Dan Wirth

In your opinion, what was the finest Olds ever made and why?

wmachine

You're quite the troublemaker, aren't you?

msco123

gearheads78

For me its the early 50's cars. I have just always liked the early 50's cars 53 is probably my favorite. Its been a little quiet around here latley. I need to ruffle some feathers and build one with big wheels and air bags.

lshlsh2

The one in my garage in pieces.

IT'S MINE

wmachine

Dan Wirth

Those old turn of the century cars are amazing!

Dan Wirth

I just want to livin' up the situation a little.

Anyway, you have to admit it is an interesting topic. My choice for the finest Olds made is the 1950 Futuramic. I wish I had a photo - and will see if I can find one and post it later. This is a relatively rare Olds and one that I would love to have. Saw one at the Pavilions Car Show in Scottsdale last Saturday night. It was a convertable, for sale for $59k and in excellent condition (however, not mint).

msco123

Not really my favorite but this is one of the first produced olds making a statement with the curved dash. The article is pretty interesting especially the snarky remarks.
http://www.conklinsystems.com/retro/olds.shtml

citcapp

Any of the Harly Earl designed Oldsmobiles on the 50's are the best as far as I am concerned

jensenracing77

i have to many to just name one. i will say that the W-25 hood for 70 to 72 is awesome. none of the other manufacturers even come close to this hood. if i had to name just one car, the 62 starfire is among the top of the list for me. another at the top of the list for me is the 90 to 92 toronado trofeo'. the interior is beautiful on these cars. i know i will get some grief over naming a car this new. like i said in the beginning, to many to narrow it down.

jensenracing77

finest as far as longest running, i give it to the 77 cutlass. just could not kill these cars. well, as long as the back bumper did not rot off the thing. we have a 77 cutlass engine with 300,000 miles and in it's 3rd car. it has never ben rebuilt. it went 200,000 in the cutlass but the car was rusted to bad to keep driving it. to bad my dad traded a 71 W-30 for this 77 cutlass when it was new.

Destructor

My favorite is a local owner of a 64 Starfire in like new condition, dark metalic red with perfectly restored interior, engine compartment etc. Absolutely beautiful and powerful car. Still the era of the all metal car too. One of the best restorations of any car I have ever seen.

Oldsguy

Good point and solid reasoning, I think I could agree with you and add that the front grill on the Supreme is really nice (although it really started in '76). Beside, I own one and like it lots.

But, to accurately answer the original question, I think to answer the requirement of "finest" would mean naming a car with a lot of class, comfort, luxury and modern conveniences (for that time), and that would have to make it one of the early fifties 98 models loaded with every option and the brand new Rocket V8. Air conditioning was reasonably new for cars too and that would have been a big one. I am working from memory here, but when DID A/C become available in an Oldsmobile? Early fifties?

Dan Wirth

From Wikipedia:Automobile air conditioners
The Packard Motor Car Company was the first automobile manufacturer to build air conditioners into its cars, beginning in 1939.[17] These air conditioners were originally optional, and could be installed for an extra $274 (about $4,050 in 2007 dollars[update]).[18] The system took up the entire trunk space, was not very efficient, and had no thermostat or independent shut-off mechanism.[19] The option was discontinued after 1941.[20]
In 1954 the Nash Ambassador was the first American automobile to boast front-end, fully-integrated heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system.[21] The Nash-Kelvinator corporation used its experience in refrigeration to introduce the automobile industry's first compact and affordable, single-unit heating and air conditioning system optional for its 1954 Nash models.[22][23] This was the first system for the mass market with controls on the dash and an electric clutch.[24] Marketed under the name of "All-Weather Eye", the Nash system was "a good and remarkably inexpensive" system.[25] Entirely incorporated within the engine bay, the combined heating and cooling system had cold air for passengers enter through dash-mounted vents.[23] Nash's exclusive "remarkable advance" was not only the "sophisticated" unified system, but also its $345 price that beat all other systems.[26]
Most competing systems used a separate heating system and an engine-mounted compressor with an evaporator in the car's trunk to deliver cold air through the rear parcel shelf and overhead vents. General Motors made a front mounted air conditioning system optional in 1954 on Chevrolets and Pontiacs with a V8 engine that added separate controls and air distribution. The alternative layout pioneered by Nash "became established practice and continues to form the basis of the modern and more sophisticated automatic climate control systems."[27]
The innovation was adopted quickly, and by 1960 about 20% of all cars in the United States had air-conditioning with the percentage increasing to 80% in the desert areas of the Southwest.[28] American Motors made air conditioning standard equipment on all AMC Ambassadors starting with the 1968 model year, a first[29] in the mass market with a base price starting at $2,671.[30] By 1969, over half (54%) of the domestic automobiles were equipped with air conditioning; with the system needed not only for passenger comfort, but also to increase the car's resale value.[18]

wolfman98

I guess this is somewhat about personal opinion but for me I always liked the styling of the mid to late fifties Olds 98's fully optioned would be great cars to own. If I could own one it would be a 1959 Olds 98 convertible. One car they did not make but did have as a concept car was a 1954 f-88 roadster. I would love to have this car as well but if there are any around it would probably be out of my price range.

70 cutlass s

Their are so many to choose from I can't pick one. I could make a list of maybe 20 Olds cars.

bulldog

Any of the early sixties Starfires would be mine

55olds98holiday

I agree with citcapp. Love those 50's Olds.

aliensatemybuick

4 speed '65 Jetstar I, maybe not the finest, but the coolest. Of course, I'm biased.

Olds64

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the 70s B and C bodies. I enjoy my 71 98 (of course I'm biased), but the best built, most comfortable Oldsmobile I've ever driven was my dad's 1976 Olds 98 coupe. This was an EXCELLENT car! It had great get up and go and was ultimately comfortable. I also know my dad speaks highly of his 1978 Olds Delta 88. I'm surprised he didn't mention it in his earlier post.

Oldskeeper

I would have to go with my cars,just like everone else is going to go with theirs.
Now if my cars were not available I'd have to go with the 62 starfire conv. with power vents,power windows,air,cruise,power antenna,power trunk release,autronic
eye and every other option I'm forgeting.
It would be black with a burgandy interior and a white top with the proper seat belts,
dual exhaust (63 lh manifold) and a posi.I would want 15 inch crager 30 spoke chrome rims and radial tires.
But for now I'll stick with my 63 98 custom sport coupe in rose mist and my conv. in midnight mist.

toro68

agree

jaunty75

'87 Firenza

Dan Wirth

Oldskeeper mentioned Crager. Yes on that one! I would love to have a 1959 or 60 Olds with the old style late sixties/early seventies Crager mags. It might fit the "Finest" criteria, but it is right there in the land of cool.

Dan Wirth

Here's a very interesting site with many old Olds car ads plus lots of other interesting car related stuff (scroll down)....http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...ed=0CA0Q9QEwAA

Red Delta

Acheiva. Because every time you say the name of the car, someone will reply with 'gesundheit'.

redoldsman

This belongs to an old friend of mine who also has the 54 convertible

Dan Wirth

Now that's one fine car. Thanks for posting the photos.

here's an interesting original Olds clip of a '48 Futuramic, with "In a Merry Oldsmobile" tune in the background: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2ZorkAD6O4
and for 1950 http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...1933680269278#

There's a couple of 1950 Olds Futuramic's at the Pavillions show that I admire, and one of them has 18kt gold guilding on the the front and rear hood (world) emblems, which looks spectacular. This same car has a tortous shell clear brown hard plastic steering wheel that was copied from the original that alone cost this guy $2500. I wish I had my camera with me for just this car - haven't seen it for awhile, but am keeping my camera ready just in case it shows up. I've never seen a finer example of this car or any other. It is a convertible, jet black with red upholstry

oldsladyliz

stunning gorgeous.... breathtaking oldie

J'ville

I always liked the 62 Starfire hardtop. Showing my age, but I remember that at our Fri/Sat night high school hangout (called Penneys like a Sonic), one girl would bring her Dad's new 62 Starfire and smoke anything there. After awhile, none of the guys would run her. The 390 Galaxies didn't have a chance.

daves62

62 starfire hands down

toro68

1963 Starfire

Run to Rund

66 F85 442 W30! luxury (yeah, right! bench seats, no radio or heater), power, conveniences (well, ash tray, lighter, glove box), power, deluxe chrome shifter, power, luxury tachometer, power,

"power vents,power windows,air,cruise,power antenna,power trunk"
Oh, did I mention power

"a car with a lot of class, comfort, luxury and modern conveniences (for that time)"

a natural fit to C/Stock class, comfort at 111 mph trap speed; luxury chromed plastic instrument panel (light weight, too), modern convenience of passing any GTO in sight. . .
Oh, did I mention power

Eddie Hansen

even though the car you showed wasn't a production car, I think it came across the blocks at barret jackson last year or the year before, I believe they said it was built for the autorama ( NY?) based on the 53/54 corvette? i think it sold for 3.9 million, but he had a TON of documentation ( I also believe the cars were to be destroyed this one was bought as parts with the special floor tiles it was displayed on etc etc etc )


Now THIS is a project for richard!!! they do make a 53 vette kit car, knowing his affection for c-6 suspension and brakes it is a great fit to completely upgrade this puppy LOL? would have to find some donor early oldsmobiles for chrome bits, of course they will need to be whacked a little, maybe find a tri power set up, or that neat webber looking manifold back in joes garage, now's the time while he's busy working on his 62 LOL....

as for favorites I like the 50's and 60's if I had to narrow it down, my heart says 62 bubble tops and my head says 67-69 toronado.. simply for the engineering, bonus points if I could include the grant twin engine 4 wheel drive version LOL...

stan 65 cutlass

i did hear that the truck from the 40's called a COE, the O stands for oldsmobile as a designer or something.

starfire

I've never heard that before (but that doesn't mean it's not true). I've always known COE to stand for Cab Over Engine when it came to trucks. I know that some GMC trucks had Oldsmobile engines in them in the '30's and '40's.

And while I love that 1911 Limited (and would also love to own one), I've got to cast my vote for the '67 Toronado. Grace, elegance and raw power.

redoldsman

After reading all these posts, I think it would be easier to agree on the worst Oldsmobile (hey, we know some of the late stuff was less than perfect). I still love a black 62 Starfire with that beautiful red leather interior. It may not be the best but it is one of the prettiest.

oldsrocket88

The old REO trucks were kinda Oldsmobile trucks.... (Ransom E. Olds)

kjr442

I love my car, I just think the 1970 -72 has the most to offer. I do have two more that I could vote for, the 1961 two door bubble top 88, and the 1950 88. It's all about the truly fine lines that drew me to Oldsmobile at the age of 12.