fmbjogger

Just picked this beautiful '73 Delta Royale ( if you like green 4 doors) up yesterday. I certainly didn't need another car but sometimes you just can't walk away !

cutlassgal

Congratulations!!! Nothing wrong with a green 4 door! She looks pretty nice for her age. (Kinda like me, lol! )

fmbjogger

more

jaunty75

Fantastic. I always thought those four-door hardtops were very good-looking cars. What you've got there represents the height of middle-class luxury back in those days. I've got a '73 Custom Cruiser, so the dash and front end are very familiar. Good luck with it. It looks like it needs very little, if anything.

By the way, I'm not much for decoding the body tags, but I at least know that the 03C means it was built in the third week (C) of March (3). So that would be March 1973. That, of course, agrees with the build date shown on the blue sticker. My '73 had been completely repainted, so the blue sticker is not there.

MDchanic

Wow! That's a LOT nicer looking than mine .

- Eric

Allan R

It's a great looking car for the age. You do realize it has a 1975 front clip and bumper? 1973 is VERY different than what you've got.

jaunty75

Good grief! You're absolutely right. I didn't notice that the first time I looked at the photo.

jo75olds

Wow I too didn't notice until you pointed it out! Still a great looking car and for $1,200 how could you go wrong?

Lady72nRob71

You did not go wrong. Nice looking car!

fmbjogger

Wow, you are absolutely correct. I have a file 6 inches thick with the car and one of the receipts was to repair front end damage in the 80's. They just rigged it to fit, I guess. That's a scream !

Lady72nRob71

My mom's 86 CS was done in a similar way. When a semi took the front end off of it, the body shop took a complete '84 front end from a donor and just bolted it on and painted it! Functional but cosmetically incorrect...

jaunty75

Yes, but this ain't your mother's Oldsmobile!

Allan R

I never said he was wrong. I would have bought it too. The front ends are pretty much interchangeable from 1971 - 1976. What really matters is that he enjoys the car. With 66,000 original miles, WOW. I'd love to have that car too.

I am really glad you have documentation on the car. That will help you out in the long run for maintenance and provenance of the car. I would have gladly paid the 1200.00 for it too. You could have a real time capsule there if everything else is survivor!

oldspackrat

That is a nice looking car! I'd have bought it too.

petya

Congratulations! Have a lot of nice miles with together!

petya

-with

1969w3155

Nice car for the money, looks really nice. I had a "that doesn't look right" moment when I saw the front pic, but it has been pointed out. 12 mpg is okay if it's not a daily driver, 'cuz that's about all they get.

chris79ta

that's a nice find! id have bought it too!

fmbjogger

Thanks for all the feedback. Spring Carlisle begins Wed. so I'll be there and, of course, be looking for a grille and bumper for a '73 Royale, among other things. The thrill of the hunt is nearly as satisfying as owning the classic itself. Any other " ClassicOlds " members attending Carlisle this week ?

MDchanic

Pretty sure you'd need the entire nose from the core support forward - possibly the core support as well (and I don't know whether there's a contour difference to the front fenders).

- Eric

snowballs442

Good catch. Looks like you got a tank of gas on top of that.

fmbjogger

Here's the close-up view of the grille. As has been pointed out ( great catch Allan) the grille is off a '75 made to fit on a '73 nose (?). MDchanic raises the point: Is it even a '73 nose ? As you can see they rigged the grille to fit by riveting a plate to hold the incorrect grille in place. The lower grilles were just squeezed into place and are clearly ill-fitting. That said, it doesn't bother me but if I came across a 73 Grille and bumper, would they fit as is ? Thanks !

MDchanic

Okay, upon closer inspection, I can't be 100% sure what year your nose is, but I can confidently say it's not a '73. The initial photos you posted are too blurry to see the details clearly, and the later one cuts off the nose at the edges of the high beams. One thing it does show for sure is a chrome portion of the bumper extending below the main bumper, and containing the signal lights. This is a different, body-colored piece on the '73.






Here are some pics of '73's:







And one of just the header panel:


(Other pictures of the same panel can be found here.)

It looks to me like the whole nose is from a '75,



but if you post a few more pics of the nose close-up, it may be easier to be absolutely certain.

- Eric

jaunty75

You're right, it's definitely a '75 front end.

Attached is a photo of the front end of a '74. For this year, the grilles extended higher and curved toward the rear for more of a waterfall look. It's not a '72 because that year the signal lights were above the bumper.

fmbjogger

Great detective work, men. i'm starting to think I should leave well-enough alone !

MDchanic

I would.

- Eric

Allan R

This is your car and you can do whatever you want with it. Leave it alone, modify, restore etc...

If you decide to restore the front end, remember one thing: patience. That's what I've found over the past 4 years of collecting parts for my 72. Keep on driving it the way it is, when the right donor car comes along and you can get the proper front end parts for a reasonable price that's the time to consider if you want to do something with it.

In the meantime, I sincerely hope you enjoy your ride. It is a really nice looking car. How bout some pics of the other side, tail, trunk and engine?

Redog

nice car!!

D Appeldorn

mmm, wish my car did look like that when i bought it.

Looks realy nice,

fmbjogger

How bout some pics of the other side, tail, trunk and engine?


Here ya go. No engine or trunk shots yet.

MDchanic

Roadtrip!!!!

jaunty75

Interesting. The rear of your car looks like it came from a '59 Edsel.



Just kidding.

MDchanic

I kinda like 'em - like square rocket engines!

- Eric

64Rocket

The passenger side lens is missing the chrome ring. It is still a very nice car. Keep it clean and just drive it. Only us Olds guys notice the little things.
Gene