Strangely-Optioned 1971 Oldsmobile 98: See What Makes This One Unique!

[@landiahillfarm6590]

So many of these 60's and 70's "Vinyl Roof Delete" cars looks so much better than their counterparts.

[@Sheisthedevilyouknowwho-ft9we]

,100%

[@CJColvin]

Totally agree 100% it makes the car look clean an elegant.

[@silvernail6]

YES

[@Lazloweber]

Agreed! Just another example of how the big 3 were out of touch

[@jamesbulldogmiller]

I agree. don't think a vinyl roof looks good on any car. And, the vinyl traps moisture and rusts the roof.

[@corgiowner436]

Those metal GM belt buckles got blistering hot in the sun.

[@MrSdallen123]

I remember the same thing, especially in Phoenix AZ during the summer months.

[@jamesengland7461]

Branding irons!

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

@@MrSdallen123 my aunt always told me to hide them she allways had used a small towel to open doors

[@collinrust2641]

The slot in the flat metal buckle made a perfect bottle opener.

[@richott3813]

Seen people wearing shorts get leg burns on a hot day

[@unclebob7937]

I miss those BIG Oldsmobiles. Smooth, comfortable and powerful.

[@lastotallyawesomebleach204]

I miss American cars in general. It's all assembled from China crap now.

[@benjaminrobinson3842]

*1971:* Gee, that car looks plain without the vinyl top. *2024:* Gee, that car looks elegant without a vinyl top cluttering it up.

[@DennisShook-k7w]

I think it looks sportier😮

[@Gazdatronik]

The Vinyl top looks better with its contrast, but I know which one I'd rather have today.

[@IcelanderUSer]

@@DennisShook-k7w😂

[@Monaco-BuilditFixitDriveitEver]

Yes! That’s funny.

[@sageskeleton]

I was raised 30 miles from Lansing. Many of the local farmers ordered their Oldsmobiles much as this 98 is equipped (fewer things to break with manual windows & locks). Many of those farmers supplemented their income by working at Olds Assembly.

[@ClassicRockandRoll-i9x]

I was born in Saginaw.

[@jeffshadow2407]

​@@ClassicRockandRoll-i9xWere you ever on a Power Steering Assembly?😂

[@KyrosTheWolf]

Is that a Beastars pfp? Never thought I'd see a Beastars fan watching a channel about old American cars XD

[@sageskeleton]

Sure is! Old cars are the best!

[@sageskeleton]

Been to Saginaw many times. Mainly to spot bulk carrier ships.

[@markdc1145]

I remember our neighbors who drove to Detroit in late 1970 and returned with a new light green metallic 98 hardtop. The mother was very proud of her new car and her very words to me were "it's like a Cadillac, only better!"

[@pjimmbojimmbo1990]

A lot of 98 owners were dreaming their Olds were Cadillacs. I owned both a 98 Regency and a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, and the Caddy was a Much Better car.

[@glennmanchester5696]

​@@pjimmbojimmbo1990of course it had to be by pecking order

[@rustyshackleford3423]

We had a green metallic 73

[@Steve_in_VA]

A neighbor had two of these 455 powered four door sedans. It was well into the late 80s when he got rid of them. They were beaters he drove to work. I remember they ran smoothly and had tons of torque. The green interior was comfortable and could haul all the neighbors to lunch with room to spare. When his mother passes he inherited her mid 80s Delta 98. What a difference in the two cars! He kept the '73's because they were so reliable.

[@garyszewc3339]

It's Delta 88, not 98.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

A kid I went to school with, his father had one of these. We were in our early teens ,so it was "Do a burnout Mr Lane!". It would squak em, but for a thrill he would run the back way to drop us off at school, and it was all hammer down for 9 miles thru the hills and straights. If you noted the gas gauge at the beginning of the "run" and noted it at the end ,it was shy of using 1/4 tank 😂😂 she was a thirsty beasty

[@Steve_in_VA]

@@MrTheHillfolk That's awesome! Nothing like flying down the road in a large car! A friend of mine had a '62 Galaxie XL with a 390 and bias plys. That sucker would move out! The James River Bridge is five miles long here in Newport News, VA and you could get up some serious speed on that bridge!

[@VB-bk1lh]

Back in the early 80's I worked at an autoparts distributor and we had an elderly woman who worked in the office that drove a '71 Olds with a 350 and a three on the tree column shift model, it had no options, not even a radio in that same blue. I'm not an Old's guy and it could have been an 88 or 98 models but the thing was like new back then. It turned out she only drove it about 1/2 mile to work, living in the block of houses right behind the warehouse. (She probably could have gotten to work faster if she walked). I'm not sure what happened to it, She retired not long after I started there while still in school. the place sat in a low area off the highway, to pull out it meant climbing a short hill, and gunning it up onto the main road, she left a patch of black rubber every day when she pulled out, she must have just side stepped the clutch and let it rip every time.

[@JuniorFan08]

It would have to have been an 88 as the 98 only came with automatic. 1971 was the last year you could get a 3 on the tree in these cars - as well as it's classmates - Chev, Buick and Pontiac.

[@Jerry-ok8gj]

Beautiful car!!! Bring Oldsmobile back!!!!

[@dustin_4501]

Let her rest Olds would just return to make some boring SUV...

[@roccosophie6498]

Bring all American automobiles, back. And make them, HERE! I'll never buy any of this new "global garbage!"😊

[@MarinCipollina]

Bring Pontiac back first.

[@UberLummox]

Who cares about any GM past 1970.

[@rogerdodrill4733]

71 I say, when they lost compression n pwr​@@UberLummox

[@JasonFlorida]

I really like how you can get inside the designers head and tell the story! I find your videos fascinating.

[@douglasb.1203]

How you're able to find vintage designs is pretty incredible. Merry Christmas dude.

[@bobwilson758]

Agreed !

[@michaeltucker9993]

I really enjoy these videos. I grew up through this era. My family and friends families all had a full size, usually GM family car. These cars rode so nice. My dad always opted for the larger engine, which made me happy as a teenager.

[@stevenschwartz1209]

I was only six when my dad brought his ‘71 Olds 98 in gold with black interior home. Used to love napping in the huge backseat on long trips.

[@TheGhostofW.C.Fields-lz6xh]

My dad's family were mostly an Oldsmobile family. I ended up getting my uncle's '65 98 LS with the 425 and the Rochester 4 jet. (NOT the Quadrajet) It had posi traction but GM called it "Limited Slip". I changed the fluid in the rear end and got a special GM additive to put in the rear differential. I was informed by an extremely knowledgeable GM tech that the GM additive was the only thing that GM could find to make the rear differential work smoothly. The additive being whale oil. No kidding. It was a clear lightweight oil that came in maybe a 3 ounce tube. I believed it to be what the expert told me it was.

[@baronvonslambert]

Positraction is just the brand/marketing name for GM's limited slip differentials.

[@MilkCrateGarage]

GM also used whale oil in their ATF, probably for the same reason!

[@jamesbosworth4191]

You needed that with Posi, or else it would chatter in turns.

[@localsheriff]

Whale oil used to be a very common ingredient in automotive fluid additive packages in the US up to the 1973 endangered species act and offered unique properties that weren't easily replicated with the science back then. Sperm oil was found in LS additive as well as in GM ATF (type A) and the original Dexron (B); the mentioned act led to development of the Dexron II. Jojoba oil or synthetic additives have been used in place of whale oil since then

[@jamesbosworth4191]

@@localsheriff I remember that change-over the year I graduated from High School, and Dexron getting replaced with Dexron II ATF.

[@jamesnordbeck382]

You finally did it. I knew it wouldn't take you very long to find the car that my mother drove me home from the hospital in after I was born. She loved that car. I remember sliding back and forth in the rear seat when she would take corners fast. A true classic car. Thank you for creating and sharing this video!

[@jameskennedy673]

Brings back memories. I used to own a 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a 350 V-8, 1974 Oldsmobile 98 two door hardtop with 455 V-8. Never had any issues with them.

[@brucesamuelson7541]

My 65 98LS has the 425 Super Rocket Ultra High Compression 370HP!

[@us1fedvet]

I too had one. Black vinyl over turquoise with a blue brocade interior. That car pulled like a Baldwin locomotive up north of the 120 on the Speedo.

[@brucesamuelson7541]

@us1fedvet Mine didn't have the vinyl top was originally white repainted black with the same blue interior in mint condition with the original floor and trunk mats. Rust free from Cali it even has the original hub caps. Bought it from an impound yard to flip, the average sale price is 15k and that's cheap for what it is IMO

[@Dac54]

There was a rather interesting fellow who resided on the same block as I did growing up who got a new Oldsmobile 98 2dr every couple of years or so. I'm not sure if he leased or traded them in, but the first one that I remember was a 1970 2dr in gold color with a black vinyl top. Perhaps this color was discontinued at some point because the next two that he had through the 1976 model year were brown with tan or beige color vinyl tops. As I recall, each of them had power windows, power locks, and air conditioning. In the area where I grew up, there were plenty of Oldsmobiles of each of the popular models in all colors and configurations. It brings back lots of memories; it's hard to believe that it's going on 20 yrs since the final Oldsmobile was produced.

[@bk14nyc]

BEAUTIFUL Oldsmobile, but PLEASE someone put the CORRECT wheel covers back on!!!!

[@ralphl7643]

Back then, they didn't need to use eye-catching wheels--the cars themselves were good looking.

[@gregorylyon1004]

Do you have any idea how much it would cost to buy the correct wheel covers for a 1971 Oldsmobile ??? And that's if he can find them today

[@jameswaltersdorf2783]

We were always an Oldsmobile family. Came home from the hospital in a '59 Ninety Eight convertible and took my driver's test in 1977 in our last new oldsmobile, a '73 Custom Cruiser. One thing I always remember about Oldses of that era was you could always recognize them in a parking lot by the sound of their exhaust. I have no idea why that was, but I distinctly remember it.

[@sableminer8133]

I always thought they made a certain almost railroad engine clankity clank noise, not really noticing❤

[@theda850two]

It's true, the unique exhaust note is definitely noticeable, I believe because of the valve arrangement and perhaps cross over pipe under the engine into the other manifold.

[@gybx4094]

In that era, Oldsmobile had virtually unlimited factory custom order options. Theoretically, you could have a driver's power window and manual windows on all passenger doors. The Japanese forced us to do option packaging starting in 1995 with the J-Car major redesign. The Camry and Accord were saving massive option proliferation costs with option packaging. At least that's when it started for us in GM Engineering at Small Car Division.

[@patrickflohe7427]

I remember my dad ordering several new GM vehicles in the late 70s and the 80s. They were definitely doing option packages then.

[@adamtrombino106]

I'm not sure who started packing and when, but I do know that in the early 70s Dodge and Plymouth had 'Easy Order Packages' across their carlines. It was the popular creature comforts and convenience features like automatic, p/s, p/b, interior light group, etc, at a discounted price as compared to checking the sheet individually, though 1 could still do that. It was faster and easier to build the cars that way. But by the mid 80s, if you wanted certain options, sometimes you had to move up to another trim level, or even an entirely different model. My dad used to call it, "adding the fluff" .

[@jamesbosworth4191]

The auto makers thought copying the Japanese would work, but it backfired badly. Because those who like Japanese cars want a REAL one, not a Japanese-style American car, and those of us who love our own cars want them to be thoroughly American in style, looks, room, comfort, and quietness.

[@sableminer8133]

I am sure you got our illustrious host a hard on when u mention cost savings seeing how he is a bean counter😅

[@rightlanehog3151]

Adam, I like the way this car was optioned. I would have only added cloth seats and air conditioning if I was signing on the dotted line at my friendly, neighbourhood Olds dealer in 1971. 🤩

[@robertlutgen7636]

One of the best automobiles featured on the channel! Not including your personal collection which always makes my jaw drop with amazement. Keep up the great work!

[@GenerationZGarage]

Thank you, I love this channel and the way you lay out your videos. They're really informative, and yet still fun to watch.

[@coreyjones1518]

Beautiful car. I think these look better without the vinyl roof. The back view reminds me of a 66 Deville.

[@greatwall8158]

70 to 72 Monte Carlos as well.

[@parkependleton6453]

I agree that virtually any car looks better without the vinyl roof! Another fantastic video, thanks!

[@GM-vf7px]

That is one Beautifully maintained vehicle!!Love it!!!Take me back to these great times!!

[@clintonstubbs2319]

I like that Oldsmobile 98. Oldsmobile had some pretty nice family cars and the design was clean and handsome.

[@tombrown1898]

My favorite movie plug for Olds was in "Blaze," where Paul Newman, as Louisiana Governor Earl Long, was trying to ply the dancer Blaze Starr with a fur coat. The manager of the strip joint came out to announce that "the lady say she offended by your offer of a fur coat." And the governor upped the ante with, "so, offer her an Oldsmobile!"

[@WaKincaid]

I had my grandparents 71 98 LS I miss it to this day, best car EVER

[@SeaTravelr123]

Love this.. she was very under equipped.. the artist concept had a lot of Impala/Caprice in it as well.. Great Video... Merry Christmas Adam, to you and your family...

[@keneldred9030]

That is one sweet car! I miss those “Golden Gems of Yesteryear!” With them, you had plenty of room for up to 6 full-sized people, True safety around you, and an all-around ride, drive and handling vehicle, that perfectly delivered an absolutely “smooth ride!” And to finish putting the icing on the cake, they completely “proved true comfort in a ride!”

[@sableminer8133]

And u left out 10 mpg frugaility! They also luv regular oil added😅

[@devonvictor3210]

Oldsmobile's were my favorite from the 70'S and 80"s..I really liked the Cutlass Supreme 2 door coups. I miss my 1981 Cutlass, one of my favorite cars I have had. My ex wife had a 1972 Delta 88 convertible we bought together. It was a really nice looking, nice ridding, and nice driving car.

[@t21229513]

That’s a beauty car and you discuss and analyze the cars so well.

[@bob8776]

Of all of the vehicles I’ve ever owned only one didn’t have a center arm rest. I lamented not having somewhere to put my arm the entire time I had that truck. As low buck as it seems, an arm rest truly is luxurious

[@donaldszymczak]

my buddy had a beater 98 in the early 80s as we were fixing up his place we easily could fit 4x8 sheets of plywood in the trunk with only about a foot sticking out the back ! great car .

[@rayshaw5256]

Really appreciate your work, Adam. These cars that you feature truly deserve the attention you bring to them. As far as this beauty, well I never embraced that headlight bucket treatment, but works on this early example without the gross bumpers. That design drawing from Cadillac is clearly where that came from. Where else can we learn this? Thanks again Adam, and keep it coming.

[@SpecialAgentJamesAki]

I pulled a 455 out of a junk yard 1971 98 for my 71 LS that was originally Nordic blue. The junk yard one was a white 2 door no ac and the dash vents were all fake. No cornering lights. No rear defroster. No vinyl top. Cloth interior. No tilt wheel. No smog pump on the motor, factory 4 barrel. It was a super low miles car. I stripped everything I could from it. I’m sure it would have driven out of the yard but here in California once it’s in the yard its title goes “for destruction only”.

[@bobwilson758]

Cool stuff - as a young mechanic , I did similar things to build my cars . Station wagons always Had the “ good stuff “ in them that I looked for .

[@garthwillard8089]

That is criminal, normal Californication. Great save of the pieces

[@SpecialAgentJamesAki]

@@garthwillard8089 agreed 🤙

[@SpecialAgentJamesAki]

@@bobwilson758 the best way to do it 😁

[@jamesbosworth4191]

That's a shame that this stupid state does that.

[@craigcoe5332]

My father bought a 1973 Olds 98 LS used in 1975. It was marroon with black interior. Even when we stopped driving the car due to engine problems, the interior was still like new. Very luxurious car.

[@MarinCipollina]

Thanks for this one, Adam.. I thought the 1971 GM C bodies were especially elegant and commanding, especially when new.

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

Agree about the '71 GM C bodies, beautifully styled - one of my favorites to this day! Honorable mention goes to Ford in '71 for their nicely restyled full sized Ford LTD, Mercury Marquis and also the new Torinos.

[@ThadHardman]

Great car! First car was a grass green delta 88 (71). Was equipped like this ride: no ac crank windows base 350. Unique in the fact that a lot less to break! All these fullsize boats were like family rooms. Also excellent interchange with glass and chassis parts

[@Randomness5050]

I knew a guy who had an early 70s Olds 98 (I think) similar to the one in the vid that was a GM airbag beta test vehicle. IIRC he said if the car was wrecked, GM had the right to retake title to it for analysis..

[@billh230]

That would have been a '73.

[@Randomness5050]

@billh230 Can you explain how the program worked and how many cars were involved? How many had the airbags deploy? I think the guy said his dad was a GM employee who got the car cheap or free...

[@billh230]

@@Randomness5050 The details in my mind are pretty hazy, but it was a limited run of 88s, 98s and Toros. A high end option to test the real-world viability of air bags. I remember there actually was a listing in the brochures for that in '74. I don't think it was more than a handful of cars. Maybe a ½ dozen survivors, if that. The Olds club will have much more accurate information. Sorry.

[@Randomness5050]

@billh230 Thank you!

[@billh230]

@@Randomness5050 A couple of hors ago I Googled "74 Olds airbag" and found I was off by rather a lot. The first GM car with the feature was a run of 1000 Chevy Impalas built for the government. It was '74-'77 airbags were available on Buick, Olds and Cadillac, with not quite 13,000 built total. It's a Christmas Miracle: I learned something new!

[@sira.scottascot8865]

The lack of trim and vinyl roof looks great, I think. The lines of the body are just great by themselves and the way the beautiful blue reflects the light really shows those body lines. You really show some beautiful old luxury cars in here. Really appreciated.

[@pipedreamin]

7:46 my brother and I used those belt buckles extensively 😂. We had a ‘71 98 when I was a kid, it started a lifelong obsession with land yachts.

[@bradparris99]

Did you kids wear the seat belts or did you beat each other with them?

[@jamesweddle184]

6 golf bags? Heck, you could probably fit 6 GOLFERS in that trunk...if you stacked them neatly!

[@B3burner]

So nice to see you complimenting these large 1970’s cars. The other night I had the misfortune of watching a video where the guy dissed every large car in the 70’s ever made. Needless to say, the remarks don’t bear repeating, as the guy was clearly an idiot.

[@MrPoppyDuck]

Love those hardtops! So nice to drive with all four windows down in nice weather. Super airy. Thanks Adam for another interesting video!

[@rogerdodrill4733]

It needs a larger gas pedal

[@MrPoppyDuck]

@@rogerdodrill4733 🙂

[@fishesvideo]

I had a 1970 98 LS Loaded. Had the sideview mirrors on the fenders. 454 V8. Powerful Car!

[@chuckwhitson654]

455 was Buick olds and Pontiac. 454 was chevy

[@fishesvideo]

@@chuckwhitson654 Yes, 455. It got about 8-12 mpg. But gas was like 99 cents at the time ;-)

[@Steve_in_VA]

Talking about the rear impact standard at 5:45. Not like you'd feel a rear impact in the 98 since you're 20 feet away! Beautiful car!

[@toasteroverdrive1097]

These are the best looking Oldsmobiles

[@dcross6360]

Just gorgeous I had a 76 Regency 1776 Edition

[@davidgold5961]

5:59 Unless it has an illuminated red lamp when you open the door, not having power locks or power windows means there are no wires whatsoever in the doors.

[@Ole-Red]

My mom had a 98 LS. Nice 5300 lb car. It got 16 mpg with HEI ignition. To put duals on you would have to change one exhaust manifold.

[@cadillacnan]

Full size gm cars are the best. Glad i own one

[@NorlandBoxcar]

Happy Holidays Adam. Beautiful luxury exterior on this car. Very strange that one would not want the same luxury inside back in the day. Kinda defeats the purpose of owning it. However, from today's perspective, an owner of a classic car probably appreciates less electrical stuff inside for longer lasting reliability.

[@fredkelbert1913]

When seat belts became standard equipment on GM cars, it was common for them to offer standard “color-keyed” plastic buckles. Brushed stainless steel buckled belts were considered “optional,” but here they were likely standard because it was a Ninety Eight model.

[@bradparris99]

The chrome buckles were the "deluxe" option on most GM cars. They were standard on all Cadillacs, Olds 98 and Buick Electras. Another difference in the chrome buckles vs the plastic ones is that the buckle for the lap belt is smaller than the buckle for the separate shoulder belt. I have been told that the reason for the smaller lap buckle was that most people would probably only wear a lap belt and in a crash, it would do less harm to the abdomen than the larger buckle. I wore both the lap and separate shoulder belts back then and I always thought that in a crash, that large chrome buckle riding on my lower rib cage would probably break a rib in a collision.

[@unclefester6033]

I had this near identical car only mine had soft cloth seats & full vinyl dark blue top. Boy what a land yacht

[@aaronalter2000]

My father had a 1971 Olds 98. The 455 was very powerful. You just touched the accelerator and it took off! The only complaint I had was that it handled great only as long as you were going in a straight line.

[@beenbeatenbybishops5845]

A styling masterpiece. The top level full size car styled to look like a limosine. Absolutely beautiful. You are right on the money when you said the plain roof was better. Vinyl roofs took too much attention away from the car as a whole.

[@JohnnyAloha69]

Even though I’m a life long Pontiac guy I must admit that the Olds had the best looking version of the 71-76 big cars.

[@MetalTeamster]

455 with a Q jet - turbo 400 box with a 12 bolt axle . Wow

[@gregorylyon1004]

Turbo 400 and a 12 bolt were probably standard equipment with the 455

[@radggs6961]

Those headlight buckets were on my 70 Caprice along with the rest of the B bodys. GM Style, stylist, artist; reason why they are timeless.👍🏾🇺🇸🏁

[@Cadillac61]

The front headlights are straight out of the 63-64 Cadillacs so is the rear. This 98 looks beautiful like the look without the vinyl top!

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

Also look similar to the '70 Chevy headlights - which might've copied them from the 63-64 Cadillac.

[@bobwilson758]

Nice Oldsmobile ! I like this one a lot . My kind of set - up -

[@butterhole7]

Thanks for this video. My brother had a used 1972 98 LS. It was a very smooth riding reliable car. Silver with a black vinyl top . We called it the shark. I had a 1986 98 Regency. A far cry from the '72.

[@beenbeatenbybishops5845]

Thanks for showing the proposal picture for the 71 Cadillac. Except for the Headlights and the ensuing "W" up front, that is a 1972 Chevy!

[@mattskustomkreations]

My Grandpa always favored 98 Regencies. But he was 5’-2” so it looked like there was only a golfer’s cap behind the wheel! 😂 And he was a terror on the road- it’s amazing he never got in a wreck. Maybe people were wrecking in his wake, but that’s another story… 🙄

[@Greg-ly2rz]

This is the first 98 I have seen with manual windows. When I was a small child, my grandfather had a’60 Olds 98. I remember sitting on the folding armrest in the back seat and playing with the power windows! The rear of this ‘71 reminds me of the ‘65 Cadillac. Nice video!

[@keithbrown8814]

Yes....back in the 1960's...the power windows worked w/o the car running....it was so much fun to play with them and unknowingly run the car battery down!!!

[@jamesbosworth4191]

@@keithbrown8814 They banned that because some kids playing with them would close them on their necks and die. Still, I have seen much later foreign cars with power windows that worked with the ignition switch off, in violation of that law.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you Adam. Excellent video. I have nothing to say or add. I enjoyed the design sketches. I have seen that before where something was in another design studio and ended up on another brand. That was not the only time Cadillac proposals ended up on Oldsmobiles. I know a rear styling proposal for the 1986 Buick Riviera ended up on the 1986 Oldsmobile Toronado. I do appreciate the video and what was shared. I saw a coupe version of a 1971 Ninety Eight that had manual windows and was not equipped. It is interesting how LS(Luxury Sedan) became the base trim below Regency. Then Regency became the base trim below Regency Brougham. That continued for many more years then they had Regency, Special Edition and Regency Elite in the 1990's and then at the end Regency Elite Series I and Regency Elite Series II. They were distinguished by the Regency and Regency Elite badges on the front fender. This car was also during the period where: Ninety Eight, Eighty Eight, Toronado and Custom Cruiser shared instrumentation panels and a host of parts and features. I again say thank you.

[@carrielemmon1549]

My second car was a 1988 Olds Delta Custom, 2 door hardtop, fast back. It was medium blue metallic with a black, halo style vinyl roof. I loved that care and regret selling it. I was a 455 engine with 2 bbl carburetor. Amazingly fast and got near 25 mpg hiway at 60mph. Around town millage dropped considerably.

[@mikesawyer4707]

My 98 LS sedan was fully loaded with every option but a vinyl roof. And it needed a wax job real bad. It sat next to a barn for a few years.

[@DougFregia]

A friend of mine got married while we was still in highschool around 1998. He ended up getting a pea green 71 olds 98 from a family member. Long, low, comfortable and surprisingly powerful. They're as long as the battle ship of Texas but they were a stylish. Merry Christmas.

[@LynxStarAuto]

We had one just like it. But it did have AC and power windows and locks. Was green, and my dad removed the vinyl top like he did on all our cars. We had it until the early 90's when my mom bought a new car, a 1993 Cavalier.

[@piercehawke8021]

I remember replacing the exhaust system on a 1974 Buick Riviera ca 1982; manual crank windows.

[@komradkolonel]

I graduated from high school in 1988 and one of my friends drove a 1972 copper colored 88. The two looked almost exactly alike except his was the 2 door. His had the base 350 with the 2 barrel and the 3 speed automatic. When you were merging into traffic you really had to floor it to build up enough speed. At that time you knew you didn't have the 455 under the hood. These were really solid and well built cars.

[@stevehoodicoffinstall9667]

That back end design with the tailights and the bumper was so close of the same design of the 70-72 Monte Carlo

[@jamesdennis2058]

Yes and the headlights area looks like a ‘70 Chevy Impala.

[@TomSnyder-gx5ru]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that see a resemblance to the 70-72 Monte Carlo taillights.

[@ricksand6477]

@@TomSnyder-gx5ru Yeah - they were both aping a Cadillac design cue in a more inexpensive car.

[@DanEBoyd]

Was it the Regency, which had the big clock in the back of the front seat? Some childhood friends' Mom drove one!!!

[@walterbatman7949]

The 98 was a beautiful car we had a 74 many times as nice as a Cadillac. I like the 2nd gen dash in this series of Oldsmobile

[@us1fedvet]

Great car. Solid as a rock. 455 V8 was a long stroke torque enriched Highway cruiser. That is one good looking ride.

[@cheftomsd]

Looks very DeVille from the side. I like the cleaner look of no vinyl roof. My dad had light metallic green '69 Delta, no vinyl, no A/C, crank windows. North Country cars often did not option the air conditioner back then.

[@thelorax7704]

Beautiful car. I agree that it looks so much better without the vinyl roof. Love hardtops and the color is gorgeous.

[@leogeee1]

I had a 73 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with the 455 4 barrel (7.5 litre). Not only was it quick off the line but powerful. Once I pushed ( bumper to bumper) my uncle in his Plymouth Fury 10 miles. No problem. 🚀

[@pontiaccrest]

I ordered my 76 Buick Limited without the vinyl top,and it looked fantastic!

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

I didn’t have a’98, but I did own a’73 Delta 88 Brougham, 2 door, Rocket V-8 350 and the wonderful brocade seats. Full bench seats and huge 15” tires 😂. That beast was the neighbourhood cruiser for hitting the drive in on Saturday night. Great until the timing chain jumped a tooth and then was impossible to time. 😢

[@bobwilson758]

Well worth the engine repair sir . Good cars , built like a darn tank .

[@billh230]

Yah, my dad bought a new 88 Custom 4door ht in early '71, just before he came home from Japan. He and I (12 years old) went to Detroit to pick it up. We had it for about 3 years. It was around that time the flywheel teeth were grinding off, making starting a rather questionable prospect. He wound up trading it for a new Ford Gran Torino Country Squire. But boy, mom found that 88 quite the cruiser. Fresno to Castle AFB in under an hour, and you didn't even notice it.......

[@jamesbosworth4191]

It would have been well worth it to replace the chain and the sprockets.

[@Ascotman]

Black bumper rubber strips on the front and rear bumpers are also an option this 1971 Oldsmobile 98 has.

[@josephnash3015]

My dad ordered a special order 1979 Olds Royale Brougham 88. It had the olds 350 4bbl, no air, roll up windows, cruise control, am/fm radio, tilt, no vinyl roof, 15” rims, and that beautiful pillow brougham interior. What a runner.

[@skinnerhound2660]

I loved '79's . My Uncle had a 1979 98 Regency two door 403. I was with him when he picked it up at Roberts Motors Auburn WA. He paid $9500. cash and that car served him and later his son well for years. Sadly it was rear ended and totaled.

[@StevePetrica]

My father had a '72 98LS, which looked very similar to this, but was clearly a notch or two up luxury-wise. His had the 455 -- my mother used to joke that under acceleration you could watch the gas gauge needle move from F to E! It was definitely a land yacht, and I remember it fondly.

[@pvmig9131]

Beautiful car (exterior). I took my driver's test in my mom's '72 98 LS, blue vinyl top over white with blue interior. The smog motor 455 still had plenty of punch.

[@chrisdoran7673]

thats a beautiful car...my father had a 71 98 coupe new...always said it was the nicest car he ever had and we usually had cadillacs

[@theda850two]

In the 1970s, I test drove both 1971 and 1973 Olds Ninety-Eights, but was not able to pull the trigger at the time, in 1983 I bought a '69 Ninety Eight convertible, which I still have to this day,, rocket 455, turbo 400 powered of course, But it is very well equipped, with tilt column, cruise control, power windows, power seat, AM FM, vacuum remote trunk lid release, map light in rear view mirror too, etc.. in Aztec Gold.

[@budmatto9205]

To me, when looking at the Cadillac design concept, I am also seeing the full sized 71/72 chevy in the grill design.

[@bobhoward6676]

Biggest fail on GM land yacht's was the lack of passenger side rearview mirrors being standard safety equipment. My 70 DeVille never had one till I put one on myself after getting it in 2015. It made it so so much easier to maneuver without a BIG blindspot.

[@jamesbosworth4191]

It was always an option, and if you go back far enough, even the left-side exterior mirror was an option. My 61 Buick didn't have an exterior mirror on either side.

[@markkimball1569]

My granddad always had a Oldsmobile. Usually a cutlass supreme we had a 70’hr gave to my dad. Was a fast 4 door 350 rocket. Looks like a lot caddie ! 👍👍 they rode like one too.

[@HEYTWIDDLELEEDEE-c6p]

I ALWAYS LOVE WHEN YOU PUT ON THOSE DESIGNS THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH. AND THE DEVELOPMENT MODELS AND DRAWINGS. YOU MUGHT CALL IT YOUR "WHAT IF" SEGMENT.

[@IcelanderUSer]

In the early seventies, around 74, I remember sitting in the backseat of a large olds convertible driving through Reykjavik. I think it was an American service member or marine who worked at the US embassy. I think, haven’t ever asked about it.

[@desertmodern7638]

Exquisite exterior sculpting on the 1971-76 full-size Oldsmobiles: Even though my big sedans of the period were Buick and Cadillac, I prefered the Olds on a purely stylistic level. The unfortunate optional front rub strips for 1971 (only) included added horizontal chrome bumper pieces that cluttered the gorgeous front view and looked upon closer inspection, frankly, every bit the add-ons that they were. The front door glass not only slid radically forward upon lowering to avoid the beefy lower B-pillar, but also canted outward slightly at the same time to fit into the door.

[@tjmethod8623]

I had a '73 98 and a '76 98 Regency... both had the 455 Rocket but '73 had more power... 50 more ponys I think... when I bought the '73 the next state over I remember driving home on the highway and the car just seemed to like going faster and faster and the faster I went the smoother it seem to go... right at the point I was well over a 100 I see and pass a cop... I remember I had all I could do to slow it down to 90. By the time he caught up with lights flashing and siren blaring, I pulled over and off the highway so fast it was like an Indy 500 pit stop... so fast he almost hit me... when he walked up the driver's side, I already had the window down and asked "what seems to be the problem, officer?" And he yelled, "son, I am citing you for flying to low" My first car was a Buick 225 Electra and that car definitely had more power- took off like a missile... from what I remember the muffler was hogged out and the the emissions were covertly removed under the hood... My dad was a heavy in GM so whenever I needed an inspected he'd send me to a dealership... those were the days

[@yubamarkstedman7336]

My boss had a 73 98 and I had a 73 88. Mine had a 350 and his had the 455. While neither was particularly fast, that 98 was a hell of a cruiser. He had me do a tune up on his and while driving with the stereo blasting and the air conditioner blowing high, I look down to see I was doing 90. Right to my left was a California Highway Patrol pacing right along me. I slowed back to 55 and he just went on his way. Both my 88 and his 98 were the same ugly "brown mustard" color.

[@frederickratel4231]

"Brown mustard" aka copper-tone. It's supposed to keep the resale value higher.

[@jamesbosworth4191]

Power was down sharply by 1973, due to EPA mandates.

[@bryanaisenbrey7188]

My parents had a 73 Olds 98 LS, which was similar. Those lower fenders would really get stone bruised if the front wheels didn’t have mud flaps. Back seat had a clock in the center with twin floor lamps. Loved it.

[@gregrogers6886]

It's a beautiful car. As to the divided grill, studio chiefs change studios occasionally. Pontiac's studio chief probably went to Olds, and as I remember, he liked divided grills.