Vehicle Description
This 1974 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale convertible is among the last of the great American land yachts. Lots of room, a pillowy soft ride, and purring V8 power all make for a very unique driving experience that we'll never see again. With incredible preservation, this one will take you back to the great days of open-air cruising when American luxury made you feel like the king of the world.
The color is called Silver Taupe and it looks just about right on this big Olds. Not aggressive, but rather sophisticated and elegant. It's also the car's original paint, and while it's not perfect, it is remarkably well-preserved for being more than 40 years old. You could give it a deep clean and a buff to really bring out the shine, but as it sits, it has a nice soft glow that makes you want to heat out west on a long road trip. Obviously with original paint the sheetmetal underneath is also original and in excellent condition and despite the era's reputation for excess, the Delta 88 is clean and chiseled without looking too baroque. A contrasting rub strip accentuates the car's clean flanks and a familiar Oldsmobile split grille up front was the corporate look during the mid-70s. Sure, there's some chrome, including a pair of bumpers as big as battering rams, but the overall presentation is restrained and trim.
The black interior is also 100% original and shockingly well-preserved. Wide bench seats offer room for six and even the guys in the middle probably won't be complaining about space. There are no splits or tears in the seats, no major wear, just some very minor comfort marks that are probably inevitable. Neat trim on the doors adds a bit of interest to the otherwise monochromatic interior and even the faux woodgrain on the dash is pretty convincing. Power windows are a useful addition on any convertible and the AM/8-track radio provides reasonable entertainment if you happen to have some 8-track tapes lying around. The convertible top is also probably original and in good condition, and these big GM ragtops used a unique scissors mechanism that allowed for a full-width back seat as well as a glass rear window. There's a matching black boot for when the top is down and the trunk is outfitted with a correct rubber mat and full-sized spare.
The 350 cubic inch "Rocket" V8 under the hood delivers plenty of power for effortless cruising and entertaining performance. No, these were never intended to be fast cars, but it has a graceful and inevitable feel and you just know that it was built to cruise all day at 80 MPH across the wide-open spaces. The engine bay is pretty original and not detailed for show, but there's plenty of recent maintenance, including a new radiator up front to keep it cool. It starts with a familiar Oldsmobile growl from the single tailpipe and idles smoothly enough that you can barely feel it through the steering wheel. As a full-sized car, the big Olds gets a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission and a 10-bolt rear end with 2.73 gears inside, so it's a superlative highway cruiser. The floors are in good condition for an original car, and it hasn't lost a bit of its impossibly smooth ride. Part of that is attributable to the cushy 225/75/15 Uniroyal radials, which have been fitted to the original wheels.
With only three owners and a remarkable state of preservation, this Olds represents high-quality summer time fun at a very reasonable price. Call today!
