1975 Olds Delta 88 Royale Convert
1975 Olds Delta 88 Royale Convert
July 21st, 2012, 08:03 PM
#7
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It wasn't just Olds, either. GM was putting Chevy engines in Buicks and Pontiacs at that time without telling anyone, too.
Actually, isn't it true that the aluminum 215 V-8 put into the first Cutlasses back in the early 1960s was actually a Buick engine? Oldsmobile's use of engines other than their own predates the 1977 fiasco by quite a bit.
July 21st, 2012, 08:08 PM
#8
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We have a 75 Delta 88 Royale Convertible with the 350 - 4bbl. Olds offered 2 engines in 75 for this car, the 350 and the 455. Late in the model year, Oldsmobile ran out of engines about 2/3 of the way thru the model year. They put the Pontiac 400's in the Delta 88's and 98's at the tail end of the model year. If you come across one of these, chances are they were built between June and August of 1975.
July 21st, 2012, 08:15 PM
#9
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I've never heard this. According to Setting the Pace, the 400 was option L65 on the Delta 88 in 1975. There's no mention that you had to take it in place of the 350 or 455 if you happened to be buying late in the model year.
This source also shows that the 400 was available as option L48 on the Custom Cruiser. I always thought that the 455 was the only engine available on the big wagons.
It's interesting that 1975 is the only year that the 400 is shown at all. For the other model years in that full-size style ('71 to '76), only the 350 and 455 are shown as available engines.
This source also shows that the 400 was available as option L48 on the Custom Cruiser. I always thought that the 455 was the only engine available on the big wagons.
It's interesting that 1975 is the only year that the 400 is shown at all. For the other model years in that full-size style ('71 to '76), only the 350 and 455 are shown as available engines.
July 21st, 2012, 08:22 PM
#10
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
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1975 convertible seat options were either a full-width bench seat or a 40/60 bench seat. Both seating options included a fold-down center armrest. Either could be 6-way power and the 40/60 could be power on both sides.
212 1975 88 converts had the Pontiac 400 inch engine. They were also commonly installed in other Delta 88s, Ninety Eights, and Custom Cruisers. Only Oldsmobile knows why.
The 215 had a lot of Oldsmobile-specific stuff on it. Other non-Olds engines installed in later cars were exactly the same as those installed in their respective marques.
Old Cars Weekly tried to explain this week that the reason Olds ran out of 350/403 engines for their own cars and had to use Chevy engines was because the Olds 350 was the only 350 engine emissions-certified for CA installations, and all California-bound BOP cars got them.
Now, that's all well and good, but that ain't the way Setting the Pace explained it.
212 1975 88 converts had the Pontiac 400 inch engine. They were also commonly installed in other Delta 88s, Ninety Eights, and Custom Cruisers. Only Oldsmobile knows why.
The 215 had a lot of Oldsmobile-specific stuff on it. Other non-Olds engines installed in later cars were exactly the same as those installed in their respective marques.
Old Cars Weekly tried to explain this week that the reason Olds ran out of 350/403 engines for their own cars and had to use Chevy engines was because the Olds 350 was the only 350 engine emissions-certified for CA installations, and all California-bound BOP cars got them.
Now, that's all well and good, but that ain't the way Setting the Pace explained it.
July 22nd, 2012, 05:00 AM
#12
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Yes, you are young!
No. BOP = "Buick Olds Pontiac" and is simply shorthand for the non-Chevy mainstream automobile production by General Motors.
If you haven't found out already, you soon will that the old car hobby is dominated by Ford and Chevy enthusiasts. Go to most car shows, and 90% of the cars are one of these two makes with the other 10% being everything else.
Nothing against these folks, but non-Chevy, non-Ford types get tired of this sometimes, and sometimes the non-Chevy GM makes band together for their own, non-Chevy car show. There are often these "BOP" shows around the country.
Anyway, any time someone wants to refer collectively to the non-Chevy GM cars (sometimes Cadillac is included, and the term is "BOPC"), they'll use the BOP shorthand.
No. BOP = "Buick Olds Pontiac" and is simply shorthand for the non-Chevy mainstream automobile production by General Motors.
If you haven't found out already, you soon will that the old car hobby is dominated by Ford and Chevy enthusiasts. Go to most car shows, and 90% of the cars are one of these two makes with the other 10% being everything else.
Nothing against these folks, but non-Chevy, non-Ford types get tired of this sometimes, and sometimes the non-Chevy GM makes band together for their own, non-Chevy car show. There are often these "BOP" shows around the country.
Anyway, any time someone wants to refer collectively to the non-Chevy GM cars (sometimes Cadillac is included, and the term is "BOPC"), they'll use the BOP shorthand.
July 22nd, 2012, 09:11 AM
#13
Oldsdruid
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I always called those C-clip axles a PITA (pain in the ***)! Every one I ever fooled with, ended up breaking that retainer pin trying to get it out! So much simpler unbolting an axle retainer flange, and some of the more considerate axle manufacturers even notch the hub flange for access to the retainer nuts.
July 22nd, 2012, 09:40 AM
#14
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Location: Gluckstadt, MS
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I have researched this topic. In 1975 the Delta 88 Royal convertible was offered with three engine types. The 350, 400 and 455. There were 7181 produce in '75. 6463 had the 350, 473 with the 455 and only 245 with the 400. They were produced at 2 plants; one in Fairfax Kansas, the other in Lansing Michigan. The last one roll off the Lansing line on July 11, 1975.
July 22nd, 2012, 11:02 AM
#17
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Watch any Mecum auction on Velocity. Out of, say, 500 cars auctioned, 400 will be Chevies, 50 will be Fords (all Mustangs), and the other 50 will be everything else. Three will be Oldsmobiles. Two of the Oldsmobiles will be '70 442s, and one will be a '50s 88 convertible.
July 22nd, 2012, 11:32 AM
#18
Oldsdruid
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I have researched this topic. In 1975 the Delta 88 Royal convertible was offered with three engine types. The 350, 400 and 455. There were 7181 produce in '75. 6463 had the 350, 473 with the 455 and only 245 with the 400. They were produced at 2 plants; one in Fairfax Kansas, the other in Lansing Michigan. The last one roll off the Lansing line on July 11, 1975.
Not questioning or challenging, just wondering if new info has come to light.
July 22nd, 2012, 06:00 PM
#19
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Spyder, just wondering where you found that, because everything I've seen on the 400-powered 75 converts said 212 produced, and I know of several 75 D88 ragtops that were built at Linden NJ.
Not questioning or challenging, just wondering if new info has come to light.
Not questioning or challenging, just wondering if new info has come to light.
July 22nd, 2012, 09:39 PM
#20
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To continue the line of inquiry, where did the 1975 Delta 88 Royale Registry get the numbers?
I did a google search and turned up this page, which sounds like it might be what you're talking about.
http://www.1975oldsmobileconvertible.com/index.html
But this looks it relies on owners to "register" their car on the site. It even says "known to exist" on their registry page.
There is no way that such a thing could be exhaustive and account for every '75 Delta 88 or Delta 88 convertible that came off the assembly line. It's a big country. Undoubtedly some were involved in accidents, totaled, and scrapped within a week of being sold new. Is something like this accounted for in the registry?
I'd have a similar question about the AACA. Where does their data come from?
Again, like rocketraider, I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm just saying that this kind of information has long been assumed, based mostly on what GM itself has long said, and I what I was told directly (in letter form) by the late Helen Earley, to be unavailable because official records to this level of detail were not kept.
I owned a '75 Delta 88 Royale convertible from 1994 to 2001, so this sort of thing does interest me. I never was able to find information like this back then.
I did a google search and turned up this page, which sounds like it might be what you're talking about.
http://www.1975oldsmobileconvertible.com/index.html
But this looks it relies on owners to "register" their car on the site. It even says "known to exist" on their registry page.
There is no way that such a thing could be exhaustive and account for every '75 Delta 88 or Delta 88 convertible that came off the assembly line. It's a big country. Undoubtedly some were involved in accidents, totaled, and scrapped within a week of being sold new. Is something like this accounted for in the registry?
I'd have a similar question about the AACA. Where does their data come from?
Again, like rocketraider, I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm just saying that this kind of information has long been assumed, based mostly on what GM itself has long said, and I what I was told directly (in letter form) by the late Helen Earley, to be unavailable because official records to this level of detail were not kept.
I owned a '75 Delta 88 Royale convertible from 1994 to 2001, so this sort of thing does interest me. I never was able to find information like this back then.
July 23rd, 2012, 07:32 AM
#21
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Location: Gluckstadt, MS
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To continue the line of inquiry, where did the 1975 Delta 88 Royale Registry get the numbers?
I did a google search and turned up this page, which sounds like it might be what you're talking about.
http://www.1975oldsmobileconvertible.com/index.html
But this looks it relies on owners to "register" their car on the site. It even says "known to exist" on their registry page.
There is no way that such a thing could be exhaustive and account for every '75 Delta 88 or Delta 88 convertible that came off the assembly line. It's a big country. Undoubtedly some were involved in accidents, totaled, and scrapped within a week of being sold new. Is something like this accounted for in the registry?
I'd have a similar question about the AACA. Where does their data come from?
Again, like rocketraider, I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm just saying that this kind of information has long been assumed, based mostly on what GM itself has long said, and I what I was told directly (in letter form) by the late Helen Earley, to be unavailable because official records to this level of detail were not kept.
I owned a '75 Delta 88 Royale convertible from 1994 to 2001, so this sort of thing does interest me. I never was able to find information like this back then.
I did a google search and turned up this page, which sounds like it might be what you're talking about.
http://www.1975oldsmobileconvertible.com/index.html
But this looks it relies on owners to "register" their car on the site. It even says "known to exist" on their registry page.
There is no way that such a thing could be exhaustive and account for every '75 Delta 88 or Delta 88 convertible that came off the assembly line. It's a big country. Undoubtedly some were involved in accidents, totaled, and scrapped within a week of being sold new. Is something like this accounted for in the registry?
I'd have a similar question about the AACA. Where does their data come from?
Again, like rocketraider, I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm just saying that this kind of information has long been assumed, based mostly on what GM itself has long said, and I what I was told directly (in letter form) by the late Helen Earley, to be unavailable because official records to this level of detail were not kept.
I owned a '75 Delta 88 Royale convertible from 1994 to 2001, so this sort of thing does interest me. I never was able to find information like this back then.
Yes, that is a self registering site. I do not think the intent was to list all cars but those willing to give out the information and current condition. There is a similar one for my '88 Fiero.
As to production numbers, I would think the AACA numbers would be trustworthy. Body and engine codes are identifiable and I would think that those records would have been kept for a period of time at least should there be a recall or service issue.
There is a large number of owners on this site, maybe we can get a larger sampling through a poll here.
July 23rd, 2012, 11:58 AM
#22
Lansing built
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