The year 1959 will forever be regarded as the high watermark of the chrome age in American car design, a time when styling was at its most flamboyant and wings reached their peak. Though Cadillac may have stolen most of the limelight in 1959, other divisions of General Motors were equally outrageous, with Oldsmobiles low-slung, heavily-chromed look typical of the era, whilst reflecting the more conservative nature of the brand. Available in three basic levels, the base model Dynamic 88, mid-range Super 88 and top-of-the-line 98 all shared a common wheelbase and mechanical components, with minor differences to trim and equipment differentiating the three lines. On the Super 88, special badges and rocker panel mouldings were added, along with deeper twist carpeting and a choice of leather, cloth or morocceen upholstery. There were five distinct body styles available, including the 2-door Holiday Hardtop, 4-door sedan, 4-door Holiday Hardtop, convertible and station wagon. The base Dynamic 88 model made do with a 371-cid V8 but the Super 88 and 98 models came with a bigger bore 394-cid V8 as standard equipment. With a 9.75:1 compression ratio, the engine developed 315 horsepower at 4600 rpm and had a Rochester Quadra-Jet 4GC carburettor, ensuring a very good turn of speed for such a big car. Indeed, the Oldsmobile 2-door hardtop even took to the track and Lee Petty scored a win (in a photo finish) at the inaugural Daytona 500-Mile stock car race.
2007 Shannons Melbourne Spring Classic Auction
Lot 20
1959 Oldsmobile Super 88 2-Door Hardtop (Project)
Guiding Range
$10,000 - $15,000
- Engine:
- V8, 350-cid (see text)
- Gearbox:
- 3-speed automatic
- Body work:
- Hardtop Coupe
- Colour:
- White & Burgundy
- Engine No.:
- 47L12959
- Chassis No.:
- 598COT268
- Interior:
- Red & White
- Trim:
- Vinyl
- Wheels:
- Steel disc
- Brakes:
- Drums
Description
History
Originally imported into Australia around 1960 and converted to right-hand drive, this Oldsmobile Super 88 Hardtop Coupe was kept registered in Victoria until the early 1980s. The car was then stored for many years, before being dismantled for restoration. The body has all been professionally done with repairs to sills and floors (including the boot) before being repainted in burgundy over white using 2-pac paint. The restoration stalled and the vehicle is now being offered for sale with all major components included to finish off this worthwhile project, including an Oldsmobile 350-cid engine and transmission. All glass is complete, however, the passenger door glass is cracked and some chrome trim would appear to be missing, but Shannons strongly advises potential purchasers to inspect the vehicle and associated parts for themselves. A workshop manual and parts interchange catalogue is included to assist assembly. An excellent opportunity to purchase one these desirable hardtop coupes at an affordable price, it's worth noting that these cars have become very collectible in America in recent years and it would be a relatively straightforward, not to mention very rewarding, job to complete the restoration. Sold unregistered with No Reserve.
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