Adams, found an old Reo Flying Cloud somewhere in the factory and decided to have Oldsmobile restore it as a promotional vehicle for Reo Motors. They used the same upholstery that went into the highline Olds cars at the time – just as pictured here.
When I turned 16 I managed to get the car for a couple of days. I learned how to double clutch since it was a non-synchro gearbox. I doubt that any company would turn loose a treasure like that to a 16-year-old in this day and age. But then Jack was a special person. And so was my dad.
Diamond Reo was eventually sold to a fellow named Cappaert (?) who subsequently dismantled it. I wonder whatever happened to that old Reo?
This is a very unique vehicle that you have to appreciate even if you don’t like it. It looks like they used about 15 design engineers and they all got to contribute something. It just looks too “busy”, I guess that is why it’s cool. The front end is like an ugly bulldog, you either love it or hate it. Neat car.
I agree with Vance – but you will never see a more elegant turn signal stalk or gearshift lever. Could have been designed by Eero Saarinen.
My 58 Olds story, it’s a sad one…
I was 18 years old in 1976, just graduating high school, and looking for a car.
My neighbor, a retired chemist, still drives his ’58 Olds 2-door, black-on-black, meticulously maintained, he bought it new. The car is perfect. He gets wind that I’m looking for a car, and asks if I’d be interested in buying his car. I’m over the moon at the thought of driving this awesome shiny 58 Olds around. Even at that age in ’76, I loved classic cars. His price? $300. I convinced Mom and Dad to buy the car…it was all set.
The next day the guy reneged on the deal, saying he was worried that if something went wrong with the car, it might sour relations with my Mom and Dad. I was crestfallen to say the least; I wanted that Olds so bad I could taste it. A few days later the Olds was gone, and the neighbor pulled up in his new car, a Vega Kammback, in orange.
One man’s gold, is another man’s junk. In the 70’s, I became friends with a family in N. Wis. that had a dairy farm, and one of the derelict cars scattered about, was “Uncle Bill’s” ’58 Olds. I remember it was purple, and in great shape, but sitting for many years. When I moved to the farm in 2016, the 1st thing I asked was, what happened to Uncle Bill’s Olds? The nephew, who was the only one left on the farm, said he had a “scrap drive” a “couple years back”, and the Olds was hauled away( along with a Ford AA dump truck that was his dad’s) I was pretty upset about that. I really wanted that AA dump truck.
Jukebox Moderne! Delicious! When I was a kid I thought these were the coolest cars in the world. I still think they are marvelous! We’ll never see this kind of chromium baroque again, so cherish them….
There’s a very old Mad magazine piece about these “Bulgemobiles”. Anybody remember? This is a quintessential example. It was a very good year.
That might have been the National
Lampoon magazine. Or they had a very
similar article. I think it was the “46
Bulgemobiles”. What I remember: “1-2-3,
3-2-1, 2-1-3, YOU’RE the automatic transmission”.
Very over the top, strong market upside, I think the BIN is too high, this one needs a lot of work just looking at it. You are North of $35,000.00 to get it right, parts and trim can be an issue. It should be done anyway; the car will appreciate over time and be a good investment. And take it for a ride. You’ll freak everybody out!
Earlier posts beat me to it. I think this car may have been since 1980, not 1960. If it sat since 60, it had a very hard life in two years. I’ve always liked the 50’s cars, especially all the chrome, but it would probably cost $17,000 just to redo the chrome on this. I have a 58 Chevy Yeoman with minimal chrome, but had it redone in the early 90’s, so it was much cheaper then. I also had a 41 Pontiac that I had the chrome redone in the early 2000’s, and it was around $1500 then. Again, not as much as this baby has.
GLWTHA. I hope someone gets it and restores it, no matter the cost.
True Phillip. Here in Ny state theres only one chrome plater left. I had the bumpers on my 65 falcon done and it was $1400. Yowzah!!!
Cheers.
With the “Olds” vinyl on the back window and reflectors, my guess is this was handed down to a young person in the late 60s-70s who used it to haul their college dorm mates around. Then, suspension may have failed or OPEC gas crises took place and the wagon was retired. I’ve seen the same reflector trick used on pre-1968 MGs (twice) and believe it was less about safety and more about modernizing the look to cheat the casual observer. This is one over the top glittery jukebox!
Darn Flippers…
at least take it off the trailer
Caveat Emptor!
Reminded me of one of my favorite youtube videos… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSIpTuv7258&t=155s
@Superglider. Now THAT’S one helluva wagon. Love the steering wheel knob. Lots of American cars had them in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) when I was growing up.
and here’s a link to the auction results of that really nice one… which had been part of a collection related to the company that built these 58 Fiestas. The bodies weren’t built by Fisher, they were built by Ionia. https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2014/08/25/oldsmobile-super-88-fiesta-sells-for-77000-at-station-wagon-centric-auction/
I just checked that out, $77,000 wow! Imagine what the tri-power engine would add. That is very rare engine. The chroming bill would pay for another car.
1958 was a year of giant tail fins at Chrysler and overdone chrome at GM.
I had a 58 Olds 88 2dr post in 68 it didn’t have trips but that car flat out flew…
Enjoy your day,
Dom:
Basically, I like this one. I love the land yachts. But, this one needs a lot of work and, in my opinion, it isn’t worth more than $5,00.00. Regardless of what “experts” say.
Since 1960?…. yeah, I don’t think so…Wasn’t even taken care of..So many think we are all stupid…I have no words to describe them.. good luck with this.
wow tissue holder is still there
This is why they have crushers in junk yards.
This is the very definition of wretched excess and the height of baroque Detroit.
And a menace to everything in its path as well as the occupants.
I think we need a new reality car series ‘I restored the worst car’ starring this crapmobile and the person crazy and tasteless enough to want to get it driveable.
Harley Earl this aint.
You’re way off,,,
@B Bittner. I have been trying to think of a non derogatory reply to your very Bitter comment but I am stumped! I think you are visiting the wrong site as BF is for ENTHUSIASTS.
Wow…^^^^….he is Bitter or Bittner….just the same…..or maybe a 90’s child…
Sure, the car is over-the-top, but that’s not a crime! Today’s cars are so boring, so I say they ain’t Harley Earl either.
If you want to indict US industrial practices of the 1950s, maybe look at the tobacco companies putting fiberglass in cigarettes, or Johns-Manville and their use of asbestos in their products. Or the drug companies developing drugs that caused birth defects and addictions we’re still dealing with. Those three examples alone surely killed thousands more people than did this chrome-encrusted family cruiser.
I have owned my 58 Olds Super 88 convertible since I was 16, it was my first car, purchased for $50.00 in 1967 from a women who fueled it at my cousins Sunoco where I worked as a pump jockey. It’s equipped with the J2, power windows, seat, antenna, and leather. I recently took it out of storage after over 35 years and am now getting her up and running again. She only has 79,000 miles from the 19,000 at the time I purchased her. She had a repaint in 1970 because of a fender bender mishap celebrating my graduation and leaving for Vietnam. I am going to make a correction to the statement referring to the J2 310hp; it should state 312hp. I am looking forward to having my baby back on the road.
The 58 Olds is not everyone’s cup of tea, to be sure. For me, it’s been one of my favorite cars since I was a teenager. I’ve been chasing a 58 Olds 98 convertible with factory tri-power for a few years that a guy in Ohio has but isn’t ready to sell.
The Fiesta wagon is the rarest of the 58 Olds by quite a bit. This one, with it still having Air-Ride and even the tissue dispenser, was really decked out and I am surprised that these pieces still exist on it. The 58’s were never much loved, saved, or restored, so finding them is usually not as easy as you would think with a yearly production of around 250,000 units.
$17k for this is steep in my opinion, and finding trim parts and bits is exhausting, time consuming, frustrating, and expensive. And lets not forget the re-chroming costs alone would get you into a 1st generation Mustang in driver condition. But if it’s a labor of love you desire, and you’ve always wanted a 58 Olds, especially a wagon, there’s not going to be another one coming along again anytime soon.
Relisted. Gotta love the woman’s name (Ester) in embossing tape near the door handle, as if she needed to identify the car in case of theft.
Hello to the GasHole, it’s Frank with the Super 88 convertible. I too agree the Fiesta wagons were also my favorites. I had an opportunity to purchase one in Lincoln, NE for $5 or $6,000, it was a lot nicer than the one being advertised here. But again it was over 20 years ago… You mentioned that you are chasing after a 98 convertible but the gentleman is not ready to cut it loose, well maybe we should stay in touch, because I may be looking to let my Super 88 convertible go in the near future to a Olds lover. Food for thought!!! I never thought I would, but my life has changed and I’m not sure what to do with my Olds, it’s a very difficult decision…
Hey there Frank! I sure know what you mean on those missed opportunities on the 58 wagons….there was one out in a field next to a barn in Montana back about 20 years ago when I was going to college there. I left notes on the windshield (inside a ziplock bag so the weather wouldn’t destroy the note) a few times….they were never picked up. Moved out of Montana in 1999 but go back now and then….by 2006 the wagon was gone, never knew what happened to it.
The gentleman with the 98 Convertible I think will not sell anytime soon. I’ve been in contact with him 5+ years, it is a full project, but does run and drive. He’s got 40+ cars in an old aircraft hangar…it’s really an amazing collection. If you are familiar with that old picture of a bunch of 58 Olds convertibles crossing the Brooklyn Bridge back in 1958, he says his car is one of those cars. Pretty cool. Anyway it would be great to stay in touch I’m at carsofchaos@gmail.com
Thanks!
Thanks for your quick reply, I will keep in touch for sure. And yes I am very familiar with that NY bridge photo, I wasn’t in it but a NY friend drove his purple 98 convertible across it. And the same friend drove the purple 98 to Lansing in 1997 for the 100 year Olds anniversary, I was there too but unfortunately not with my 58 convertible, as I ended up transporting three Olds from California; a 1957 salmon/cream color Fiesta wagon (my ride while there), 2 Indy Pace cars, 1960 convertible, and a 442 (I forgot the year) on the way stopped by Indy for a photo shoot of the Pace Cars. I enjoyed a great time there, purchased many extra hard to find pieces and parts for my 58, drove the 57 Fiesta in the parade, was interviewed several times by TV news casters, and newspaper reporters. My friends said, every time they turned on a TV or picked up a newspaper, they saw me… My hotel room was next to Richy Little’s, met Reo Oldsmobile’s granddaughter and she invited me to be her dinner guest, where we sat at the head table with all the big shots, including one of the engineers who designed the J2, he told me several interesting stories of how things where back then. There’s even a photo of me hanging in the Lansing museum… Good memories! Presently I am in Siberia building a home and large garage with a “mancave” office, that’s why I stated that my life has changed, where I’m restoring retro Russian vehicles, go figure. I looked into transporting my 58 here but so far have run into several dead ends. No one can give me a straight answer, and now with Trump placing tariff’s on trade it’s making it even more difficult.