1970 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

Description

This 1970 Oldsmobile 98 convertible represents a great deal of luxury convertible for not a lot of cash, and offers a driving experience that we'll never see again. Big, effortless V8 up front, a soft, pillowy ride, and room enough for six in full-sized comfort all add up to a lot of fun for the money.

This particular Olds has a long history of being protected and well-cared-for, starting with the first owner keeping it garaged whenever he wasn't out enjoying the sun. It then spent about 25 years indoors where it was carefully preserved before being disinterred recently and recommissioned. As a result, the code 50 Bamboo paint looks great, with a proper shine for 1970 and no signs of major bodywork in its past. The sheetmetal underneath, all 19 feet of it, looks fantastic and for a big car, this one has great proportions that mask its true size. Typoical trouble spots like the area above the fender skirts, and in the rockers, appear to be in very good condition and panel fit is very good, especially for a convertible. Likewise, the chrome and stainless brightwork is original to the car and while there are a few signs of age that are just inescapable, it shows rather well and certainly fits with the character and condition of the rest of the car.

There's some patina to the code 924 Gold upholstery, but nothing that would warrant replacement, and if you're into survivors, you're going to be impressed. The pillow-tufted vinyl seats are in exceptionally good condition with only minor signs of wear and no cracking or split seams, which is really impressive. Age has altered the color of a few pieces just a little bit, but we wouldn't think of replacing anything. The carpets are original and look good, too. The only areas that show their true age might be the door panels and the steering wheel, which shows some delamination that is probably inevitable in a convertible, but those are very small demerits in a very impressive survivor. The instrument panel is definitely a product of 1970 and options include power windows and factory A/C, which was rare in a convertible, even a top-of-the-line Olds. The AM/FM/cassette stereo was added at some point in its past and still sounds good, and there's a black power convertible top that stows under a matching tan vinyl boot. And as you'd expect, the trunk is giant and includes a full-sized spare with jack assembly.

Oldsmobile's biggest engine, a Rocket 455 cubic inch V8, provides the kind of low-RPM power that moves this big car without seeming to work hard. The engine bay is exceptionally clean, more evidence that it hasn't been in the snow or other inclement weather, and it's completely stock. Turn the key and it fires up with an idle so smooth that you almost have to double-check to be sure it's running. It has obviously been serviced and includes things like new belts and hoses, a fresh alternator, and some new wiring, all of which were intended to make it a reliable cruiser once again. A TH400 3-speed automatic transmission shifts as it should and the ride of this big luxury yacht is exactly as smooth and soft as you'd expect. A recent muffler gives it hushed performance and the recent 215/70/15 whitewall radials certainly help with the smooth ride.

A very cool survivor that's also a lot of fun to drive, this Olds is a real bargain at only $1000 per foot. Call today!