10k: 455-V8 4-Spd: 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Convertible

The Oldsmobile 88 was a full sized car sold by General Motors in a stunning 50 year production history that started in in the wake of World War II and ended just before Y2K.  The fifth generation Olds 88 was built on GM's B-body platform that included big sedans like the Chevrolet Bel Air\Impala, Buick LeSabre\Invicta\Wildcat, and Pontiac Parisienne\Catalina\Laurentian\Bonneville.  Today, the Olds 88 makes a great classic cruiser without breaking the bank, even in big-block convertible form. Find this 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 Convertible offered for $10,500 near Seattle, WA via craigslist.  Tip from FuelTruck.

5k: Salt Flats Custom Motorhome, Oldsmobile 455 FWD Power

Today is the final day of the 2013 edition of Speed Week, the annual festival of horsepower on the salt put on by the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA), out on the Bonneville Salt Flats just east of Wendover, Utah. This editor was out "on the salt" earlier this week for day-job duties but happened across a very enticing find. Check out this "1971 Oldsmobile" custom motorhome, which near as we can tell, was built on a GMC FWD motorhome platform which uses a 455 cubic inch (7.5 liter) Oldsmobile V8, front wheel drive and "bogies" in the rear suspension meaning there is no intrusion into the living space from driveshaft or axles. This allows for a very low, compact motorhome with plenty of space inside. The featured RV has a custom fabricated body and was apparently built in the mid '70s and has had only two owners. It is lives in Montana but is currently in Utah and offered for $6k, or $7k with matching car trailer (contact info in the text below).

10k: Roadkill: 1976 (or 77) Oldsmobile Cutlass 442

Whenever I find a nice condition, reasonably priced "Roadkill" at a local car show, it always seems to be huge, brown, and Malaisey (see this one as an example). No matter, I will continue to photographically and textually share anything I stumble across in person that seems to be rare, interesting, or exceptional in some way. More like exceptionally awful in most cases. Today's was from a street fair in downtown Torrance, CA and is a very clean and very orangey-brown Oldsmobile (Cutlass) 442. This is either a 1976 or '77 model from the looks of the front fascia and headlights, but if someone knows for sure, please chime in! The seller is asking $8500 and we must assume it is located in or near Torrance CA, but the phone number is shown after the jump. Update: commenter PJ pointed out this must be a '77 based on the Oldsmobile badge being in print vs. script. Thanks!

36 of 50: Ruby: 1966 Chevrolet Corvair, Toronado 455ci V8 Swap

Some of the DT staffers are absolutely nuts about Corvairs because they provide a great platform for modification. You know that old adage, "give an engineer a beer and a pencil and you can pretty much get whatever you want!" Thus there are Corvair V8 Swaps which vary from mid-engined Crown conversions running high revving Chevy small blocks, yielding great balance but rendering a fairly tortured driving position for anyone taller than about 5' 3". Another common solution is to run a Buick/Pontiac/Rover 215/3.5 V8 in reverse rotation allowing it to be mounted as a direct replacement for the original Corvair flat 6. Others look to GM's front drivers. One very well done conversion uses a Cadillac Northstar V8 driving a Porsche 930 transaxle for incredible results, then there are those for whom there is just no replacement for displacement... yielding this Olds Toronado 455 V8, with its original chain driven front wheel drive transaxle mounted far forward of the Corvair's original engine's location. Net result, mass is moved towards the front, not a huge weight gain on the tail and GOBS of 'Merican Torque through a transmission that isn't strained to handle it. Find this 1966 Chevrolet Corvair 455ci V8 powered beast for $14,500 located in Springfield, MO via craigslist. Another great tip from Andy L.