Saw this at a local used car lot the other day. So okay people what is it? And yes I know it's a 77' Ninety-Eight. . More specifically was it built by Oldsmobile or an outside source. And is it collectible? Obviously this one is too far gone for restoration. But might provide parts for someone who has one.

 

It looks like it was used as a limo at some point in it's life. It's definitely a bit longer than a normal one. See the rear wheel arch? It should be right up against the door like this one.



And of course the decklid isn't factory.

 

Custom stretch limo. Definitely not factory. Collectible? Maybe. Valuable? Not so much.

 

The faux Continental kit on the rear trunk looks... stupid.

 

You are being kind...

 

That looks like a caddy with a nose and tail end change..

 

Curious....even the Landau section of the roof is longer....

 

it wouldn't make sense not to stretch the roof if you are keeping stock doors & glass

 

I've heard vinyl tops are used on limos to hide where the roof was stretched. Of course, if they can make a fender or door look like it cam from the factory then they can easily do the same with a roof. I like vinyl tops and Oldsmobile sedans, that one has just led a hard life.

 

Roof, big panel with no strength from bends.. = tin canning..
welding a long seam then grinding and then adding weight with filler doesn't do this tin canning any favors..
Doors and fenders have character lines that limit this ..tin canning..

 

Same trick GM used for the first couple years of the Seville (lengthening the existing roof panel available from a Nova and hiding the seam under Vinyl). Cheap m-fs only created the tooling for the longer roof a bit later (and after that people could get one without a vinyl roof).