1974 Oldsmobile Delta 88

Description

The writing may have been on the way for full-sized ragtops, but this 1974 Oldsmobile Delta 88 convertible never got the message. Big, comfortable, and able to effortlessly cruise across the country, this is first-class travel the way it was meant to be.

There's a lot of sheetmetal here, and the good news is that it's all in excellent shape. The yellow paint appears to be a special order color identified by "SPECIAL" on the cowl tag; it's a bit brighter than Omega Yellow, which was available that year, and we have to say that it looks great on the full-sized Olds. It was repainted a few years ago, but this is otherwise a good original car that's led an easy life, so the sheetmetal lines up well, the doors close firmly, and it looks quite crisp overall. The white rub strip was reinstalled after that paint was dry and as far as we can tell, this was a trim-off job that looks very sharp around all the edges. Details like the urethane rubber fillers between the body and bumpers are in excellent condition and all the lenses are bright and clear, another indicator of a car that's lived indoors. And like most luxury cars of the '70s, there's plenty of chrome, including the bumpers, grille, headlight surrounds and windshield frame.

The white interior appears to be almost entirely original, which, again, will give you some indication of how well-maintained this car really is. The driver's seat shows some minor wear, mostly in the high-traffic area where someone would slide behind the wheel, but there's nothing in need of replacement. Black carpets are probably a bit newer than the rest and look great, while the back seat is very well preserved. The dash pad and the woodgrained inserts are excellent with no fading or cracking, and you'll note that this car's list of accessories include A/C (still fully operational), power windows, cruise control, and a tilt steering column. Gauges are crisp and bright, if only covering the basics, and even the original AM/FM radio is still doing its thing in the middle of the dash. The white power convertible top is GM's "scissor" design that permits a full-width rear seat and includes a glass rear window and matching white boot. The trunk is neatly finished with original-style mouse-fur pad and a matching spare assembly.

Oldsmobile's 350 cubic inch V8 doesn't share any major components with other divisions' small block motors, and that's entirely a good thing. It's torquey and smooth with a distinctly different personality than comparable Chevy or Pontiac motors. The engine bay looks largely original, with a factory air cleaner up top, traditional Oldsmobile Gold engine enamel, and plenty of evidence of proper maintenance over the years. With your full-sized convertible, power steering and brakes were standard equipment, and this one includes a smooth-shifting TH400 3-speed automatic transmission and highway-friendly gears out back. A mellow dual exhaust system gives it just the right sound for its luxurious mission and with air shocks on the rear axle, it's ideally set up for parades with the homecoming queen perched on the rear seat. Interesting factory alloy wheels are a neat accessory and wear correct 225/70/15 Goodyear whitewall radials with a very period tread pattern.

In terms of bang for the buck, full-sized convertibles like this are hard to beat. How can you not love its combination of style, open-air motoring, and V8 power? Call today!