We had an amazing time at Pebble Beach this year, more on that to come. While it was amazing to see so many cool cars, including a BF Alumni or two, the real highlight was getting to meet a few Barn Finds Readers in person! While at the Concours d’Lemons event, we had the chance to talk with Readers Ross H and Matt R, both of whom have interesting classics and they agreed to share them with us. First up is Matt’s Oldsmobile Omega Coupe survivor!
From Matt – I happened to have the next day off when this 1984 Omega Brougham Coupe popped up on Facebook Marketplace last October. I rented a car and drove up from my place in Palm Springs to where the car was located in Bakersfield (about 225 miles). It was hard to tell from the photos if the car was in great shape or really tired, but I figured it never hurts to take a look. I planned on turning in the rental car and driving the Omega home, if I bought it, knowing I also had the backup plan of AAA towing plan up to 200 miles.
When I arrived in Bakersfield to meet the owner’s grandson (Lucille, the original owner was 97 and I did not meet her), I found a very dusty and dirty Omega. It had sat in a carport for many years, being driven occasionally, and had accumulated about 65,000 miles since new. I was impressed with the long list of options, as most Omegas produced were the base model, and this one being a Brougham came with a ton of extra-cost options including the 2.8 6-cylinder engine, power driver’s seat, reclining bucket seats, power door locks, power windows, carpeted floor mats, tinted windows, pulse wipers, air conditioning, color-coordinated side view mirrors, console, accent stripe, cruise control, MX transmission, tilt wheel, wire wheel covers, Rallye gauge cluster, bumper rub strips, bumper guards, AM/FM Cassette, and a power antenna. The car had a base price of $7,923, and with all the extras must have stickered out near the cost of a base Cutlass ($9,376), so a buyer had to have wanted the compactness of the Omega at this price. I think the production numbers speak louder: There were 5,823 84 Omega Brougham Coupes built versus 132,913 Cutlass Coupes.
I paid $1,400 to the seller and left Bakersfield. The car made the four-hour drive back to the desert with no problems (on some very old dry-looking tires). Since I have bought it, I had the front seats reupholstered in the original material from SMS, a new headliner to replace the sagging original, new power antenna, AC condenser and compressor replaced, added in color-keyed wheel covers (I never cared for the X-car wire wheel covers), fuel pump, radiator, and water pump, and had my body man create the lower bumper valance and upper bumper/body fillers, as they had disintegrated over the years.
General Motors gets a bad rap for these X-cars, but they are a ton of fun to drive and feel very light and contemporary. I can recall when they were introduced in 1979 how trim and modern they seemed next to everything else that GM produced. I think the Pontiac Phoenix and Oldsmobile Omega had the best styling of the X-cars, but I do love the Citation X-11 and took my driver’s test in the family’s ’83 Skylark Custom sedan. Oldsmobile’s translation of the X-car platform has aged fairly well and seems to me like a ’76-’79 Cadillac Seville and a ’78-’79 Cutlass had a baby. I often think that Cadillac might have been better-served basing the Cimarron on the X-car platform.
The car was first shown in Los Angeles in April for the Malaise Daze show, where it took top honors (The Golden Smog Pump). I can’t wait to take it to an all-Oldsmobile event!
I want to thank Matt for sharing his Omega with us! It’s always fun to see what’s taking up space in our Readers barns. If you have something odd, unusual, interesting or plain cool parked in your barn, garage or driveway, we’d love to see it! You can send your photos to mail@barnfinds.com.
Great looking and swell condition… I do like the X-11 as well.
Not my thing, (I’m 67) but congrats on a nicely restored car. Not the kind of car I hang with, but I appreciate anyone who takes an interest in restoring and preserving old cars.
I had an 82 Phoenix hatchback, which was HUGE for the amount of stuff it could carry. Being a four door, the vehicle was quite nice for road trips as even the back seat had good leg room for a hatchback. Black on black, it was a striking car. I always liked the Pontiac take on the vehicle, with the slotted tail lights and sporty grill.
That 2.8L sure did eat up a lot of upper dogbone engine supports though. Easily replaced in a couple of minutes.
Before anyone else starts it……
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, I know you had one back in blahblahhhh blahh blahhh and it broke blahblhahhhhfghhgg……..and you’ll never ever ever but another GM…..blah blah blah.
Guess what…..no one cares about a car you had to take to the shop 34 years ago, get therapy if thats still bothering you.
You may be the one who needs the therapy chill out man😎💊
“That story about that one time you had the soup and it was too hot….”
Thanks Grandpa, sage advice.
I personally don’t care about the same old muscle cars and ‘57 Chevys that I see 30 of at each car show. Give me something nobody else has any day over whatever it is you’re driving, Ralphie.
Reminds me of that light blue Omega that was featured here a while back with only 160 original miles. It was bought new by an 80 year old lady who refused to drive so it just sat. It was a sedan model I recall but was loaded with all the power options. It still had the new car window sticker on the door window showing all the options and a 10,000 sticker price! More than a Cutlass at the time. Think it sold somewhere in the 5000 range. Amazing.
That’s a fantastic car, Matt! I loudly applaud you for not being afraid to spend money on preserving a car like this – it’s right up my alley, interest-wise.
Beautiful car, always had a soft spot for the X cars…especially the coupes.
I have driven this car–and almost bought it from Matt! It is just too adorable for words. Alas, we have too many cars already. Glad Matt decided to keep it. Love seeing him driving it around town.
It was a privilege to award this car the Golden Smog Pump at Malaise Daze, I can well understand Mr Reader’s affection for this smart little coupe, after all “There is a special feel in an Oldsmobile”
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little….
Swallow.
If anyone has ever driven an X body with one of the optional Hi-output V6s, it’s a real treat. From 82 thru 84 the were carbureted and in 85 the ones that were left had the option of a Hi-output Tuned port fuel injection V6. These were little screamers, and not bad handling, either.
I’ve kinda always wanted and X-car in my collection, and while I think the early 80-81 cars are more unique and the “pure” if you could use that term, versions of the X-cars, the 1985 ones are the best made ones with all the kinks worked out.
Google Images and look for the PPG Omega Pace Car, you’ll LOVE it💛
My father bought a used ’81 Omega around 1987. It was a V6, which had all the fuel consumption of a six packed into the horsepower of a four. He enjoyed it, and then sold it to my brother-in-law, who in turn liked it because cops ignored it entirely.
I serviced it for my father, and the two issues I recall were: 1) in cold weather, the power steering took forever to work, because the hoses were something like six feet long; and 2) the #1 spark plug was never replaced, because one had to uncouple (if memory serves) the A/C compressor and bracket to get to it.
The problem with the power steering has nothing to do with the hoses. That condition was referred to as “morning sickness”. It was caused by wear of the sealing rings on the steering rack spool valve. The cure was to replace the rack&pinion assembly.
My Mom bought an identical car to this one. It had morning sickness and a power seat that tried the movie Christine killer seat trick on me. I was laughing so hard as my chest was crushing…. All was OK.
I’m surprised at myself for really liking this car. Nicely appointed with options, great color combo, and the color keyed wheel covers really give a classy look. Very nice X body. Congratulations !
Nice Omega. I had a new 1983 Olds Omega ESC (European Styled Coupe) , two door coupe with the high output V6 and 4 speed. I had the car special ordered.
I just looked that up! Wow! Cool little coupe! Rare indeed!