"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone
who have the courage to defend it."~Pericles
Please support Free Republic
click the pic
Posted on 05/12/2014 9:16:05 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
Oldsmobile died 10 years ago this week. On that day, the final Oldsmobile (an Alero) rolled off the assembly line, and from then on, the oldest-surviving American car company was no more. Its departure was largely bittersweet; Oldsmobile’s final vehicle lineup wasn’t very impressive, filled with bland front-wheel-drive cars, and so many believed that its time had finally come.
But it was a good run, and while the end wasn’t necessarily stellar, Oldsmobile managed to produce some seriously badass cars throughout its 107-year-long history. Below, we take a look at what we believe are the five best Oldsmobiles to ever leave its production facilities.
All things LaSalle ...
http://www.motorera.com/lasalle/lasalle.htm
... including L. P. Fisher, A. P. Sloan, Jr. and Harley Earl. The 1920s-30s were the years of the handsomest automobiles ever produced, IMO.
I just celebrated my 75th birthday a couple weeks ago. My brother gave me a Detroit News newspaper printed on the day of my birth, April 25, 1939. What a wonderful history lesson/reminder that is - the pre-war commentary, the actual who, what where, when, why & how reporting; the op-ed letters & cartoons; the funnies; the new car ads (in three figure$); the help wanted ads; etc.
Detroit was a great place to grow up in the 1940s-50s. I can remember seeing those old cars still driving around on the road.
That Olds F-88 is breathtaking.
1962 Oldsmobile JetFire, turbo-charged.
Saw it in a junkyard decades ago, and I probably should have *somehow* towed it away for long-term storage (... “maybe someday, it’ll be worth something?”).
Not an Olds, but McQueen owned it:
Vista Cruisers were nice. Too bad no one makes a station wagon anymore.
My first car in ‘72 was a ‘64 Dynamic 88 two door coupe with a 330
V-8.
Very fast car. She was bronze colored, and my girl friend called her “Penny”.
Bought it from my older brother, got it to 110,000 miles and sold it back to him.
I also had a ‘74 Cutlass and a ‘75 Cutlass.
Oh, and my girlfriend became Mrs. exit82.
My dad had an Oldsmobile Toronado 80’s model, diesel engine. Used to drive my brothers and I to school in it. I hate the stench the diesel but I liked that car. I was sorry to see the brand discontinued.
IIRC, that was a common exterior/interior color scheme for that Chevy and other brands through the years.
"She's real fine my 409...my four ohh nine..." There was a reason the Beach Boys made that motor famous - the first American muscle car that could beat a Jaguar E series at the time. "...my four speed, duel quad, posi traction 409...".
Ask a young man now what those terms mean. He'll look at you like you're from Mars. Hell, ask him what a generator regulator is, or a coil, or even a distributor cap.
Currently have a 1958 Chevy Impala 348 with tri-power. Amazed how much gas it sucks up, but thrilled to drive it down the road with the Ronettes blasting out the rolled down windows! Best design Chevy ever did. Got lot's of meets coming up. Hot August Nights! Screw politics for now. Haha.
Those cars were pimp. Nice ride!
A high school bud owned a ‘58 Chevy convert. It was a 348/4bbl/3 speed but would really scream.
When you say “Oldsmobile”, the words “Muscle Car” do NOT come immediately to mind... and yet the Cutlass 442, and Hurst Cutlass were monster muscle cars.
And that Vista Cruiser was a sweet station wagon; stylish, big engine, and enough room for the family, the dog, and Aunt Edna as well...
I was a kid when most of these came out, got my driver license in 1976; a lot of these were on the road, daily drivers, and used cars could be had for a couple hundred bucks.
Those were good days - even WITH Jimmy Carter and the democrats f***ing up the economy.
Regular unleaded gas was .60 cents a gallon, thereabouts. Leaded regular was slightly cheaper.
After I wrecked the family ‘64 Plymouth, I bought a 1969 SS Chevelle drop-top 396 for about 350 bucks thereabouts. Yellow, with the black rally stripes on the hood and rear deck.
Even beat-up, that thing was beast.
It was beat to hell... but it was mine, and I loved it.
It must have been amazing to have been able to get those machines for a few hundred dollars.
Olds 442 1969 with an Hurst shifter...
Debate over ...Move on....
"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone
who have the courage to defend it."~Pericles
Please support Free Republic
click the pic
“...Debate over...Move On...”
Hahah! You remind me of the “Muscle Car Wars” back in my Auto Mechanic school days.
MOPAR heads, Ford lovers, Chevy fanatics - all arguing over who’s car was better, faster, louder, cooler.
It was all good fun.
Not a bad pick at all.
I pulled a U-Turn and drove back. The old beauty was in really good shape and was only $275. I did not have my checkbook with me and less than $20 cash on me, so I told the dealer I would drive home, get my checkbook and be right back to buy the car with at his $275 price.
And as you would know it, when I got back to the lot, the car had been sold--
I shall regret not getting that Golden Hawk... 
until my dying day.
Well, that and not nailing Joey Heatherton when I had a better than average chance... 
but that is another story for another time--
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Studebaker_Golden_Hawk_1957.jpg
$275? DAMNMIT!!!
And not getting the chick...she wasn’t a Studebaker. :)
http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/27/2770/WZXTD00Z/posters/joey-heatherton.jpg
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
