Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sotheby's Santa Monica event, June
24, 2017.
Estimate:
$100,000 - $120,000 US
277 hp, 371 cu. in. "Rocket" V-8 engine
Hydra-Matic transmission
Recent, award-winning no-expense-spared restoration
Rare and desirable colors; interior faithfully restored as
original
Award for Timeless Elegance, 2010 Greenwich Concours
Restoration cost of over $200,000, includes accompanying
invoices
Following WWII, Oldsmobile went from strength to strength, giving
the fast-growing and increasingly affluent middle classes sleeker,
faster and better-equipped automobiles with many standard features
that were extra-cost options with the competition. Oldsmobile also
led the performance charge in 1949 with its all-new, overhead-valve
"Rocket" V-8 engine. Modern and compact, it grew from 303 cubic
inches and 135 hp to 371 cubic inches and nearly 300 hp by
1957.
Prior to the 1957 AMA racing ban, Oldsmobile's five NASCAR
victories with drivers Lee and Richard Petty solidified its growing
reputation as GM's engineering division and gave a performance
image to its entire model range. Buyers responded enthusiastically,
with Oldsmobile grabbing a strong fifth-place sales ranking on the
showroom floor.
The owner, a noted collector of American classics, admired the
Starfire during his high-school days and recently was finally able
to acquire this example for restoration. Rust-free and straight, it
provided an excellent basis for the project. Chip Loree and Frank
Suedese carried out the restoration to a high standard with
virtually no expense spared, and unlike the vast majority of
concours-level restorations, which all too often place cosmetics at
a premium over mechanical soundness, all of this car's mechanical
components and systems were rebuilt, replaced or restored at a cost
exceeding some $200,000 and confirmed by invoices that accompany
the car. The car has participated in a 250-mile drive, during which
the Starfire is reported by the owner to have performed
flawlessly.
Once complete, the Starfire's high quality was confirmed during its
only show appearance to date at the 2010 Greenwich Concours
d'Elegance, where it earned the Award for Timeless Elegance.
Overall, the Starfire's exterior is visually striking with its
excellent Allegheny Green exterior finish, a handsome and
originally available 1957 Oldsmobile color, complemented by a white
convertible top, excellent brightwork, Oldsmobile's tri-bar
"spinner" hubcaps and whitewall tires. The excellent interior was
restored to as-new standards featuring factory-correct tri-tone
leather upholstery in white, light green and darker green, with the
patterns provided by a complete set of original upholstery. The
restoration's authenticity even extended to the rear leaf springs,
which were painstakingly replaced with factory-correct items
produced by the original manufacturer. In addition, the engine bay
is thoroughly detailed and factory-correct in presentation,
complete with correct emblems, finishes, a period-style battery and
a single four-barrel carburetor induction system, which provides
hassle-free operation and ease of tuning. Power steering, power
windows, power front seat, power top, clock and a factory AM radio
round out the package.
Beautifully restored, presented and complete with restoration
invoices, this Starfire was the subject of a Chronos magazine
article. The 1957 Starfire Ninety-Eight Convertible is rather
uncommon with the modest quantity of 8,278 similar cars reported
built. Combining the many attributes that helped Oldsmobile become
one of the best-selling American marques of the 1950s, this is
certainly one of the most desirable American convertibles of the
era, particularly the banner 1957 model year.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/.