The driver should have gotten a medal for keeping this behemoth on the road. The 88's were always powerful. My friend's dad had a '73 88 and that thing would move.
My Dad handed me down his 71 Delta 88 Royale when I graduated HS in 1981,,,,the EXACT same car as in this video except it was a 2 door. I loved that car.
+Moses Berkowitz I've never understood why road testers drive family sedans in a way that real world drivers in everyday conditions would never do. What do we learn from it?
Lots of things. We learn what the capabilities of a car really are. We learn that we don't drive cars at near their limits. Not even close. I took a 16 year old to the school parking lot to teach him to drive and show the cars true limits. He told me that showing him that got him out of a nasty situation on the road. People should know more about their cars before they get out and pilot a 4000 lb hunk of metal down the road at 40 mph, much less 70.
You obviously were never a boneheaded 16 year old in 1985. You could buy these things for $500 and they were practically indestructible - not that we didn't try...
The limitations of the vehicle. But MotorWeek usually treats the car like the owner would. If it's a sedan, they pack it with people. If it's an SUV, they fill the trunk, etc...
A lady who was a neighbor to my family home bought this exact same car in the same green color in 1971. She stood at 5 ft tall, or possibly less. Nice lady. When she drove this massive beast, she looked THROUGH the steering wheel.... me and my friends got out of the street when she drove past.
My grandmother, may she rest in peace, bought a 1976 Cadillac Coupe Deville new off the showroom floor in late '75 after trading in a '65 Fleetwood Brougham, she stood at a mere 4"11 (She always said she was 5"2 though.) the doors were so heavy that when combined with leather seats and a good gust of wind would pull her right out of the car when she either opened or closed the doors and left her right on the asphalt. She traded that one off on a new '84 Eldorado Biarritz and she didn't seem to have the problem after that. The doors on both of those cars were like closing a bank vault though!
0-60 in 8.8 seconds. 50-0 in 94 feet. That is quite impressive. With a few basic mods and modern tyres, this car could be considered brisk even by modern standards.
Oldsmobile and Buick did some neat things before they went malaise before they went full on GM cookie cutter. The difference between having engineers making engineering decisions and having MBA's make engineering decisions.
Actually grip and handling are two separate problems. The more grip a car has, the more difficult it becomes to handle, because loss and recovery of grip is much faster and more violent, requiring more precision and faster reaction time from the driver. Also, more grip would inflict bigger body roll and hence different suspension geometry. It's hard to predict what a car this old is going to do when forced to corner with suspension constantly squeezed to the point it was designed to reach only when hitting a very bad bump.
+Fitz A I like those early flex fuel cars. Can drink either leaded or unleaded! Pre cat is better! I prefer unleaded, myself. Leaded is good for towing in hick areas, however. Unleaded does save the environment, however. Or ecology. Either one should suffice. I prefer unleaded, but it's no big deal. Pre cat is good.. I like to keep my options open! Hardened valve seats and no cat is best. Either one! Be flexible, true!
having turned 16 in 1974 I have to say it was a great time to be living in midwest America. these cars were massive and way powerful, yet they handled like a dream when cruising on the freeway and around town
My Dad had the same in a 2 door convertible. The pea green interior was immaculate when he sold it in the late 1980’s. His had the big engine but only a 2 barrel
What was surprising was the gas milage. This car on a trip with a trunk full of luggage, 3 people in the car, on the highway would turn in from 17 to 20 mpg. In the mountains 10-14mpg. Still not bad for a non-computer controlled engine and a ton or more of people and iron!
I love Olds my parents had a 71 Vista cruiser with 455 and a rear sunroof and a German shepherd ha ha.8 miles to the gallon. And a salt water beach every weekend
One of the best cars ever built. All cars should be this good. 71 was a standout year for all American cars. Dad had a 71 Electra and the guardrails in the doors saved his life when the car was t boned. Detroit will never do this well again.
As the other poster said this is what the the American public wanted back then - big and luxurious. And these cars were comfortable cruisers. You could drive down a bumpy road without getting your arse kicked on every pebble you rolled over, unlike today's cars. They were great for long drives. And this car has character! Something that today's cars DON'T. Don't knock early American automotive engineering. It was what it was for a reason. This is a great video and it's fun to watch - thanks!
In 1982 I traded a small enduro motorcycle for a '71 Delta 88 w/350, maroon 2-door with black interior. I loved that car! Used to drive to Tijuana and fill it up with cheap gas. Sometimes I turn the car off, go shopping, come back and it would still be "running" from the horrid Mexican gas. Got 11 mpg, which was a pretty common for the era.
Having worked for a towing company in the late 80's. I got to see the aftermath of a 79 Honda Civic running a red light and getting T boned by a 73 Olds Delta 88... The passenger side doors were pushed half way through the cabin, the floor pan was pushed down so far that you could rock the car from passenger side tires to driver side tires and back with little effort. The Olds overheated because the fan shroud had made contact with the fan and stopped it. We made a slight adjustment to the shroud and back on the road the Olds went.
+Pha Q Big cars rule, my Aunt Marion did buy a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and that midsized car was huge! She did order the wrong engine for that car. A Chevrolet 250 cid 6 cylinder. Too weak for my tastes. I prefer Oldsmobile 350 V-8 with 4 barrel carburetor, but she's not into performance, however. Still, a good rig.
+Dooneegomaface Ifinnaspring True, that Mr Cabot reminds me of young punks like Rick Santorum too. Glad, the wisdom of Dr Ron Paul put him back in his place! After all, Ron Paul is born in 1935 and Rick Santorum is born in 1958. That means, Ron Paul was 35 years old in 1971, and turning 36 years old, about 5 days, after the Nixon Shock too. Rick Santorum was a 13 year old punk kid in 1971, go figure! I do love to calculate folks' ages back in 1971! My mom did immigrate to the USA in 1971! So I know 1980s and later immigrants think different from 1970s, 1960s, and 1950s immigrants! USA was better in 1968 according to Auntie Sint Sint too! I am also 12% Scottish of the British Empire too! Canada and British Burma by tradition have Detroit Yank Tanks, and it was awesome. Burma stopped buying in March 2, 1962, because they had a Commie problem! I also like Republicans and Democrats of the old days too. JFK and Ike rule, despite their flaws!
+Pha Q I saw the aftermath of a 1970 Olds like this one hitting a chevy 4 wheel drive pickup headon. Both were totalled but the chevy had the engine pushed back into the cabin and the front wheels axles and all were busted away from the frame. From that day on, I swore I would stay out of the way of big Oldsmobiles.
kevin122759 Good one. I just recalled the time my ex-wife and her friend were in a '77 Delta 88 doing around 35 mph when a '92 Ford cargo van cut a left turn in front of them. They T boned the van, broke the axle right out from underneath it, and caved in the side. The van was totaled. The Delta 88 had a busted turn signal lens and the bumper was slightly pulled to one side, that was it.
The 455 was an option in the '71 Olds 88. (B body) The standard powerplant was the (Olds) Rocket 350. The 98 (C body) had the 455/4 barrel as standard issue.
Flipped the air cleaner to hear that carburetor moan. Floored the gas pedal to watch the speedometer climb while the seeing the gas gauge drop by the width of the needle. Leave it in low till 70 and shift into second only after lifting my foot off the gas. That 455 and TH400 were a bullet proof combination.
+hanky97007 Must have a tall gear! I seen axle ratios of 2.24 axles and 3.55 axles too. Plus even high ones such as 4.11s which is way too short for me! I prefer taller gears around 2.24 for 3 speed automatics for sure. 4 speed autos should be 2.73 or 3.08 axles. 3.23 and 3.55 are awesome ratios for city driving! Don't forget that 3.42 ratio!
+itsmegp46 Yeah, even the heavy Buick Enclave which is heavier has better handling and traction, true. At least GM in those days knew how to turn a profit, however. Our society was very different in 1971, as well. Even new immigrants that came to USA and Canada in 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s think differently too. If GM, Ford, and Chrysler were strong, I am sure new immigrants would be just as patriotic as the old ones. The demise of Detroit hurts everything, even Canada! Even immigrants from Burma in 1950s think differently from ones after 1980! Hawaii Five O is a great cop show too!
+Bryan Tint The weight was about the same, but you really can't compare cars built 45 years apart. I will say one thing, those old GM cars floated down the highway like you were riding on whipped cream and into near total silence.
+itsmegp46 A lot of it is tires and shocks. This car tested had the old bias ply tires on it,and of course the old 'spiral' GM shocks? Radials and better shocks make a world of difference. Figure out by my 'handle' how I know this!! (lol)
Some 1971 Oldsmobiles were made into police packages too. The suspension on cop cars are much better than civilian cars, or most civilian cars. It's funny, how heavy duty suspension is quite sloppy, however. At least it can tow 7000 pounds when properly equipped. Much better than my 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue at 1000 pounds. The 1992 to 1995 Oldsmobile 88 was 3000 pounds with tow package. Only featured as an option for 3 or 4 model years only. Not enough sales to justify a towing package. That Buick V-6 is powerful. Better yet was the Oldsmobile and Chevrolet V-8. Such as 1990 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with Oldsmobile 307 cid V-8. The 1991 and 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser is 305 cid V-8 and 350 cid V-8 by Chevrolet. 350 is better for that wagon. It became an option in 1992. I guess one can custom order a 1991 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with 350. Those Oldsmobile wagons were rated for 5000 pounds. Some are 4000 pounds. From 1982 to 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and Cutlass Cruiser towed about 3000 pounds with towing package too. They deleted it in the 1990s, so towing is reduced to 1000 pounds. I tow with my 2013 Chevrolet it's rated for 1000 pounds, but it tows well. I towed like 5 U Haul trailers too. 1 850 pound trailer and 4 990 pound trailers. One 990 pound trailer had a 156 pound tongue weight on second trailer. So it could have about 500 pounds of goods in there. So loaded trailer is about 1500 pounds. My 2013 Chevrolet can tow a loaded trailer at 1500 pounds! Plus 3 passengers including me! Plus luggage and such. Ha! I passed many cars going uphill on Lewiston Grade on US-95!
To all of the people who are making fun of the handling of this car. People drove their cars differently back then. They slowed down at the railroad crossings and big humps in the road. They slowed down for sharp corners too. These were not sports cars. People drove them as such. Are they as crisp as today's truck like riding cars? No. Did this Oldsmobile hit any of the cones though in the emergency maneuver test? No. It's a shame that we all have to suffer with the horrendously stiff suspensions we now have just because Motor Trend, Car and Driver, and Road and Track thought that ride comfort was so dangerous when, in fact, these cars had some of the lowest accident rates compared to the youth oriented sports cars. On a 3,000 mile trip across the country, I would rather drive this car than anything now offered.
So? It was more comfortable. A passenger could sleep in this car for 8 hours at 70 MPH (or until it ran out of gas). You can't sleep in any of today's cars.
I'm with you Wayne!! These cars are beautiful and weren't meant for today's stupid-ass millennial shit-for-brains drivers! We knew how to drive back then and it was fun!
Dad drove his Pontiacs harrrd, late 60’s through the 80’s. Bonnevilles and Catalinas. Then he bought a couple Olds 98s, driving from Detroit to Florida was adrenaline overdoses with Dad. In 82 I bought a 73 Olds 98, after 2 Gran Torinos I hated. That Olds had the 455 Rocket and the ride was typical GM smooth. I beat the living hell out of that car and it yawned. My friend’s GrandeVille was just as badassed.
Frankly speaking I have to enjoy watching these videos because we obviously don't have anything that resembles a car today. Yeah, we used to live in an era when you had a true six passenger car, it had a huge gas tank, plenty of luggage room in the trunk, and was pure Detroit iron. Now it all looks alike, and no longer is what it was. If we weren't into our trucks and SUV's, we would still have a stylish vehicle sitting in our driveway. Oh for the good old days!!
Good old days where cars rusted out in 5 years and couldn't go over 100k miles. Good old days where a car could have drum brakes all around and no power assist. Good old days where tires would last 10k. No the good old days weren't that good. Looked good but I'll take my modern 4 cylinder econobox and line it up with any of these barges.
i knew a lot of people, friends and family members that had this car. I drove it myself and i tell ya, its damn near a musclecar. my cousin had 3.55 posi unit put in it and that thing haled ass for sure!!! Put this thing up against a 2010 Camaro SS and this thing would kick that ass for real. For driving on vacation from chicago to mississippi, this thing was like riding in a Greyhound Bus--plenty of room and plush. That Olds 455 was a beast for sure!
My uncle had a 71' Delta 88 like that same body style but different color.He had a heavy foot and that big Rocket 455 CID V-8 was more than a match for his fast driving habits.He loved his big Oldsmobiles till the day he died.
It's blast driving these big land yates .They were like huge clock pendulums . Driving a stretch limo that's 30' long on a wet / Icey road while accelerating hard is very similar and the G Forces are incredible. Kinda makes your passenger spill their drinks.
Just once I would love to drive or ride in one of these big ass American cars to experience the floatiness of the suspension and massive torque of the giant V8. It's quite a contrast to the cars of today!
Dad had a 2 door 71 88, with a 455 2 barrel.....truly the best car we ever had, and it WAS quick....prior car was a 66 Bonneville with a 389, 4 barrel, pretty car, but not so fast.
+Schön That is because people of Ron Paul's generation can drive better than Darren Wilson's generation too! Ron Paul is born in 1935 and he knows more than Rick Santorum who is born in 1958! Darren Wilson is born in 1986. Michael Brown is born in 1996! Young men are fakes for sure. Old men rule! The Illuminati talking about race is such BS for sure. It's about knowledge of 1970s! Not foreigner or domestic shit! Any mankind is cool, as long as they love Detroit! I base my philosophy on Hawaii Five O, and Emergency!
320 horse was gross rating and it was thanks to epa that it was only 320, in 70 it was 390 horse but in 71 they had to run on unleaded so compression ratios dropped by almost 25%
If it was a 1971 455hp....it could be #1) 320hp-#2) 340hp or #3) 375hp....it all depended on which compression the engine had- I had a 1971 White 98 Regency....it's 455 had a rating of 375hp due to its 10.25:1 compression......during 1972 & into 1973 the heavy emission controls were installed in a lot of the big block engines which basically cut hp in half on 96% of them....and, of course mpg ratings went out the window....yuck!!!!!!
we had one of these exactly like this, same color, same engine. what a tank. my grandfather had a '72 Mercedes Benz 280SEL 4.5 that would run circles around the olds
For many years GM offered the F40 (Heavy Duty) and the F41 (Performance) suspension packages. These would give things like a rear sway bar and a oversized front stabilizer bar with larger and harder bushings. It was usually a $25 -$80 option which at the time ($3.85 Hour) was a lot of cash but a joke by todays standards.
you should be very proud ofyourself, the fact that you're in your early 20s and love nice things! not to mention the fact that you rebuilt a 455 engine, is impressive, at any age!
I have a car very similar to this. 72 Delta 88 convertible with the 455. I plan on running oversize sway bars, KYB shocks, and heavy-duty springs for a '74-'76 big-block Caprice wagon to make it handle.
Yes they are a lot of fun to drive. These automobiles were designed for the thrill of driving and not for commuting. There's nothing like the feeling of going 100+mph on a wide open American highway on a big strong American vintage automobile.
"This stop was in 36 feet..." Hmm, stopped almost within its own length. :D Man, how I miss those old battleships, when you pretty much had to take a lunch with you if you walked back to front.
Like Starsky & Hutch & the exact same tire screetch & police car siren in every cop show for like 10 years or better.. Shit..those tires even made the same screeching sound on dirt.
@jdillmeister Keep in mind that this is what the US family car buyer wanted back then. If you wanted better road manners from an Olds, you'd buy a Cutlass. If you wanted an absolute silky-smooth ride, you bought an Olds 98 (same frame as the Cadillac DeVille line - softer sprung than the Delta 88 line). The auto makers were building what we wanted at the time. Times changed - the US automakers didn't look at the clock.
I bought a 71 Delta 88 2 door coupe, Dark blue out with black interior. A family friend who owned a gas station showed me the car. "A baby Cadillac" he said. A/C, power windows and locks, cruise. 42,000 miles when I bought it for $1,800 in 1976. The only thing that went bad after a few months was the starter, which I replaced with a re-built one. That car got me through my hazy, crazy post-teen years....maybe a little too hazy. One rainy day while driving in a daze, I blew through a stop sign and was broad sided. The car that had less than 25 cents worth of paint chipped off her was now totaled. Shame.
It's so interesting my very first car was a 1971 Delta 88 Coupe that was my grandfather's he passed away in '75 and it was given to me it didn't have a 455 it only had a 350 4-barrel we called it the rat the car was completely indestructible I used to have the air cleaner flipped and beat the heck out of it and it just kept on going and wouldn't die it is so funny to see this dinosaur laboring over curves and to think 70 2-0 stopping in almost two hundred feet. I remember the double-sided White Walls my car was the ugliest shade of brown we used to call it faded brown right from the factory because it had a Milky tone to it
+Doobie1975 True. Every cheap and middle market brand of Detroit had a new design for the 1971 model year. Even Dodge and Plymouth had a new design to offer for 1971. The Chrysler brand did not get a new design until 1974 with the 1974 Chrysler Newport and 1974 Chrysler Town & Country. Many were powered with 400 cid Chrysler big block V-8 with 4 barrel carburetor too. Solid state ignition came out in these 1974 Chrysler C bodies too. There is the popular 1974 Plymouth Fury and 1974 Dodge Monaco too. Featured in The Blues Brothers as well. I prefer 400 V-8 over 440 V-8 for better fuel economy. Good torque too! As for the 360 with either 2 barrel or 4 barrel, it's too weak. 400 and 440 are better. 400 with 2 barrel is kind of weak!
Bud even says ‘getting ready for the lower octane, lead-free gas’. After ‘71, I think it was pretty much over for the big cars. My late brother had one of these in bronze. We used to pretend we were Starsky & Hutch......
@@jerrytaylor4078 1972's performance (mainly for GM and Chrysler) wasn't much different than 1971's performance, it was 1973 when performance and drivability went through the roof.
I'm impressed with how far we've come on braking technology. That same 70 mph, 200 foot stop can now be done in a touch over 100 feet in a lot of cars.
People who wanted a sports car back then did NOT buy this car. In the U.S.A., unlike elsewhere, there was an EXTREME separation between luxury and sport. People who bought this car did so KNOWING what the handling was and loved the car because of the ride comfort and seat comfort. These cars were 10 highway cruisers. I can GUARANTEE you that if you spent 10 hours on the highway driving, or riding as a passenger in this car, you would drive your present car off a cliff. They were THAT nice!
Oh yeah, some of my favority old luxury cars - Im 53 and drove or owned em all pretty much - loved the ride big three automaker cars had back then - no they didint handle, theyre really werent meant to - they were meant to be livingroom comfortable while going 70+ mph on the highway and they did it well - you could go 1000 miles and not be wore out from feeling every damn pavement strip and pebble on the road. Most cars now ride like damn go karts. Theres no styling anymore either -
hahaha...hot dam!! that things as graceful as a gazelle...years ago in my early 20's I had a 71' Ninety Eight..455, avacado green interior 76k orig mi. Bought from original owner...that dang car would move it's ass when you laid into it though. Loved it! That was a lot of car for $725
Cali Dude Dude, my 73 Olds98 was that brown color, but it was my stallion as I tore ass up and down I-75 in Detroit and Southfield Road in 1982-84. I still shop around for a 73 Olds 98 455 Rocket stroker. Nuthin like a 1970’s era GM big car ride too, riding on a cloud and you can put 10 people in the things, small people.
Yeah, nothing like those old bias ply tires would really hug the road although skid issues did happen even at high speeds with a 3400 lb. behemoth car like this Oldsmobile 88. Yes, they were wonderful cars, comfortable, gas hogs/guzzlers like in the days before the Oil Embargo of OPEC back then. Still miss these great cars.
Amen! Oldmobiles like the 88 and 98 were built like tanks. The 88 was more like a big Chevy, while the 98 was basically the Cadillac's little brother. Behemoths, both. A lady in a Jaguar ass-ended my mom's '72 Olds 88 one day, there was only a busted tail light and a slightly bent rear bumper on the Olds; the Jag was just a mess. No kidding, the front end of the Jag was mashed in like two feet and it was hemorrhaging fluids. There wasn't even a sensation of impact in the Olds, really. It just kind of lurched a little and bobbed around, sort of like rolling over a speed bump a little too fast. That car had the 'small' V8, a 350, and even so, it could really get up and roll if you needed it to. Regular gas, no catalytic converter, only very rudimentary emissions control, automatic, power steering, power brakes, and an air conditioner that had a 'kill' setting. The problem with that car was it rode so smooth and quiet it'd run away from you if you weren't paying attention. Seriously, I got stopped for doing 74 on the freeway (at the time, 55 was the national limit). Wasn't even trying to speed; just wasn't paying attention and rolled through a speed trap. It got surprising gas mileage, too, considering it was a carbureted V8 in a 4,000-lb tuna boat. If you kept it under 60, it could manage right around 20 to the gallon, but in the city... fuhgetiboutit. 12 mpg, tops. But you could pack a month's worth of luggage in that trunk even with the full-sized spare, and you could seat six easily. I'll refrain from comments regarding the rear seat. I'll simply say it was definitely the car you wanted to take to the drive-in.
+Bimini Colt Especially the 7000 pound towing capacity for sedans and coupes. 6000 pounds for wagons! Tongue weight is rated at the maximum of 500 pounds for towing too! Great rigs, I agree!
+Bimini Colt And what if I told you that the CO2 when released stores 120.000 times more heat into the atmosphere as the equivalent quantity of fuel creates when burning? Still fond of these cars?
In the hands of a capable driver who understands the dynamics of their vehicle, large cars were actually quite capable road machines, doing everything asked, even with the limits of the tires back in the day. With modern upgrades to suspension and tires, these cars will go in the direction you point them in with no problem. GM really did their homework with the large cars of the era.
As impressive as the 71 Oldsmobile Delta 88's styling was, the important thing was its performance and handling. 0-60 acceleration is important, but so is braking, particularly when you consider how big and heavy the car is that you're driving.
Nice car, very good performance for a big car considering the 455-4barrel has less power than the 455's of the previous years and the car is slightly heavier as well, I'm a big fan of the 1971-72 GM full size B-bodies due to the styling and the performance was still there on these cars
My father owned one with the 350 cubic inch 2 barrel carb. That year model was delayed because of the GM strike. Highway driving was best. Great engine, ok ride, better than the 98. Easy to work on.
@kg4yhr These cars had much more front/rear sq. footage than many of today's vehicles and they absorbed much of the impact in an accident. They didn't call them "crumple zones" back then, but they did a Hell of a job dispersing energy on most impacts, despite the fact that they didn't have air bags. Cars may get better mileage today with their tiny, sloped hoods which slip through the air with ease, but I wouldn't want to hit a moose with one.
@MrCouchmen - The front 5 mph bumpers didn't start until 1973 (my first car was a '73 LeMans) and the front and rear 5 mph bumpers didn't start until the 1974 model year. I remember reading about the bumper rules in the car magazines back then.
@cadrolls1 Yeah, I'm 32. My first car was a Pontiac Fiero (still have it). I've owned a couple of big cars, nothing THIS huge... my biggest car was a 73 Cutlass which I just sold (check my videos). But I would love to have this. I have a 69 olds 455 big block fully built with mondello cam and whatnot... just waiting for something to put it in. I also have a 2002 Crown Victoria LX with 43k miles on it, it's big, but not THIS big. My 73 Cutlass was bigger than my Crown Victoria!!!
I've never seen any tires, ever, on a car that screamed for bloody mercy like those. I'm shocked the tires didn't come off the rims, and have all four wheels tucked under the body due to complete suspension collapse.
Bias-plys, I'm pretty sure. Radials were still optional in 1972. And Olds had a heavy-duty suspension option that would have really helped in these tests.
The driver should have gotten a medal for keeping this behemoth on the road. The 88's were always powerful. My friend's dad had a '73 88 and that thing would move.
The handling characteristics of a Nimitz class carrier.
Every corner the driver takes all 4 wheels are completely straight and its just wallowing sideways, its a hoot
He's got that four-wheel drift, going on!
My Dad handed me down his 71 Delta 88 Royale when I graduated HS in 1981,,,,the EXACT same car as in this video except it was a 2 door. I loved that car.
This car slid right out my phone!!! Damn!!!
Its so funny to see this big dinosaur being flung around a racing track! I've NEVER seen a 70s Detroit luxo-barge treated like a sports car!
+Moses Berkowitz I've never understood why road testers drive family sedans in a way that real world drivers in everyday conditions would never do. What do we learn from it?
+Scott Mathews to show performance... i drove a 75 chevy like this xD suspension was done when i was selling it XD
Lots of things. We learn what the capabilities of a car really are. We learn that we don't drive cars at near their limits. Not even close. I took a 16 year old to the school parking lot to teach him to drive and show the cars true limits. He told me that showing him that got him out of a nasty situation on the road. People should know more about their cars before they get out and pilot a 4000 lb hunk of metal down the road at 40 mph, much less 70.
You obviously were never a boneheaded 16 year old in 1985. You could buy these things for $500 and they were practically indestructible - not that we didn't try...
The limitations of the vehicle. But MotorWeek usually treats the car like the owner would. If it's a sedan, they pack it with people. If it's an SUV, they fill the trunk, etc...
A lady who was a neighbor to my family home bought this exact same car in the same green color in 1971. She stood at 5 ft tall, or possibly less. Nice lady. When she drove this massive beast, she looked THROUGH the steering wheel.... me and my friends got out of the street when she drove past.
My grandmother, may she rest in peace, bought a 1976 Cadillac Coupe Deville new off the showroom floor in late '75 after trading in a '65 Fleetwood Brougham, she stood at a mere 4"11 (She always said she was 5"2 though.) the doors were so heavy that when combined with leather seats and a good gust of wind would pull her right out of the car when she either opened or closed the doors and left her right on the asphalt. She traded that one off on a new '84 Eldorado Biarritz and she didn't seem to have the problem after that. The doors on both of those cars were like closing a bank vault though!
My grandmother, as early as I can remember, went from a VW Beetle, to a 1989 Ford Crown Victoria LTD, and then to a Saturn sedan... haha.
0-60 in 8.8 seconds. 50-0 in 94 feet. That is quite impressive. With a few basic mods and modern tyres, this car could be considered brisk even by modern standards.
Oldsmobile and Buick did some neat things before they went malaise before they went full on GM cookie cutter. The difference between having engineers making engineering decisions and having MBA's make engineering decisions.
Installing modern rubber on one of those cars would make a huge difference in handling.
@@cellpat7392 more rubber taller sidewalls equals a smoother ride. As I’m sure you know...
@@cellpat7392 more rubber taller sidewalls equals a smoother ride. As I’m sure you know...
Gotta love the old bias ply tires lol
Actually grip and handling are two separate problems. The more grip a car has, the more difficult it becomes to handle, because loss and recovery of grip is much faster and more violent, requiring more precision and faster reaction time from the driver. Also, more grip would inflict bigger body roll and hence different suspension geometry. It's hard to predict what a car this old is going to do when forced to corner with suspension constantly squeezed to the point it was designed to reach only when hitting a very bad bump.
That dude is driving the shit outta that thing.
jeffsfleet Yup! Had to punch a time clock the way he was working that cruise liner
I know! All of the Bud Lindeman tests were like that, it was awesome!
Motor week this isn’t!!
@@RoadCone411 Motor week should take notes on buds Road test motor week is no match on what Buds test drivers test drove cars.
jeffsfleet you shoulda seen how my mom drove hers to the grocery store on Tuesdays. Validates this video.
The calm narration during the slalom segment had me rolling. I love these old videos, thanks for sharing.
Like that Aussie dude who narrates the fishing stories on Discovery, lol.
gotta luv those olds of the pre-cat era!
they had nice sounding mufflers!
+Fitz A I like those early flex fuel cars. Can drink either leaded or unleaded! Pre cat is better! I prefer unleaded, myself. Leaded is good for towing in hick areas, however. Unleaded does save the environment, however. Or ecology. Either one should suffice. I prefer unleaded, but it's no big deal. Pre cat is good.. I like to keep my options open! Hardened valve seats and no cat is best. Either one! Be flexible, true!
having turned 16 in 1974 I have to say it was a great time to be living in midwest America.
these cars were massive and way powerful, yet they handled like a dream when cruising on the freeway and around town
Great to hear your story!
71 delta 88 was my first car in 1987 - same color, pea soup green inside and out - it was built like a tank
My Dad had the same in a 2 door convertible. The pea green interior was immaculate when he sold it in the late 1980’s. His had the big engine but only a 2 barrel
I always liked the front end on these oldsmobiles. It was great to see it drifting around the corners.
What was surprising was the gas milage. This car on a trip with a trunk full of luggage, 3 people in the car, on the highway would turn in from 17 to 20 mpg. In the mountains 10-14mpg. Still not bad for a non-computer controlled engine and a ton or more of people and iron!
More than two ton just for the car.
I want a fleet of these. I love these cars.
Me too!
Had one that was metallic green with a black vinyl top. Talk about roar! Loved that car!
I love Olds my parents had a 71 Vista cruiser with 455 and a rear sunroof and a German shepherd ha ha.8 miles to the gallon. And a salt water beach every weekend
One of the best cars ever built. All cars should be this good. 71 was a standout year for all American cars.
Dad had a 71 Electra and the guardrails in the doors saved his life when the car was t boned. Detroit will never do this well again.
As the other poster said this is what the the American public wanted back then - big and luxurious. And these cars were comfortable cruisers. You could drive down a bumpy road without getting your arse kicked on every pebble you rolled over, unlike today's cars. They were great for long drives. And this car has character! Something that today's cars DON'T. Don't knock early American automotive engineering. It was what it was for a reason. This is a great video and it's fun to watch - thanks!
In 1982 I traded a small enduro motorcycle for a '71 Delta 88 w/350, maroon 2-door with black interior. I loved that car! Used to drive to Tijuana and fill it up with cheap gas. Sometimes I turn the car off, go shopping, come back and it would still be "running" from the horrid Mexican gas. Got 11 mpg, which was a pretty common for the era.
Having worked for a towing company in the late 80's. I got to see the aftermath of a 79 Honda Civic running a red light and getting T boned by a 73 Olds Delta 88... The passenger side doors were pushed half way through the cabin, the floor pan was pushed down so far that you could rock the car from passenger side tires to driver side tires and back with little effort.
The Olds overheated because the fan shroud had made contact with the fan and stopped it. We made a slight adjustment to the shroud and back on the road the Olds went.
Yeah right! I have seen that too! I have even done that! Can you believe it?! Its fun! You should try it!
YEAH! BOOM BABY!
+Pha Q Big cars rule, my Aunt Marion did buy a 1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and that midsized car was huge! She did order the wrong engine for that car. A Chevrolet 250 cid 6 cylinder. Too weak for my tastes. I prefer Oldsmobile 350 V-8 with 4 barrel carburetor, but she's not into performance, however. Still, a good rig.
+Dooneegomaface Ifinnaspring True, that Mr Cabot reminds me of young punks like Rick Santorum too. Glad, the wisdom of Dr Ron Paul put him back in his place! After all, Ron Paul is born in 1935 and Rick Santorum is born in 1958. That means, Ron Paul was 35 years old in 1971, and turning 36 years old, about 5 days, after the Nixon Shock too. Rick Santorum was a 13 year old punk kid in 1971, go figure! I do love to calculate folks' ages back in 1971! My mom did immigrate to the USA in 1971! So I know 1980s and later immigrants think different from 1970s, 1960s, and 1950s immigrants! USA was better in 1968 according to Auntie Sint Sint too! I am also 12% Scottish of the British Empire too! Canada and British Burma by tradition have Detroit Yank Tanks, and it was awesome. Burma stopped buying in March 2, 1962, because they had a Commie problem! I also like Republicans and Democrats of the old days too. JFK and Ike rule, despite their flaws!
+Pha Q I saw the aftermath of a 1970 Olds like this one hitting a chevy 4 wheel drive pickup headon. Both were totalled but the chevy had the engine pushed back into the cabin and the front wheels axles and all were busted away from the frame. From that day on, I swore I would stay out of the way of big Oldsmobiles.
kevin122759 Good one. I just recalled the time my ex-wife and her friend were in a '77 Delta 88 doing around 35 mph when a '92 Ford cargo van cut a left turn in front of them. They T boned the van, broke the axle right out from underneath it, and caved in the side. The van was totaled. The Delta 88 had a busted turn signal lens and the bumper was slightly pulled to one side, that was it.
mad respect for this driver not to many drivers can drift a big body car like he did at 4:25
I had a 1972. It was surprisingly swift with that 455 V8. It also rode like a dream.
The 455 was an option in the '71 Olds 88. (B body) The standard powerplant was the (Olds) Rocket 350. The 98 (C body) had the 455/4 barrel as standard issue.
Flipped the air cleaner to hear that carburetor moan. Floored the gas pedal to watch the speedometer climb while the seeing the gas gauge drop by the width of the needle. Leave it in low till 70 and shift into second only after lifting my foot off the gas. That 455 and TH400 were a bullet proof combination.
+hanky97007 Must have a tall gear! I seen axle ratios of 2.24 axles and 3.55 axles too. Plus even high ones such as 4.11s which is way too short for me! I prefer taller gears around 2.24 for 3 speed automatics for sure. 4 speed autos should be 2.73 or 3.08 axles. 3.23 and 3.55 are awesome ratios for city driving! Don't forget that 3.42 ratio!
Flipping the lid is good for 35-40hp. Easy! Those sidewalls can withstand it.
The tires on some of those high speed turns were reminiscent of an ice figure skater with weak ankles.
+itsmegp46 Yeah, even the heavy Buick Enclave which is heavier has better handling and traction, true. At least GM in those days knew how to turn a profit, however. Our society was very different in 1971, as well. Even new immigrants that came to USA and Canada in 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s think differently too. If GM, Ford, and Chrysler were strong, I am sure new immigrants would be just as patriotic as the old ones. The demise of Detroit hurts everything, even Canada! Even immigrants from Burma in 1950s think differently from ones after 1980! Hawaii Five O is a great cop show too!
+Bryan Tint The weight was about the same, but you really can't compare cars built 45 years apart. I will say one thing, those old GM cars floated down the highway like you were riding on whipped cream and into near total silence.
+itsmegp46 A lot of it is tires and shocks. This car tested had the old bias ply tires on it,and of course the old 'spiral' GM shocks? Radials and better shocks make a world of difference. Figure out by my 'handle' how I know this!! (lol)
Can get new Gabriel shocks for that 1972 Oldsmobile Delta 88 then.
Some 1971 Oldsmobiles were made into police packages too. The suspension on cop cars are much better than civilian cars, or most civilian cars. It's funny, how heavy duty suspension is quite sloppy, however. At least it can tow 7000 pounds when properly equipped. Much better than my 1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue at 1000 pounds. The 1992 to 1995 Oldsmobile 88 was 3000 pounds with tow package. Only featured as an option for 3 or 4 model years only. Not enough sales to justify a towing package. That Buick V-6 is powerful. Better yet was the Oldsmobile and Chevrolet V-8. Such as 1990 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with Oldsmobile 307 cid V-8. The 1991 and 1992 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser is 305 cid V-8 and 350 cid V-8 by Chevrolet. 350 is better for that wagon. It became an option in 1992. I guess one can custom order a 1991 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with 350. Those Oldsmobile wagons were rated for 5000 pounds. Some are 4000 pounds. From 1982 to 1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera and Cutlass Cruiser towed about 3000 pounds with towing package too. They deleted it in the 1990s, so towing is reduced to 1000 pounds. I tow with my 2013 Chevrolet it's rated for 1000 pounds, but it tows well. I towed like 5 U Haul trailers too. 1 850 pound trailer and 4 990 pound trailers. One 990 pound trailer had a 156 pound tongue weight on second trailer. So it could have about 500 pounds of goods in there. So loaded trailer is about 1500 pounds. My 2013 Chevrolet can tow a loaded trailer at 1500 pounds! Plus 3 passengers including me! Plus luggage and such. Ha! I passed many cars going uphill on Lewiston Grade on US-95!
My Dad had a dark brown 71 88. I learned to drive in that car. It was so quiet and smooth and powerful. It could pass anything but a gas station!
"Rebound and recovery were good" *rear end slides into dirt*
"bad" would mean it killed cameraman.
I was just about to type the same thing LOL
Dan The Man watch them hubcaps stick like glue, time for a cig!!
Not the point. Watch how it straightened out right away and kept going.
I drove a 72 in high school. Definitely drove it like the guy in the video on more than a few occasions.
Gotta love that music...
What a beautiful car, sure don't make em like that anymore.
Yes. They make them better.
I've always liked the 1971-72 Oldsmobile Delta 88's and Buick LeSabre's/Centurion's a lot, especially in hardtop form
To all of the people who are making fun of the handling of this car. People drove their cars differently back then. They slowed down at the railroad crossings and big humps in the road. They slowed down for sharp corners too. These were not sports cars. People drove them as such. Are they as crisp as today's truck like riding cars? No. Did this Oldsmobile hit any of the cones though in the emergency maneuver test? No. It's a shame that we all have to suffer with the horrendously stiff suspensions we now have just because Motor Trend, Car and Driver, and Road and Track thought that ride comfort was so dangerous when, in fact, these cars had some of the lowest accident rates compared to the youth oriented sports cars. On a 3,000 mile trip across the country, I would rather drive this car than anything now offered.
Wayne Johnson they only drove them that way back then cause they had to lol
So? It was more comfortable. A passenger could sleep in this car for 8 hours at 70 MPH (or until it ran out of gas). You can't sleep in any of today's cars.
I'm with you Wayne!! These cars are beautiful and weren't meant for today's stupid-ass millennial shit-for-brains drivers! We knew how to drive back then and it was fun!
Dad drove his Pontiacs harrrd, late 60’s through the 80’s. Bonnevilles and Catalinas. Then he bought a couple Olds 98s, driving from Detroit to Florida was adrenaline overdoses with Dad. In 82 I bought a 73 Olds 98, after 2 Gran Torinos I hated. That Olds had the 455 Rocket and the ride was typical GM smooth. I beat the living hell out of that car and it yawned. My friend’s GrandeVille was just as badassed.
@@hankaustin7091 okay boomer take your meds. I agree though.
Frankly speaking I have to enjoy watching these videos because we obviously don't have anything that resembles a car today. Yeah, we used to live in an era when you had a true six passenger car, it had a huge gas tank, plenty of luggage room in the trunk, and was pure Detroit iron. Now it all looks alike, and no longer is what it was. If we weren't into our trucks and SUV's, we would still have a stylish vehicle sitting in our driveway. Oh for the good old days!!
I refuse to succumb to the SUV culture. Its worse than the minivan culture of the 80s and 90s.
Good old days where cars rusted out in 5 years and couldn't go over 100k miles. Good old days where a car could have drum brakes all around and no power assist. Good old days where tires would last 10k. No the good old days weren't that good. Looked good but I'll take my modern 4 cylinder econobox and line it up with any of these barges.
The music is phenomenal!
i knew a lot of people, friends and family members that had this car. I drove it myself and i tell ya, its damn near a musclecar. my cousin had 3.55 posi unit put in it and that thing haled ass for sure!!! Put this thing up against a 2010 Camaro SS and this thing would kick that ass for real. For driving on vacation from chicago to mississippi, this thing was like riding in a Greyhound Bus--plenty of room and plush. That Olds 455 was a beast for sure!
My uncle had a 71' Delta 88 like that same body style but different color.He had a heavy foot and that big Rocket 455 CID V-8 was more than a match for his fast driving habits.He loved his big Oldsmobiles till the day he died.
It's blast driving these big land yates .They were like huge clock pendulums .
Driving a stretch limo that's 30' long on a wet / Icey road while accelerating hard is very similar and the G Forces are incredible. Kinda makes your passenger spill their drinks.
0-60 in 8.8 seconds. Not bad all for that big land yacht!
Just once I would love to drive or ride in one of these big ass American cars to experience the floatiness of the suspension and massive torque of the giant V8. It's quite a contrast to the cars of today!
My stomach got queasy watching that boat slalom around curves. But I'd love a '98 of that year, my mom had one and what a boat!
Dad had a 2 door 71 88, with a 455 2 barrel.....truly the best car we ever had, and it WAS quick....prior car was a 66 Bonneville with a 389, 4 barrel, pretty car, but not so fast.
@3:06"rebound and recovery were good", as the car almost goes completely off the road. Lol. Classic.
+Schön That is because people of Ron Paul's generation can drive better than Darren Wilson's generation too! Ron Paul is born in 1935 and he knows more than Rick Santorum who is born in 1958! Darren Wilson is born in 1986. Michael Brown is born in 1996! Young men are fakes for sure. Old men rule! The Illuminati talking about race is such BS for sure. It's about knowledge of 1970s! Not foreigner or domestic shit! Any mankind is cool, as long as they love Detroit! I base my philosophy on Hawaii Five O, and Emergency!
+Bryan Tint "I base my philosophy on Hawaii Five O, and Emergency" OMG... now I know the world is doomed.... Try Schopenhauer, or Kant or whatever.
He said "Good". He never said excellent. Were any of the cones knocked down? Nope.
That's drifting in a land yacht 🤣
Looks like they're practicing for a bank robbery! "See those tires and suspension really working", he says! 😂
320 hp... good old days before the EPA =)
Those weren't net #'s.
But still, the EPA regulations sucked away lots of power from the big block engines.
320 horse was gross rating and it was thanks to epa that it was only 320, in 70 it was 390 horse but in 71 they had to run on unleaded so compression ratios dropped by almost 25%
If it was a 1971 455hp....it could be #1) 320hp-#2) 340hp or #3) 375hp....it all depended on which compression the engine had- I had a 1971 White 98 Regency....it's 455 had a rating of 375hp due to its 10.25:1 compression......during 1972 & into 1973 the heavy emission controls were installed in a lot of the big block engines which basically cut hp in half on 96% of them....and, of course mpg ratings went out the window....yuck!!!!!!
1971 was the 1st year the EPA and emission equipment began to encroach in engine bays.
That test driver was a beast!
Very cool video!!! I found an electric blue 88 4 door with a GM 350. I think I will buy it for sure
we had one of these exactly like this, same color, same engine. what a tank. my grandfather had a '72 Mercedes Benz 280SEL 4.5 that would run circles around the olds
Sure it would😆🤡
That was actually pretty quick for such a big car.
even the mental soundtrack cannot drown out the screaming tyres
For many years GM offered the F40 (Heavy Duty) and the F41 (Performance) suspension packages.
These would give things like a rear sway bar and a oversized front stabilizer bar with larger and harder bushings. It was usually a $25 -$80 option which at the time ($3.85 Hour) was a lot of cash but a joke by todays standards.
The music playing in the background is awesome.
“Average mpg on this test was a respectable one-half mpg”
Instead of MPG, It's Gallons per mile, or "Gallons per SMILE!" 🤣
I had a 1972 98 Custom Cruiser. 13.8 mpg at 85 to 120 mph all day any day. Rain or shine with no tune ups in over 20 years. Just lube jobs.
poor car lol I have an '86 delta 88 that does 15 whether I'm doing 85 or 65
Yeah it consumes more fuel than a Saturn V. Start it up in the driveway, turn on the A/C and you can watch the fuel gauge move.
you should be very proud ofyourself, the fact that you're in your early 20s and love nice things! not to mention the fact that you rebuilt a 455 engine, is impressive, at any age!
I have a car very similar to this. 72 Delta 88 convertible with the 455.
I plan on running oversize sway bars, KYB shocks, and heavy-duty springs for a '74-'76 big-block Caprice wagon to make it handle.
These cars look like fun to drive !
Yes they are a lot of fun to drive. These automobiles were designed for the thrill of driving and not for commuting. There's nothing like the feeling of going 100+mph on a wide open American highway on a big strong American vintage automobile.
Wow, props to that driver for weilding that bias-ply beast around like that.
Good looking, I would like to have one, but nobody knew that year that 2 years later will be dark days for cars like this one.
This is like MotorWeek before MotorWeek!
"This stop was in 36 feet..." Hmm, stopped almost within its own length. :D Man, how I miss those old battleships, when you pretty much had to take a lunch with you if you walked back to front.
194 feet from 70 MPH. If a kid crossed the street in the next town, you had to get on the brakes right now, or else.
I'm surprised all the hubcaps stayed on.
They deleted those clips
Whenever there was a car chase in those old 70's cop shows the hubcaps would go flying nine ways from Sunday.
Kenneth Southard LOL...Right
Super Kyle lol
Like Starsky & Hutch & the exact same tire screetch & police car siren in every cop show for like 10 years or better.. Shit..those tires even made the same screeching sound on dirt.
My dad had one with a 455 / 2 barrel carb. It was still a torque beast.
I love how they are trying to market this car as great handling 😆
Two words to describe all 70s American cars; BODY ROLL.
@jdillmeister Keep in mind that this is what the US family car buyer wanted back then. If you wanted better road manners from an Olds, you'd buy a Cutlass. If you wanted an absolute silky-smooth ride, you bought an Olds 98 (same frame as the Cadillac DeVille line - softer sprung than the Delta 88 line). The auto makers were building what we wanted at the time. Times changed - the US automakers didn't look at the clock.
I bought a 71 Delta 88 2 door coupe, Dark blue out with black interior. A family friend who owned a gas station showed me the car. "A baby Cadillac" he said. A/C, power windows and locks, cruise. 42,000 miles when I bought it for $1,800 in 1976. The only thing that went bad after a few months was the starter, which I replaced with a re-built one. That car got me through my hazy, crazy post-teen years....maybe a little too hazy. One rainy day while driving in a daze, I blew through a stop sign and was broad sided. The car that had less than 25 cents worth of paint chipped off her was now totaled. Shame.
It's so interesting my very first car was a 1971 Delta 88 Coupe that was my grandfather's he passed away in '75 and it was given to me it didn't have a 455 it only had a 350 4-barrel we called it the rat the car was completely indestructible I used to have the air cleaner flipped and beat the heck out of it and it just kept on going and wouldn't die it is so funny to see this dinosaur laboring over curves and to think 70 2-0 stopping in almost two hundred feet.
I remember the double-sided White Walls my car was the ugliest shade of brown we used to call it faded brown right from the factory because it had a Milky tone to it
Ash vs Evil Dead anyone? No? I i'll just show myself out the door then.
Me
Here me
From all Sam Rami movies too, btw that one was a 73
while 1971 marked the beginning of the decline in quality and power there were still a lot of nice cars built in this time frame.
+Doobie1975 True. Every cheap and middle market brand of Detroit had a new design for the 1971 model year. Even Dodge and Plymouth had a new design to offer for 1971. The Chrysler brand did not get a new design until 1974 with the 1974 Chrysler Newport and 1974 Chrysler Town & Country. Many were powered with 400 cid Chrysler big block V-8 with 4 barrel carburetor too. Solid state ignition came out in these 1974 Chrysler C bodies too. There is the popular 1974 Plymouth Fury and 1974 Dodge Monaco too. Featured in The Blues Brothers as well. I prefer 400 V-8 over 440 V-8 for better fuel economy. Good torque too! As for the 360 with either 2 barrel or 4 barrel, it's too weak. 400 and 440 are better. 400 with 2 barrel is kind of weak!
+Steve Kern I do notice a lot of people seem to rag on the vehicles built from 1973 onward yet praise the vehicles built in 1970 and earlier.
Bud even says ‘getting ready for the lower octane, lead-free gas’. After ‘71, I think it was pretty much over for the big cars. My late brother had one of these in bronze. We used to pretend we were Starsky & Hutch......
@@jerrytaylor4078 1972's performance (mainly for GM and Chrysler) wasn't much different than 1971's performance, it was 1973 when performance and drivability went through the roof.
I'm impressed with how far we've come on braking technology. That same 70 mph, 200 foot stop can now be done in a touch over 100 feet in a lot of cars.
Spenser Hawk No, I don’t think so...but much better, yes.
Honda FIT...197 feet !
People who wanted a sports car back then did NOT buy this car. In the U.S.A., unlike elsewhere, there was an EXTREME separation between luxury and sport. People who bought this car did so KNOWING what the handling was and loved the car because of the ride comfort and seat comfort. These cars were 10 highway cruisers. I can GUARANTEE you that if you spent 10 hours on the highway driving, or riding as a passenger in this car, you would drive your present car off a cliff.
They were THAT nice!
Dat positive valve rotation tho
That's it! You've convinced me! But about those cornering lights being the same size as the headlights...
Oh yeah, some of my favority old luxury cars - Im 53 and drove or owned em all pretty much - loved the ride big three automaker cars had back then - no they didint handle, theyre really werent meant to - they were meant to be livingroom comfortable while going 70+ mph on the highway and they did it well - you could go 1000 miles and not be wore out from feeling every damn pavement strip and pebble on the road. Most cars now ride like damn go karts. Theres no styling anymore either -
hahaha...hot dam!! that things as graceful as a gazelle...years ago in my early 20's I had a 71' Ninety Eight..455, avacado green interior 76k orig mi. Bought from original owner...that dang car would move it's ass when you laid into it though. Loved it! That was a lot of car for $725
What year did you buy that car?
+Stefan Unson..oh geeez, that was probably back in the mid 90's. Seen an ad for it in local auto trader mag.
Sal Dorado I asked because I wanted to the price when adjusted for inflation which $1150 today.
Cali Dude Dude, my 73 Olds98 was that brown color, but it was my stallion as I tore ass up and down I-75 in Detroit and Southfield Road in 1982-84. I still shop around for a 73 Olds 98 455 Rocket stroker. Nuthin like a 1970’s era GM big car ride too, riding on a cloud and you can put 10 people in the things, small people.
Yeah, nothing like those old bias ply tires would really hug the road although skid issues did happen even at high speeds with a 3400 lb. behemoth car like this Oldsmobile 88. Yes, they were wonderful cars, comfortable, gas hogs/guzzlers like in the days before the Oil Embargo of OPEC back then. Still miss these great cars.
+rgoidel I'm guessing it weighed significantly more than that.
+rgoidel this one had 4300 lb, and it wasn't the biggest oldsmobile wich was the 98
Amen! Oldmobiles like the 88 and 98 were built like tanks. The 88 was more like a big Chevy, while the 98 was basically the Cadillac's little brother. Behemoths, both. A lady in a Jaguar ass-ended my mom's '72 Olds 88 one day, there was only a busted tail light and a slightly bent rear bumper on the Olds; the Jag was just a mess. No kidding, the front end of the Jag was mashed in like two feet and it was hemorrhaging fluids. There wasn't even a sensation of impact in the Olds, really. It just kind of lurched a little and bobbed around, sort of like rolling over a speed bump a little too fast.
That car had the 'small' V8, a 350, and even so, it could really get up and roll if you needed it to. Regular gas, no catalytic converter, only very rudimentary emissions control, automatic, power steering, power brakes, and an air conditioner that had a 'kill' setting. The problem with that car was it rode so smooth and quiet it'd run away from you if you weren't paying attention. Seriously, I got stopped for doing 74 on the freeway (at the time, 55 was the national limit). Wasn't even trying to speed; just wasn't paying attention and rolled through a speed trap.
It got surprising gas mileage, too, considering it was a carbureted V8 in a 4,000-lb tuna boat. If you kept it under 60, it could manage right around 20 to the gallon, but in the city... fuhgetiboutit. 12 mpg, tops.
But you could pack a month's worth of luggage in that trunk even with the full-sized spare, and you could seat six easily.
I'll refrain from comments regarding the rear seat. I'll simply say it was definitely the car you wanted to take to the drive-in.
Damn, you can fit 4 x 8 sheets of plywood in that trunk AND close the lid LOL :)
I wish they still made cars like this.
+Bimini Colt Especially the 7000 pound towing capacity for sedans and coupes. 6000 pounds for wagons! Tongue weight is rated at the maximum of 500 pounds for towing too! Great rigs, I agree!
+Bimini Colt And what if I told you that the CO2 when released stores 120.000 times more heat into the atmosphere as the equivalent quantity of fuel creates when burning? Still fond of these cars?
My favorite vehicle of all time
In the hands of a capable driver who understands the dynamics of their vehicle, large cars were actually quite capable road machines, doing everything asked, even with the limits of the tires back in the day. With modern upgrades to suspension and tires, these cars will go in the direction you point them in with no problem. GM really did their homework with the large cars of the era.
The tire sidewalls take such a beating....just a few years before radials!
As impressive as the 71 Oldsmobile Delta 88's styling was, the important thing was its performance and handling. 0-60 acceleration is important, but so is braking, particularly when you consider how big and heavy the car is that you're driving.
4 door hardtop with a big block...those were the days! Granddads hotrod. Trailer hitch and all.
8.8 secs for the 0-60! Wow, the car is close to 5000 lbs curb weight. That's impressive .
Nice car, very good performance for a big car considering the 455-4barrel has less power than the 455's of the previous years and the car is slightly heavier as well, I'm a big fan of the 1971-72 GM full size B-bodies due to the styling and the performance was still there on these cars
My father owned one with the 350 cubic inch 2 barrel carb. That year model was delayed because of the GM strike. Highway driving was best. Great engine, ok ride, better than the 98. Easy to work on.
50-0 in 94 feet? Damn. A lot of compact cars couldn't do that till the late 90s
@kg4yhr These cars had much more front/rear sq. footage than many of today's vehicles and they absorbed much of the impact in an accident. They didn't call them "crumple zones" back then, but they did a Hell of a job dispersing energy on most impacts, despite the fact that they didn't have air bags. Cars may get better mileage today with their tiny, sloped hoods which slip through the air with ease, but I wouldn't want to hit a moose with one.
Those cars weren't even intended or used for that type of driving, but they built them to handle it.
@MrCouchmen - The front 5 mph bumpers didn't start until 1973 (my first car was a '73 LeMans) and the front and rear 5 mph bumpers didn't start until the 1974 model year. I remember reading about the bumper rules in the car magazines back then.
My parents had one of these. Theirs was a 2 door, dark blue with white roof (not vinyl but paint), I think it had a 350 V8 and not the big motor.
My first car was the '72. It was a GREAT car!
My dad had a green 88 a little darker than the model tested here though. The body roll 😂😂 I remeber it well...ah the 1970s😎.
Nothing sounds better than a Rocket V8.
I recall being able to recognise Cutlasses easily by engine/transmission (?) sound. What made the sound that was so identifiable?
I love the music on this commercial
good looking car
@cadrolls1 Yeah, I'm 32. My first car was a Pontiac Fiero (still have it). I've owned a couple of big cars, nothing THIS huge... my biggest car was a 73 Cutlass which I just sold (check my videos). But I would love to have this. I have a 69 olds 455 big block fully built with mondello cam and whatnot... just waiting for something to put it in. I also have a 2002 Crown Victoria LX with 43k miles on it, it's big, but not THIS big. My 73 Cutlass was bigger than my Crown Victoria!!!
Nice drifting. Tires sound like a TIE fighter. 👍
Anytime I see an Olds Delta 88 I think of the movies Ash and the Evil Dead and Spider-Man. That's a pretty cool car!
I’ll be completely honest.. the numbers for this car are surprisingly... good?? Especially for this big ole girl..
I've never seen any tires, ever, on a car that screamed for bloody mercy like those. I'm shocked the tires didn't come off the rims, and have all four wheels tucked under the body due to complete suspension collapse.
Bias-plys, I'm pretty sure. Radials were still optional in 1972. And Olds had a heavy-duty suspension option that would have really helped in these tests.