1961 Oldsmobile 88

1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Holiday Coupe For consignment, a 1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Holiday coupe showing 5,439 miles, but the true miles are unknown. Eighty Eights were available in 2-barrel Dynamic models or 4-barrel Super models, with variations, and six body styles. 19,878 Dynamic 88 Holiday 2 doors were built in 1961, and this example provides opportunity for restoration. Exterior A Palmetto Mist bubble top looms epically over a Provincial White body and despite the condition of the paint, theres no denying the unique and exciting lines of this fairly uncommon car. Well start at the back where round tail lights dictate the shape of the trim above while the bumper below wears downward fins akin to skegs of a boat or fin of a surfboard. Its unique and flanks the lower valence which holds the capsule shaped reverse lights. In profile, the body lines reflect a bullet in reverse with the point at the back, widening as it moves to the front fender with stainless trim bisecting it. Harley Earl decided on the switch back of the windshield which flares at the bottom in a pointed wrap around, while the back window curves gently at the end of a rounded roof. Theres surface rust, dents, scratching, chips, actual rust around the rocker panel and fender edges, lots of touched up attempts, obvious filler and cracking paint above it. Yeah, shes going to need work, but just look at that body shape! Interior More work needed here as the green interior will need some restoration. That said, the door panels dressed in three shades of green in varying insert designs are actually in decent condition and inspiration for bringing the car up to par. The drivers side of the vinyl and cloth split bench is torn badly and is compressed deeply, while the passenger side is stained but not torn. The back bench also has its share of stains and a rip or two and the carpet is worn through in back and to a lesser extent in front. A green steering wheel with attractive slim central spoke shows some cracks and frames a fantastic dashboard that blends the ornate 50s with the linear 60s, elongated oval gauges below a horizontal speedometer, both rimmed in chrome trim over a green base. The lower panel is ribbed metal and holds two push button panels for the air conditioning and heater. An AM radio is central under a dash pad that is cracked and detached at the side. Above us, the headliner is in decent shape but the drivers visor material is split. The trunk is barren and uncovered. Drivetrain When we lift the hood, we note the insulation is in pieces, broken down after many years exposed to engine heat. The bay itself is driver quality and houses a 394ci V8 rated at 250 horsepower and fueled by a 2-barrel carburetor, mated to a Hydramatic 3-speed automatic that sends power to the rear axle with 2.87 gears. Power brakes are employed as drums on all four wheels. Undercarriage Driver quality as expected underneath with surface rust, grease build up, and oil present both as drops on the pan and as residual and blow back on crossmembers and other frame components. The single exhaust seems to be intact and flows through a stock style muffler, eventually exiting behind the rear quarter panel. Suspension consists of coil spring up front and a 4 link with coils in the back. Drive-Ability Narrow pillars result in great visibility in this car that narrows the 88 series as it enters the 60s and its 5th generation. The 394 starts right up and exhibits some valve train noise, so we feather it around the test loop where 215/75R14 tires help to counter imperfections in the tarmac even as suspension shows a bit of age. We note the following; the A/C, horn, wipers, and reverse lights are not working. The gas gauge is stuck at tank so keep track of that in a notebook! Overall, not bad as the rest of the functional items operate as they should! While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase. You can scratch tires off the list as the 75 series on the car have a mid 2020 date code so can be driven on while youre restoring this car! Of course, you can keep it in its worn and patinad state and still be cool. This is an uncommon and uniquely designed car and of the six body styles, this may objectively be the best of the lot with curved glass and a rounded roof taking center stage. This may or may not have been your fathers Oldsmobile, but it should be yours! 612K08694 61-1961 2-88 K-Kansas City, KS Assy Plant 08694-Sequential Unit Number TRIM TAG STYLE 61 3237-1961 Dynamic 88 2 Door Holiday Coupe BODY BK929-Kansas City Body # TRIM 317-Green Cloth & Vinyl PAINT CJ-Provincial White & Palmetto Mist Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (thats more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price. 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