My father had a 2 door Delta 88 from 1968 and I learned to drive on it. Huge fun and really terrifying in the snow, even with snow tires on. It will always have a place in my automotive heart. Thanks for sharing this one.
Here in Canada, I drove rear wheel drive cars for the first 20 years I had my license. I laugh now at the thought people generally just put snow tires on the rear wheels in the old days.
Excellent video and Thank You! This Delta 88 has been in my family since new. It was purchase by my parents in the summer of 1968 in Dearborn, Michigan. It was my mom car, but mainly used for long trips and summer vacations. This car was the first car I learn to drive in, work on and take care of. In 1979 it became my first car. You could say we have grown old together. We’ve been through rain, heat, snow, break downs, good times and bad. We’ve celebrated at weddings, but also attended and cried at funerals. Currently the Delta has accumulated over 99,000 plus miles.
A friend of mine who worked in the USA for a few years, told me that of ALL the various cars he used out there, his favourite car was his 1968 Oldsmobile Delta 88. He said he thought it was the best to drive, the most reliable and the best styled of them all.
It’s interesting to note the design presence this car has from practically every angle. It’s made more significant by your explanation of the people responsible. Excellent video
I miss my Delta 88. It was pretty much a glamorous impala, but it was very comfortable, and served me well as a high school car. Had decent power, and alot of basic, but great options for my shoe-string budget. Owning an Oldsmobile is like getting more power and comfort for your money, even if you don't have alot, they are a good car to start out the classic car hobby without spending a fortune. Thanks for the video, these cars are sentimental for me. It's like my personality put on wheels.
Oldsmobile had a reputation for being well engineered, well built, and fast. They were definitely more upscale than their Pontiac cousins, and depending on year and model, within a whisper of Buick, probably uncomfortably so for some folks in Flint, MI. My late father-in-law loved his Oldsmobiles.
Yeah, I agree with you. Olds was considered one step down from a Buick, which I could never figure out, growing up. Our family was a "Buick" family, as my Dad considered Cadillac a "snobs" car. I think GM did a very crap job of marketing Olds, back in the day, is the only difference. I mean the Cutlass line were always better styled than the Skylark. I'm still angry Olds is gone and Buick is reduced to an SUV company.... I'm sure Lincoln lovers feel the same.
@@chuckhaugan4970 Oldsmobile was known for its engineering and not being afraid to introduce new features ahead of other GM divisions. When the Hydramatic transmission was introduced in 1940 Oldsmobile had it first. When it proved to be reliable the other GM divisions (except Chevrolet and Buick) also got it.
@@1575murray Yup! And the Dynaflow of Buick along with the straight 8 where how Buick gained the reputation of reliability going all the way into the malaise era, where GM made the disastrous decision to badge swap and transplant motors. The Olds 307 kept GM's head above water clear into the early 90's. I will never understand GM's decision. They killed all the brands by following Ford and Chrysler down the primrose path of mediocrity: badge swapping and common running gear. My Dad's last Buicks were a 77 Skylark, a 79 LeSabre Coupe, Limited fully loaded, he kept in the garage until retirement in the early 1990's. He drove pickups and German cars after that as American cars has so declined in quality and reliability. Seems we are headed back to an era of junk again. It's just sad..
Oldsmobile was always know as the leading technology division and test bed for new ideas. One of the great things about growing up in the 60's and 70's was seeing the hubcaps - many of which were year and even model specific. I would have no problem returning to them again! Especially loved the Mercedes body colored caps with slotted trim rings used all the way through the early 80's on 14" and 15" wheels.
Yeah, and about 10 years ago, I sold a set of 66, Chrysler, 300 caps for $100, in perfect condition, no weathering, pits, or rust.. I kicked myself so hard when I read how much people pay for original caps. Wish I had them today! I can't believe people collect caps. Maybe they're trying to corner the restoration market place but that seems ridiculous.
My 68 Delta 2 door coup Delta Custom vinyl top the same color as shown was the coolest, most powerful old boat I'd ever owned in my life. Bought it for 500 dollars in 1988 summertime, proceeded leave rubber all over Cambridge and Boston. Bought off original owner, the 455 big block was a torque behemoth. Black half buckets,auto on floor I wished I'd held on to it and garaged it before it got sidestepped and totaled while parked outside the house. I was devastated. No car owned since ever came close to the sheer joy of that 2 door tiger.☹
This is another fine example of how the Oldsmobile were really classy inside, most of the time IMHO they looked classy than the equivalent Cadillacs. This car is so nice inside, it looks like they had a special department that assured the vehicles were in good taste. All the way down the line. Its a joy also for you to show us these cars, you know your stuff, your an entertaining narrator and love these beautiful vehicles. Thank you
I really like large 4 door hardtop cars. This Delta 88 is a very good looking car. I enjoy driving on day long trips with friends in large 4 door cars, it is so intimate for a good conversation or listening to good music.
It's nice to see someone maintaining a "boring" four door so well. That must be an early halo vinyl roof, and a good (and unusual) thing it doesn't go under the rear window and cause more rust in a trouble-prone spot.
My Dad worked at Pontiac Motors in Pontiac Michigan for thirty years, but I learned to drive in an Oldsmobile. Although my Dad bought nothing but Pontiacs, my Mom bought a beautiful, white, 1975 Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe with the half Landau top. It had a 350 4bbl. As a 13-year old, I have great memories of my Mom teaching me to drive the rural two-lane highways of Michigan in that car. Favorite part was opening up the secondaries and passing trucks!
When I was 15 my friend Tony ,who was 16 at the time, had his pops '68 Delta two door with the 455. We removed the air cleaner cover and I was surprised to see a two barrel carb. I remember we were in a Walgreen's parking lot and he floored the car and spun the back tires until they smoked so much I couldn't see my shoes! It wasn't a real fast car but it had a lot of low end power. That was 1976.
Autumn 1967 was an exciting time for me as a kid, when the '68 models came out. Suddenly, every pre-1968 car looked out-of-date, having no side marker lights. Heady times.
Your savant-like command of obscure Detroit facts continues to amaze me! If I ever got on a version of Jeopardy! just for cars, I would hire you to do all my prep.
I really enjoy the way you smoothly blend in the history of the designers while going over the vehicle. I was not a fan of this style of car but now look forward to your videos and learning about them all. I distinctly remember the smell of a freshly lit cigarette my friends mom lit as we cruised up the line to Beverly in a similar vehicle.
I just have to say the info you provide on the designer's, engineers and other people involved with these cars you review is awesome. It brings the viewer in and makes one feel like an insider and part of the process. I dont think any other car review site can match your historical explanations. Thanks
Had one of these in college, sky blue, sedan. Would have loved the hardtop. Styling so beautiful. Passed absolutely everything on the highway (455/2 bbl). Mpg. was so painful, you could watch the needle move 😵💫
I remember this car for a bad reason. I was 15 as well as my friend, and we stole his father's 88 with the 455 for a joy ride. It didn't end well while my friend was driving and did a 90 degree turn on full acceleration. Yep, out of control into a ditch with a panicking teenager. I live to tell the tail. He didn't get his license at 16 I can tell you that.
The 1972 Ford Thunderbird had a similar pointed nose. And in four door models it was a little bit more similar. Another fine video. Thank you for sharing.
I don't mind when people discount hardtop sedans and consider them lesser cars just because of the extra doors... While some cars do certainly look better as coupes, GM In particular absolutely killed it with their 65-70 hardtop sedans. Easily some of the most attractive cars ever made, backed up with great build quality and engineering.
My uncle had a ‘68 98 Holiday Sedan. What a nice car it was. It was fairly loaded with options and he drove it until ‘73 when he bought a new Jaguar XJ6. He lived 150 miles away from the nearest dealership and said that it usually went there on a flatbed. It was nowhere near the car that the ‘68 Olds was.
You have that right. In the late 70's, my Dad's auto repair shop had a customer with an XKE. My Dad's favorite customer as the electrical and carburation issues of the Jag kept it under his shop's roof more than the customers garage! At least it seemed that way. He had the car for two years and traded it for a Mercedes diesel due to crazy gas prices and Mercedes known quality. He swore he'd never buy a British care again in his life.
Had a gorgeous 1983 Olds 98 Regency Brougham "Tenth Generation" back in 1989. Total luxury w/feature comfort options. Smooth ride then you add the oversized pillow seats, it floated down the road One of my favorite cars. Hands down!!
Very nice. That interior is fantastic; but how about the edge routing of that vinyl top, not coming to the edge of the roof, but rather letting some body color shine through! Amazing! 😍
Your videos are absolutely packed with content, from insider information to sister-brand comparisons and contrasts between competing manufacturers. I always learn something. It's a pleasure to watch every one of these automotive jewels get the star treatment.
The beauty of all the GM brands was that they brought something different to the table. Every brand had its own different character. Oldsmobile is my favorite GM brand and I savored watching this car and your explanation of the people involved in creating these cars. Thank you and RIP to John Belt. Also Blaine Jenkins totally obsessed over his interior work. Very exquisite and it matches the car's attitude
This Delta 88 reminds me so much of my first car, a Nassau Blue 1969 Delta 88 town sedan. It came from my Uncle Harold and had the 455 2-barrel like this car. I remember seeing a 1970 Delta 88 spin its tires at a stoplight once, sitting behind it and thinking "my car will do THAT?" I drove mine all through college and it was rock solid dependable. I remember when other kids would ride with me, they'd always say "my dad had one of these." I loved the blue brocade interior with the buttons and the oval remote mirror. No other car has come close. I would have loved to hear this one running and that Olds exhaust sound like no other.
I lived and was going to high school just south of Lansing in 1968. As Oldsmobile had an assembly plant in Lansing, they were very prevalent. Great example in this video! Thank you, Adam! 👍👍👍
Dad, traded his 1959 Olds Super 88 for his brand new 1968 Olds 98 4 door hard top. In ten years time I was a HS senior borrowing it on wknds. The GM motor manual said the 455CID, 4 barrel Rochester Quadra-Jetted, 400 turbo-hydromatic tranny developed close to 400HP. Super High Compression, 95 octane/ethyl fueled with a solenoid assisted auxiliary fuel sender to the carb that got its send’ signal from the gas pedal…to actuate, when at highway revs, one would floor it’ and you’d shoot from 60 to 90+ in 2 seconds…
We had this exact car (except gold/green cloth interior not black vinyl and no tape deck). It was Mother's, while Dad had a contemporary Vista Cruiser. I learned to drive on it. This "family car" could beat every car my friends had racing, that much I distinctly recall. I had no idea they were that interesting -- thanks for making the video and for reminding me of happy times
Your ‘68 Oldsmobile is beautiful. A number of my parents’ friends drove Oldsmobiles back in this era. One car in particular I remember was a dark blue ‘69 98 Luxury Sedan, with stunning brocade medium blue interior. Those cars of that era were really special, and exhibited amazing quality in engines, suspension, interiors, roominess, really almost every area. Thanks for presenting this one in a beautiful summertime setting. I Wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and Happy new year. By this time next year, I expect you’ll have 100,000 subscribers.
Adam, this video brought back some great memories. There were 3 1968 Delta 88s in our neighborhood. The lady who was the original owner of the '63 Super 88 I learned to drive on had a blue metallic Delta Custom Holiday Sedan, a family down the block had the Delta 88 Town Sedan in dark green, and the prettiest of all was a medium gray metallic Custom Holiday Sedan, down in the next block. Beautiful cars, all. Oh, the lady with the blue Delta Custom traded it in 1971 for Mercury Marquis Brougham, white with dark blue interior and vinyl top, which was the prettiest family sedan I've ever seen.
...let me know what you think, Adam, but I have always thought of Olds as the maverick GM Division....some say due to its physical distancing from GM HQ...all the way out in Lansing... ...I've been a fan of the great designs from the 60's...and those headlamp bezels recessed well behind the prominent angled grilles ( most beautifully done in '67 IMHO...created beautiful sutomotive art...and the upward arc from ahead of the C-pillar which framed the large rear wheel arches were some of the nicest-ever design cues of any GM line or division... ...these great designers created cars that captured the image of a large and powerful athlete all cleaned up and dressed in a tux...refined power and elegance...
Thank you so much, Adam, for this very informative RU-vid video vlog. I love all of your cars, but mainly your narrative voice is somewhat very eloquent and relaxing to listen to, as well. You sure have a tremendous great deal of taste, when it comes to buying classic cars. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas, during the event of the Holidays Season, and a Happy New Year 2022. Johnny, Montréal, Canada 🇨🇦
Even if Olds was the middle division of GM, they did build some beautiful cars, it's rare to see an 88 like that, but that's just gorgeous, an 8-track tape deck, plus the AM/FM radio & dual rear seat speakers, you don't see that at all, the color is also stunning, my folks 68 Cutlass was that same color, I'd love to find a Cutlass just like that one, but update the interior to a Cutlass Supreme, because of the center armrest, a 442 grille, Rallye gauges, FM radio, dual rear speakers, & of course, color keyed wheels, redline tires, & that car would rock!!!!
Very nice car. I owned a '68 Delmont 88 2dr Fastback she was a cruiser. Rocket 350 2 bbl. 20 mpg hwy fully loaded she could leave rubber too. I used a 4 door Delta for some body parts fenders, trim, side markers. I miss that car.
My parents had a '68 Delta 88 with the 455ci and a 4bbl carb. This was my mother's grocery getter car and the one that I learned to drive with. I can tell you that it would burn up the rear tires with no problem and would easily bury the speedometer. My memory of this car was tromping on the gas pedal and watching the gas gauge move towards empty with a top fuel efficiency of 12 mpg if you were lucky. It was a true beast of a car despite it's image. In later years Olds had an ad campaign stating "not your father's Olds" and wasn't that the truth!
In high school I had a 69 Delta 88 4 door sedan with a 455 2 brl . 490 ft lbs of torque and an "indestructible T400 trans. I changed the rear tires often in high school auto shop.
I had the 70’ 2-door with same engine. Bought it in 77’ it was my mother’s aunts car had only 52,000 miles on it. Not bad for a 17 year old. Was actually pretty nice
We had a 1967 Delta 98 sedan loaded plus more! Triple black and the 425 was a great reliable runner! As this man said this was the last and most reliable of them big blocks.
My aunt and uncle had a ‘69 Delta 88 in Aztec Gold with a black vinyl roof. It had a 350 2 barrel. Nice car with poor front suspension, a/c trouble and dash rattles.
We owned a gold ‘68 Olds 442 with black vinyl top & black rally striping on the front quarter panels. Common parts of this Delta 88 brought back memories: the inside door handles, the steering wheel & the rear rocket side marker lights. The 442 was no Delta: hard suspension, rocket acceleration & boy did we get a lot of looks. But it was an Olds: unique enough to separate it from its competitors...& it got an 11 year old interested in cars...too bad Olds is gone. What a shame.
My uncle had a 4 door hardtop 68 Delta like that. Looking at old photos it was a blue. He always ordered his cars and if I know him he would of ordered the 455 with the 4 bbl carb he had a heavy foot! It was traded in on a 71 Delta.
My dad had the same car just sea green color we called it the bomb I loved it the smell the size everything it rode like a cloud thanks for the memories
I had one but it was a sixty nine model it had the big four fifty five and had gobs of pairs I'd give anything to have it back it was a torquise color with a black vinyl top
I owned the 1968 Delta Custom Coupe with 455 4bbl. I've owned probably over 60s automobiles in my lifetime, no car ever got me near sexualy excited as jumping in the boat, turning that small, weird GM ignition key. Then people forget, the little green warning light would shine telling you to warm up this Carnivores beast before dropping that Dyna flow transmission into drive. The black vinyl/ leather half buckets and console racing like shift , you wanted to take off down a runway and fly. Not even my 1969 Delta 88 gave off that same sense of confidence. The 1968 Delta Custom coup was truly one off year dynamic ride, instill search the Auctions for a reasonable facsimile.
Great car...it took me quite awhile to truly appreciate these full sized offerings. 7:18 I was surprised to see a factory tachometer (And there was a clock in the center - Olds version of the Tic-Toc-Tac)...
I was 8 years old. We had a '68 Delta Custom coupe. Silver, same seats as this. I didn't know 455 was standard. Even at 8 I was into cars. My entire family was Oldsmobile both grand fathers. I have home home movies of my grand parents coming down our long driveway in his black Starfire (who knew)! My first car was a 71 Delta Royale (grand fathers old car) in '76. It was factory faded brown. Looked like it had been in the sun. Horrible. Lol had it painted cadillac brown metallic. My last Olds was an '82 two tome Grey Delta 88 Royale Broughm coupe. No vinyl top. No wires, rally wheels, F41 suspension absolutely a head turner. Special order McMinn Olds Pgh Pa. Window was $14,055. Oh, and yes a moon roof! I'll bet the only one like that.
My dad had the same color 98 when i was a kid but was cloth interior. It was a very nice car we took on many road trips. Road very nice and comfortable.
The 67 and 68 GM B bodies really were the height of 'fastbacks' translated to a big body - even the 4dr hardtops had it but showed better with a painted roof. Compare the profile with the Merc (which I also love, but it speaks with a different voice), contrast in design philosophy immediately apparent. In 4dr hdtp guise, the Buicks were the most swoopy, but in 2dr the Olds had it due to the rear haunches. The roof design however didn't do much for back seat ingress/egress in the 4 door hardtops. To me, the 68 Olds was an improvement over the 67, because the Toro nose was toned down; there was too much visual fender overhang in 67. Rear was more of a tossup, I like the 68, but it was 'bulkier'. Olds though had it over the Buick in overall interior design, especially the seats - really all the way through the mid-late 70s.
The extreme fender blades looked so fragile, and the bumpers of the time really were. In '68, Buick had thumb wheel controls, which were awful, for HVAC and wipers.
This car has 99, 458 miles on it - someone must have taken really good care of this. It is so nice to see this - a 4 door hardtop, but also a full sized Oldsmobile - typically a type of car that wasn't saved and preserved. Whenever I see one of these, I'm reminded of the Chappaquiddick incident, where Ted Kennedy drove his mother Rose's 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88 4 door sedan to a party on Martha's Vineyard. Many different versions of the story have been told, but the car went off the side of the Dike Bridge, which had no guardrails, and a young woman, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowned in the car. A very sad incident that occurred within a day or two of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969.
This is a great looking Oldsmobile, especially the interior. My grandparents had a '68 Delta 88 Custom 4-door hardtop, which does not compare to this well at all.
That car would pound the counter parts in the Western Pennsylvania hills and windy roads we had in the ,70's, 80', 90's, and a few still there today that haven't been straightened out yet.
My dad was always an Oldsmobile guy and the car he had around this time was a special ordered ‘69 Delta 88 4Door Hardtop with all power including the AM/FM stereo with the Wonderbar option and the 455 under the hood. It was chocolate brown with an ivory interior and no vinyl top. Although it seemed to me at the time as such a heavy car it was a good looking car as well as an incredibly thirsty car. I enjoyed, as always, your very informative videos.
Nice car that you don't seem too many of, it's even rarer to see one with the passenger side mirror, I read somewhere that the 1969 Oldsmobile Delta 88's far outsold the 1968's, also for 1968 did the Delta 88 compete more with the Pontiac Executive and Mercury Montclair?
Fabulous chrome on that Olds and an interesting vinyl top that doesn't descend down the a-pillars. I had no idea what the origin of the 'W' prefix was. Adam always has the most arcane and interesting information.
GM referred to that style as the "halo" vinyl roof. It looks exceptionally well on this body style, as well as my aunt's 1970 Cutlass Supreme in Sherwood Green with a white vinyl top.
My dad had the one that came after that I think when I was a kid. I remember when he got it from a nice used car dealer. It’s a shame that the guy who designed those awesome cars for Oldsmobile died so young.
I absolutely love 4 Door Hardtops . I tried to get my Dad to purchase his bosses 62 Twilight Turquoise 62 Impala Sport Sedan and finally much later located a 64 Impala Sport Sedan in Almond Fawn with a 327 for them to buy . Sadly it's a beautiful body style we will never see again . Thanks
I like how the rear window ends at the metal of the body, rather than having a strip of vinyl roof between the window and the metal body like the car next to it.
When my dad first got his driving license they had a '69 delta 88 Royale in a greenish color with a black vinyl roof as the family car. Had Bucket seats with console shifter, 455 motor and am radio with 2 speakers. Always talked highly of that car with all the stories he told me. Unfortunately the cold climates took its toll & was traded in for a Pontiac Catalina.
I generally liked the Olds in the 60’s, except many of them seemed like the bodies were way wider than the track width of the axles and suspension. They looked to me like they sat a full size body down on an intermediate chassis, and the broad fender flares only added to that perception.
Goodday Adam, Great video, so good you mentioned the 400HP, Tornado which was a W34 option also mentioned Doc Watson in relation to the W designation. Oldsmobile are extremely rare in Australia and I consider myself Oldsmobile number 1 Fan in Australia. Love to get my hands on a 1968 W 31 or a 1970 Delta 88 Hardtop W 33 ex CHP extremely rare. Here in Australia from the mid 60's to the early 70's we did receive & locally assembled US Bodied Sedans & 4 doors Hardtop's in limited numbers. Australia is Right Hand Drive. There was the Chev Impala upto 1968 all came with 2BBL 327. The Dodge Phoenix / Fury in the states with the 383 2 BBL & each year till last ones were 1971 they build the limited edition 4 door hardtop of only 400. Ford LTD till about 1972 only in 4 door sedan with a 2BBL 390. That is all the exposure Australia got to USA bodied cars, because then local production of the big 3 produced their own line of Aussie designed luxury sedans. Holden Statesman replaced the Chev. CH Chrysler by Chrysler in both sedan & extremely rare hardtop. I have owned several hardtop's over my lifetime. Either 360 2 BBL or 265 Hemi six. Ford LTD sedan & Ford Landau Hardtop also extremely rare. Hope this info is helpful for your records. All the best for Xmas & New Year's. Cheers Louis 👍
I’ve noticed for this car and just about all American cars that 1968 was the last year that cars had that classic look to them. The starter on the dashboard, a more metal looking steering wheel, and no headrests. GM had those mushroom-shaped headrests from 1969-1972, with 1971 being the exception for full-sized cars.
As a kid I remember my parents had a 1967 Olds Delta 98 4 door hardtop. I thought we were rich.! Lol my dad bought it used. But wow.! What car. ! Taking trips up to Alpena to my Grandparents farm. My sister would sleep on the back seat and I was the right size to sleep on the floor. Lol.
