Help identify my Uncle's 88

[ParisTexan]

My Great Uncle inherited his mother’s 1960 Dynamic 88 twenty years ago and has kept it under a cover in the garage, driving it occasionally to keep it running. She bought it new so it’s kind of “one and a half owner” Now my uncle is in his 80’s and in the process of selling his property and asked me to help him sell the Oldsmobile online. I’m trying to identify the exact model and option packages it has, and get an idea what it might be worth.

It’s a Dynamic 88 hardtop 4 door sedan (a Holiday??) with 85,525 original hwy miles. It is white with gold interior. The VIN # is 607T07926 (a 371 V8?) It is in great shape, runs and drives good, all original with no body or interior damage. The doors, hood and trunk lid click open and close like new.

The options I’m aware it has are Auto Trans, PS, PB, factory AC, convenience light package & backup lights. I haven’t found a list of exactly what options were available so I might be missing something.

Can anyone help me with the build information? ...Any suggestions on a reasonable asking price?
Thanks.

[Oldsguy]

Hi Tex, hope you are able to sell it. Before that though, I hope I get a chance to see it. I am going to be down there during the Thanksgiving week visiting my parents in McKinney Tx. I know of at least one person who might be interested in that car, but it really depends upon his near future situation as he is in the army now. Good luck.

[ParisTexan]

Thanks Guy. A meeting could easily be arranged. I'll be in Paris during Thanksgiving. The car is just outside of Emberson, TX, around 15 miles NE of Paris, about an 80 mile drive from McKinney.

I did a quick wash job and took the photos in the post last weekend, but I live near Dallas and want to do a little better job cleaning and photographing the interior and degreasing the engine compartment before I post it on EBay. ...And Thanksgiving is the next chance I'll have to do it.

You saw the pics. I can send you a larger assortment at a higher resolution if you want. Just let me know where to send them.

In the meantime, maybe you can help me out with the build assessment? You seem to be one of the "go-to" guys on this forum. Is it officially called a "Dynamic 88 Holiday 4 dr sedan? (I gather "Holiday" is the hardtop designation) Do you know where I can find a list of the option packages that were available? I want to make sure I list all it's specific attributes. Are any of them particularly hard to find? I'm thinking the factory AC with it's in-dash controls is somewhat rare for 1960? How common is the AT or the convenience lights? ...Is the hardtop much more valuable than the post? Too bad it doesn't the electric windows!

...I just want this old girl to get the respect she deserves, and my uncle the credit for keeping her running, covered, and garaged for 18 years and only adding 661 miles to the odometer!

Too bad my uncle's mother, a little old lady from East Texas, didn't go for the Super 88! ...But I guess if she was just driving it to church on Sundays...

Anyway, any help you or anyone else can give me on these issues would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure what the forum rules are about giving out personal contact info, but if anyone would like to see the full set of higher res photos, my e-mail is jkellymaddox@aol.com. Here's a few more pics.

Thanks again,

Kelly

[Oldsguy]

Thanks for the offer of the additional pictures but think waiting to see it for real will be worth it. I have a reference at home that might give you the information you need, or at least part of it. I just hope to remember to do that tonight. Will be getting in touch with you soon.

[kevinkpk]

Originally Posted by ParisTexan

My Great Uncle inherited his mother’s 1960 Dynamic 88 twenty years ago and has kept it under a cover in the garage, driving it occasionally to keep it running. She bought it new so it’s kind of “one and a half owner” Now my uncle is in his 80’s and in the process of selling his property and asked me to help him sell the Oldsmobile online. I’m trying to identify the exact model and option packages it has, and get an idea what it might be worth.

It’s a Dynamic 88 hardtop 4 door sedan (a Holiday??) with 85,525 original hwy miles. It is white with gold interior. The VIN # is 607T07926 (a 371 V8?) It is in great shape, runs and drives good, all original with no body or interior damage. The doors, hood and trunk lid click open and close like new.

The options I’m aware it has are Auto Trans, PS, PB, factory AC, convenience light package & backup lights. I haven’t found a list of exactly what options were available so I might be missing something.

Can anyone help me with the build information? ...Any suggestions on a reasonable asking price?
Thanks.

Your car is a beaut! I cannot help with the vin, I have a shop manual for a 70, not even close. I'd suggest you try nada, for an "estimate". I thought 15 miles north of Paris Texas put you in Oklahoma? VBG
N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide Company

[Olds64]

That is an AWSOME car. I have seen a 1960 Super 88 4 door sedan before. It was sort of rough and had black paint. Even though, it was still a slick car. I think that was a good year for Oldsmobile.

[ParisTexan]

Originally Posted by kevinkpk

Your car is a beaut! I cannot help with the vin, I have a shop manual for a 70, not even close. I'd suggest you try nada, for an "estimate". I thought 15 miles north of Paris Texas put you in Oklahoma? VBG
N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide Company

It's North East of Paris. Almost Oklahoma! Thanks, Kevin! I'd heard about the NADA guide for classics but didn't know where to find it. Checked it out. 1960 Dynamic 88 Holiday 4dr hardtop with AT and AC value was Low-$4,083 and Ave-$8,999. High- $13,570. Not sure where Unc's 88 falls in the catagories, but I'm guessing somewhere the low side of average if High would be considered a total perfect restoration.

I figured the Hardtop would be worth more than the Post, but it was the other way around by a few hundred $! I always thought a hardtop was rarer and more valuable. Guess not. Can anyone explain that????

[ParisTexan]

Originally Posted by Olds64

That is an AWSOME car. I have seen a 1960 Super 88 4 door sedan before. It was sort of rough and had black paint. Even though, it was still a slick car. I think that was a good year for Oldsmobile.

Thanks. I've always been more of a late 60's-Early 70's muscle car fan, but my appreciation of the older ones is growing. What amazes me is how much Olds changed the bodys EVERY year. I read that the 60 was similar to a 59 but the sheetmetal was all new. And then 61 was completely different.

[88 coupe]

Originally Posted by ParisTexan

........ I always thought a hardtop was rarer and more valuable ........

By itself, rarity, is not a factor. It is the combination of rare and desirable, that increases the value.

The "hype" Barrett Jackson puts out, does not make those cars any more rare, but it does create a desire on the part of potential buyers. Since the number of available cars has not changed, the increase in desirability is what drives the prices up.

Being the "sportier" of the two, the Hardtop (Holiday) was heavier and more expensive.

Heavier was not what the typical "racer" was looking for, and more expensive was not what the more frugal buyer was looking for. Those who "stepped up" from Chev or Pontiac, as well as repeat Olds buyers, tended to choose the more "upscale" models.

Norm

[Olds64]

4 door hardtops are where it's at! They are the best. PERIOD!

[dharlett]

Kelly,

Since I'm a classic car enthusiast who loves Oldsmobiles (I own 6) and a website designer. I would be glad to let you or anyone else on this forum place free ads on my site.

If classicoldsmobile.com would like a free return link on all of the ads I would be more than willing. I am not doing this to try and steel business, I am doing this to help out the hobby.

Go to http://www.carcorral.com to place your ad. When you register, type in "Oldsmobile" for the promotional code. That will give you a FREE 6 month 3 photo listing.

I currently have a client with a 1959 2 door '88 for sale -- so having some additional '88s on the site would be great.

Best of luck on getting a fair price.

Dan Harlett
Collector Car Corral

[Olds64]

That is cool Dan. Thanks for offering to allow us to sell cars on your website. You might want to make a another thread in the general discussion so everyone can see your offer. Thanks a million!

[ParisTexan]

I'll check it out. Thanks!

Kelly