OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 : Why it's a True Classic
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- čas přidán 24. 06. 2022
- Farewell Oldsmobile Delta 88. The Oldsmobile Delta 88 was one of a kind. Dependable, and full of Luxury. Why did the Oldsmobile Delta 88 have to go away.
When the first generation of Oldsmobile 88 came out in 1949, it introduced one of the first postwar overhead valve V-8 designs, the famous “Rocket” V-8. That large and powerful V-8, combined with A relatively Light body, was a formula that later blossomed into the muscle car.
The Olds 88 was also one of the fastest cars in America and the car to beat in NASCAR racing, winning 10 out of 19 races in the 1950 season.
The same year, an Olds 88 won the grueling 2000-mile-plus Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico. An 88 convertible served as the pace car for the Indy 500 in 1949, and the Ike Turner/Jackie Brenston hit “Rocket 88” is one of the very earliest rock and roll songs. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I had 2 Oldsmobile Delta 88s , a 69 sedan with the 2bbl 455 V8 and a 80 coupe with a 350 V8. Beautiful cars, I wish that I had both of them back today, along with my 75 Electra 225 sedan and my 78 sedan DeVille. The 4 I miss the most and of course you never see them on the road like you did back then, the funny thing was you had a clip I believe it was the 81 88 royal coupe ,well it was the same color as my 80 Delta 88 coupe, great
My first car was a '72 Delta 88 that I bought off my aunt in the early 80s for $500. Thanks for the memories!
I enjoyed two Oldsmobile's over the years, and I still miss them and the ability to buy an Oldsmobile. Damn GM. Now all you can get is a truck, a Malibu, or a Spark.
I owned a 1983 Oldsmobile Delta 88
Same here. It was a blue coupe with the 350 Rocket and a 4 barrel. It was a sweet ride.
In 1980 my grandmother told me a joke: Oldsmobile has the 88 and 98. Next year they are going to make a Urinate so you can piss around town.
As a high school kid I thought it was pretty funny that my grandmother told me a joke with a somewhat dirty word.
The 1980-85 Delta 88 is my favorite body style. The smooth, streamlined, aerodynamic design made it contemporary.
The 1977-85 models make excellent sleepers.
I have a 79 Delta Royale, originally a diesel, now with a 455 Olds. Fantastic road car with HD springs and 2.41 rear gears.
@@ImForwardlook Detroit vehicles from the Malaise era into the early 90s make excellent sleepers. Underpowered engines, large engine compartments, exterior designs, and available aftermarket parts are the big reasons.
Lol..I was 15 when the parents handed me the keys to the 1977 model they had bought new. 350, 4 barrel carb, dead on Sleeper 😂
Then they traded it for a brand new 1982 Buick Electra Limited w a V6 😂Very luxurious, but it was literally a screamer w no guts 😂
Great video ! I still own a 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 sedan. Drives like a dream .
Very nice, fun and informative video. The model that I wish you hadn't left out was the 94-99 Olds Eighty Eight LSS series, which is my personal favorite. I've owned mine for 23 years, and after driving it over 400,000 miles (412,500) I'm convinced it's quite possibly one of the 10 best cars ever made. It's so well engineered, and thoughtfully designed, that it's been a most enjoyable and affordable car to own. I get great fuel economy (28 in town, and over 42 mpg on trips). Plus, this car still looks fresh and new even today, even though it's design is nearly 30 years old. What a true American classic!
Good stuff they don't make cars like this anymore
I really like them because Oldsmobiles were aspirational for families who drove Chevrolets.
Got a 1981 delta 88 for 2 yrs haven’t had a problem out of it
Wish I had one. Hard to find. Thanks for watching and the comment! Boca Brother!
In the early 80s I owned a '78 Delta 88 that I used for a taxicab in Honolulu. It had that plush, tufted upholstery in sky blue. Yes, I did triple Scotchguard it! It was a fabulous taxi, it easily held six sailors going back to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki. I also drove a '96 Custom Cruiser taxi in Los Angeles. It had a 305, so it wasn't too bad on gas. The owner (an independent operator in an association) changed the oil every other Saturday, because mileage! He got it up over 500k miles before he sold it, because the Taxi Control had year model restrictions. A guy bought it and ran it for a couple more years in Santa Monica. Oldsmobile was QUALITY!
In the early’80’s I had a Delta 88 Brougham, a ‘73 model with the 350 Rocket 8, 2 barrel slow poke, but a great highway cruiser. 07:20 That’s my baby!
I had the 1982 Delta 88 Royale. A thick padded velvet velour interior with wood trim and with a bench front seat and basically a couch in the rear. It was the car people bought when they couldn't afford a Cadillac. I was still classy and cruised beautifully on the highway. I did have to install three vinyl roofs over the course of seven years, which kept ripping off on the highway. lol.
Years ago I owned a 78 Delta 88 Royale Coupe. It was dented and rusted out but it was unstoppable. It was an awesome old tank.
We were an Oldsmobile family. The first one I remember because I was born in that year, was 1960 98. Sentimental wise, I liked it--especially the dash boar and barrel speedometer, but the exterior was, to be blunt, a dud. It was a good car, and had a lot of power, dad said. The looks outside just left a lot to be desired. We had a '65 convertible, a '70 Vista Cruiser, a '75 Custom Cruiser (with the clam shell rear gate which was the neatest thing I think GM ever devised), a '77 Olds, an '81 Delta 88 Royale Brougham. The '81 was dark blue with dark blue seating with the pillow look interior similar to the 98's interior. My dad's 1st cousin was a Olds dealer so we always ended up with an Olds. Other cars too. When my older sister graduated from college and got her first car she bought a 1964 red VW Bug. That was a cool car. Dad liked it so well he bought one. Dad and I were car guys, but mom just thought they were meant to go from point A to point B. I have no doubt dad and mine's constant talking of cars and buying a new one before the older one was worn out drove her completely nuts. Still, didn't stop them from being married 71 years. He passed at a 90, and mom at 95.
My dad had 2 of 1975 I miss all older cars
In muscle car talks, you usually don't hear them talk about the Olds 88, which created the muscle car genre in the first place
Good point. By the early 1950's Oldsmobile had developed a reputation for being a fast car.
Right and I thought the Pontiac GTO started the whole Muscle car Franchise in 1964.
Because that's really only the early ones and most '50s cars that aren't restored at this point are rust buckets that need everything
My mom had an ‘76 Delta 88. Although she preferred Chevrolets my dad was an Olds fan so my mom would end up driving many different Oldsmobile models including two Vista Cruiser wagons, a ‘73 Delta 88, a “74 Cutlass Salon and her last Olds was the ‘76 88.
Love me an oldsmobile i still have a 84 cutlass thats just mint . Thx for the vid
Learned how to drive in a 76 Delta 88 at highway speeds. Mom loved the black valour interior. It was like a pillow on wheels.
Another GREAT vid!!!! 👍👍
I owned a 1976 Delta 88 Royale. Maroon color. One of my favorite cars!!!!! I wish I still had it!!!!
We had a 71 two door Delta Custom with the 455.....loved that dash....super fast, durable, and great car....
Had Sharp 83 Delta 88. Won of the Best Cars Ever Built Fantastic! Oldsmobile! 🇺🇸🏁💪
I had a '76 88 Royale 4 dr sedan. Overall, the best car I ever had, maybe a tie with the '05 Buick Lesabre. Both were "Grandpa cars", but had lots of power and handled great, plus had luxury interiors and got good gas mileage. Wish I had the 88 back, but it got hit. Whaaaa!
Was born 50 years ago on July 15 '72 and unfortunately I didn't start driving until I was in my early 20s. But love the look of the older cars from the 50's-70's
My grandma in New Orleans had an 80 something 88 coupe. Red brick colored exterior with a similar colored inside. I remember piling into that car with all of my cousins. Never thought big boats like that would go away.
I got my driver's license in a '58 88 my Dad owned. I never got to drive it by myself, which is probably a good thing- it had the 371, 4-barrel, and moved along pretty good. :)
In 2002 I had an 85 Olds Delta 88 Royale. I still miss that car. At the same time, a kid I knew had a 1978 Delta 88 and a buddy had a 80 Delta 88, and then went a few months after and bought an 85 Cutlass
1972 Delta 88 Royal Hardtop in Royal Blue with a Light Blue Vinyl roof was my first car I bought in 1975 from my school teacher with money I saved working. Power everything, A/C, Tilt, rear defrost. I drove it 1 year sold it for double what I paid and bought my Dads Uncles Florida car 1973 Fleetwood Brougham when they moved up here to Mass. $1,700 in 1978. At age 17 all the teachers at my high school thought my family was loaded and I was spoiled. I spoiled myself LOL!
My step-dad had one back in the day. Hated it then, would actually drive one now.
The 66 and 67 model years were the closest to a performance appearing car. After that they became very Olds like, great for Mom and Dad, teens not so much.
I had 2 Delta 88. I owned a 1984 royal blue two-door coupe with the 307 V8 was a good car. Years later I bought a beige 1995 with the 205 horsepower 3.8 V6 that was another good automobile both of them I purchase used the 84 I sold in 1995 with 130,000 miles. I purchased the 95 Oldsmobile in the year 2000 that car was awesome never gave me an ounce of trouble lost it in an accident when someone ran a stop sign. At that time it had approximately ninety-eight thousand miles on it.
After driving Pontiac Catalinas in the mid to late 60s my dad switched to Olds in 1970 and drove Delta 88 Royals…. Since my dad first name started with a ‘R’ it was a running joke that the car was monogrammed!
The next car was a Dodge Diplomat, which was the last American made car he drove.
After that he got a first generation 4 door Honda Accord and has driven them ever since….
But I remember the 88s we owned as the last cars of my childhood….
Great video
Just about the same story with a friend's dad. He had switched from Buick to a Dodge Diplomat. What a POS that was. I think those late 70's early 80's Chrysler products drove a lot of people to buy Honda and Toyota.
Let me tell you something. I have a 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royal. It is the best car I have ever owned. The 350cid gives it respectable horse power for a late 70s car. It is as quiet as hell, smooth and reliable as can be. You know when you had a great car, when you drive it when you don't even have anywhere to go.
Great video. I love Oldsmobiles 😈 About 58 yrs ago we had a 2nd gen 88, it floated down the road 😁 I've owned 3 yrs ago. 82 Custom Cruiser, 83 Cutlass Supreme 2 dr, 87 Cutlass Supreme Brougham 4 dr. All were great cars. Nothing like an Olds!
I've always been a GM guy. Owned more Oldsmobiles than any other make. My "new" one is a 1978 Delta 88 Royale 4 door with the 350 4 barrel and the TH350 tranny. I was lucky because some of the 1977 Oldsmobiles put a Chevy engine instead of the Olds rocket, and GM had a class-action on their hands. Paid $500 for her 12 years ago, and all I've done is oil changes, a full brake job, and a few tweaks on the carb as someone had uncapped the sealed idle mixture screws and also set the float too high. But I love that car and it has never let me down. Not bad for $500. And no rust! The guy who bought it originally got it Ziebarted when new, so not a speck of rust. Only drawback to this beauty is she doesn't like ethanol gas. Sputters and chokes on it. Have to drive 6 miles to the 1 station that still sells the good stuff, aka Real Gas! Gramps had a 1967 Buick Wildcat but traded it in on a 1971 Delta 88 Royale with the 455, but traded that for a Cutlass Supreme in 1973 because the 455 was a gas hog.
If you re-jet, or even adjust the metering rods in that Quadrajet to richen it up a bit, it will tolerate that nasty 10% ethanol gas.
I'm lucky, in Eagle River WI where I live we have a local station that carries non-ethenol gas, in all grades 👍
My favorite Oldsmobile was the 1955 Oldsmobile 2 door hardtop Holiday 88. That was one sharpe looking Olds. I have a 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham which is a wonderful car. The car is a 2 door sedan.
Had the 1984 88 loved it with a 307 4 barrel awesome my mom had the holiday 88 in 1979 gray and red interior loved that car as well 350 4 barrel. I miss Oldsmobile esp the cutlass.
This is great. Not enough youtube features on the 88 Oldsmobile classic. Thanks guys good stuff.
Todays date is 4-24-2023. I currently have a virgin 1978 Delta 88 Royale 2 door coupe. I got it two years age with ONLY 11033 ORIGINAL miles on the odo. Now, It has only 13100 miles on the odo. The person who owned this car was an elderly lady who ordered it new in late 1977. She knew what she wanted on this car, and BABY, it is loaded to the tilt! It is triple Mahogany Metallic in color and have velour interior with a half elk skin roof, super stock wheels, sports mirrows, digital clock, ac, pwr EVERYTHING, am/fm stereo radio, rear window defroster, convenience group with all the bells and whistles, etc. According to her son she only drove this car to church and shopping and no one drove it but her, and kept it garaged. She passed away in late 1979, and he put it in storage in a temp controlled environment and it stayed there until he was ready to sell it two years ago. It came from Kississime Florida. It had the 4bbl rochester carb on the 350, which was rated @ 170 hp. I have removed the 4bbl and installed the Atomic fuel injection system and this engine just loves me for that. HIt the starter, she is running on the second revolution. Tromp on the accelerator and she gets up and hauls ass! I will think about installing duel exhaust, and IF I do, they WILL NOT be loud. I hate loud pipes. I have installed a rear disk brake system for the 10 bolt, 273 to 1 rear axel. I only drive it to car shows and NEVER IN THE RAIN. It stays in my garage and covered with a silk skin cover. There are always people who are trying to get this classic from me by offering me big money for it. Shish...that ain't gonna work. @ 75 years in age, I am in love with this car, so they can forget it! Soooo....my Delta 88 is a true classic...Thank You.
1985 was the last good 88. I had a 1980 Delta 88. Love those GM B-Body cars
We bought a brand new 1981 Olds Delta 88 Diesel coupe. It was a light Jade color. Sticker price was 11 thousand dollars. Monthy payments were $251.00 in 1981. I knew how to spot muscle cars by that time. On the back "clunker" lot of the Olds dealership was a very worn, faded 1969 Pontiac Trans Am. Within four years, we had the diesel removed and replaced with a Olds 350 gas engine. After 10 years we gave the 88 to our nephew.
Still riding around in my 1980 oldsmobile, delta 88 royal brougham 2 door coupe. Added a rebuilt 307 5.0L engine and rebuilt transmission and has the super stock wheels.
Parents bought one in 1977 brand new. First year of first shrink. 350 4 barrel carb. I was a teen and got my DL at 15 y.o. (Louisiana), fun fun 😂
Love the production,voice over ,and editing.
Now my favorite years,54,56,55,57,61,62,63,64,65,66,69,70,71,72,and,76.
What a shame,Olds was such a great division,with a history of highly innovative,and really well engineered,and well built cars.
Great video, I had a 78 Delta 88 and a 84 Delta 88. There's nothing like the ride of an Oldsmobile . We're greats cars.Hated to see them leave.
I currently own 3 88s .. love em …
2 1972
1 1971
Take em over a new school car any day
I'm surprised they talked about 50s cars for once. they normaly talk about 70s and 80s cars
My grandparents had 3 Delta 88s successively in the 70s and 80s. I know at least one of them was a Royale Brougham. Very comfortable car.
My first car was a 1972 Olds 98, 2 Door black and silver with vinyl interior seat power windows power locks AM & FM Radio with an 8-Track Tape player.
What a great comprehensive review of the Oldsmobile 88!!! My favorite is the 58 model, I remember as a child my aunt had one & it had more chronic than any car I had ever seen!!! Thanks for sharing another exciting video!!! 👍👍😎
Glad you enjoyed it!
GM went chrome crazy on just about everything for 1958.
@@discerningmind they most certainly did!!! 🙂
I first had a 1980 88 that had the 350 diesel motor that wouldn't go anywhere, but would do one helluva power brake lol. My second one was a 1990 with the 3800 aeries one motor. I would have kept both of them, but I was a kid and wanted something faster. Both of those cars were great, both rode extremely well, got good gas mileage, and we're very comfortable inside. You guys make some of the best videos for automobile's on CZcams. Peace and love y'all 🤟
I own a 1979 Delta 88 Royale with 350Diesel engine. I m restoring it at the moment. The 70-79 modells are my favorite.
My Grandmother had a 1949 76. This was the last straight 6 sold by Olds. Her car had the Hydramatic trans.
Back in the mid-80s my father drove a 1984 Oldsmobile Delta 88 as his detective car for the Warwick Police Department in Warwick Rhode Island. The weird thing is it was Chevy powered it had a small block 350 Chevrolet engine but everything else was Oldsmobile. It was a boring cream beige Delta 88 four-door with very little option except a Chevrolet 350 four barrel engine.
The EPA and the others caused GM to shrink engines and the standard engine for you dad's car was the 307 Oldsmobile engine. The Chev 350 was an option for a year or so and then all the B-body cars got the 307.
My brother had a 6th gen. Man I used to steal it and cruise Pch… felt like a pimp. Good memories
I had an 88 Eighty Eight. Best American made car I ever owned.
My 1st car was an 83 Delta in high school. Miss that car
some people may not know This, but the 49 olds also came with power steering, power brakes and a/c and turn signals and a 2 speed auto trans. caddy used olds as a test platform for things to use on the late 49 and up caddys. i use to work in a salvage yard and was a parts puller. they had a 49 olds that came equiped with all 5 of these and it was a light blue 4 door. all original with the v8 and a 2 speed auto trans. the owner of the yard actually had every piece of paperwork that came with the car in 49 along with every receipt for any work that had to be done on it and all brochures from the day it was bought. there was even paper work in that thick folder that gave refrence to the caddy using this model for the testing of these new system upgrades for the future use for the caddy line.
My folks only bought 98 Luxury Sedans. Their last car was an Oldsmobile Touring Sedan. And I have it.
I saw a perfectly preserved 83 at a car show and a senior on my bus at high school, his dad has a brown 78!
idk why but the 77-84 olds 88 and 98s are my favourites
My grandpa had a 1980 Delta 88 307 Rocket V8 It was a cream color coupe with red crushed velour interior wish I had that car today
like the 1961 88 coupe , 64 dynamic 88 conv.67 delta 88 custom fastback, 78-79 holiday 88 coupe
I've always been fascinated by the 8th generation 2 door models. Seems like a great candidate for a sleeper car. Keep all the grandpa touches, but with a built up, potent motor under the hood.
Wish I could buy a brand-new one now.
My 1st car in Nov.1967 was a 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 that I bought for $15, drove it till I join the Navy in July 1969. Today I own a Golden Rocket Holiday Sedan and a 1962 Olds Dynamic 88 convertible
My grandpa was a die hard oldsmobile buyer. I remember he had a 1973 Olds delta 88 which was a hyge land yacht. I can still remember the way it sounded when the transmission woud shift from first into second as hyou pulled away from a stoplight
71 -76 olds were my favorite
I had an 83 in inherited. It was grey and we called it The Battleship.
i had a 74 88 coupe. my wife and i had a 91 88 sedan in the mid 90's. my parents had a couple 88's in the late 70's and early 80's. good cars
I had a 1985 Royale Brougham. Silver exterior with dark blue plush interior. It was a good car for a teenager. Got hit in it once and barely felt it. 😂
My old man had an 84. Loved that car and the ride. He junked it when motor blew up. I found a good motor and was willing to do labor for free but he still junked it.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the 68-72 Cutlass,442 and Hurst Olds..
I really like the 76 models, but probably my favorite after riding in one in the 80's was my grandma's 64 F-85 such a nice car. Now someday I would like to own one either 2 or 4 door but the price of them has went through the roof.
The first car I bought was a 71 oldsmobile delta 88 man what a boat it was the 2 door I paid 700 dollars for it lol I miss it
Nice !
My first car was an '84 Delta 88 2 door
I grew up in a 1970 Delta 88, 4 door, teal in colour.
I'm sure you have great memories.
Definitely the 4th generation, specifically the’59 is my favorite. My dad bought one new when I was about 3 years old. But still remember the chrome rockets on the front fenders, and the fluid speedometer!
Which color and body style? Dynamic or Super?
My first new car was the 1977 Delta 88 in the exact same colors as the video. Rode well, was beautiful. I miss that car.
dad had one loved it
I put a ton of Intake Manifold gaskets, in those old Oldmobuicks. But they were definitely great Cars and I owned one a while, myself. A 1984 or so Delta 88 4-door, 307 I think it was.
I'm surprised that nothing was mentioned about the Royale introduced in 69, & that the last year for a convertible was in 75, pace car duty was in 77, & that they also had the coupes with bucket seats, my late brother-in-law as a company car had a 83 Royale Brougham 2 door hardtop that was really beautiful, Olds certainly had some beautiful looking cars
drove a 83 Delta 88 for many years, was a good car
Fantastic! Just grand! Thank you for this video. I am glad to see it. I hope you will do one for the Ninety Eight and Toronado. You did a good job putting the footage together. I did miss seeing the 1984-1985 Delta 88 Royale Brougham LS and the LSS and Regency of the 90's that were Eighty Eight models. Thank you for the video and information too. I again appreciate the video.
I owned a 87 Delta 88 Royale Brougham I bought in 1993. It was a Cadillac in everything but name. It rode like a dream. Unfortunately, it was in the shop a lot more than I would have liked. Also, things stopped working on it like air conditioning and power antenna. I had it till 2000. It wasn't the worst car I ever owned, but it certainly wasn't the best either.
My Dad had a ‘56, ‘58 and ‘60 88’.
The ‘56 was two tone blue and white as you showed.
The ‘’58 was pale green and the ‘60 was white with blue interior.
I liked the ‘56 the best and the ‘58 the least.
They were all cool though.
Thanks for watching and the comment! Boca Brother!
GORGEOUS
we had a 1966 2 door and 4 door and 1981 4 door best cars ever
My dad had an 80's gas V8 Olds 88 that he traded for an Olds 98 with a converted horror show diesel. Horrible decision in my now opinion since I was just old enough to drive when he got that diesel around 85 or so. It made a ton of smoke and went like it was late for dinner at the retirement home. After that he went for Lincoln Town Cars. My dad was prematurely old looking back at it now...
1956/57 best looking, the rest designed on a bar napkin around midnight. Thx
I had a 72 Delta 88 once upon a time. Cost me 600 bucks.
I had one of these in my early twenties when I was trying to be a salesman… I’m not a salesman but this car drove like it was on a cloud unbelievable but it’s not a car for a 22 year old … 52 yeah or above!!!
I loved most of them. It’s hard to pick a favorite. The 1977-1979 was really a good one, except for the diesel equipped models. When I was in high school one of my friends had a ‘67 Delmont 4 door sedan with a 425 engine and three speed manual transmission without power steering or brakes. I remember how powerful it was. I owned a 1980 diesel…….for 3 months. What a piece of crap. The car was fine, but putting that engine in a vehicle was criminal!
Never too Olds
I had a 1988 Delta 88 Royale Brouham. That thing rode like a Care Bear cloud car.
Edit: Just learned from the video that was the last year Delta. Neat.
I just love mine, an 88 royale
Being a fan of chrome my vote goes for the '58 chromemobile. However I am biased as I'm a fan of all the '58 GM cars because they all had their fair amount of chrome. The chrome alone probably weighed more than an entire car today.🤣
GM went chrome crazy on just about everything for 1958.
Had a 74 Cutlass Supreme. Close enough.
Had a 82