Mint Condition: 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Indy 500 Pace Car

If you own a car with the words "Official Pace Car 69th Indianapolis 500, May 26, 1985" on the doors you are going to have a few conversations that go like this.  Random dude: Wow, so that car was used as the pace car at Indy...that's wicked. You: Well...it is actually a commemorative version of the pace car, one of 242 built.  Random dude: So the folks at Indy 500 paid to have that on the side as advertisement..?  You: No...actually the buyer had to pay more for this option...  Random dude: Okay, well can you just stop parking it on my lawn, it's killing the grass. If this kind of exchange gets you excited, you can pick up your 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Indy 500 Pace Car here on eBay offered for $12,950 in Ozone Park, NY.

Cloth & Stick: 2004 Oldsmobile Alero

Oldsmobile was basically a dead brand standing when it launched the Alero just before everyone started hoarding water for Y2K.  I can't understand the mind of the person who went into an Oldsmoboat dealer in 2004 and ordered a new car...but I certainly appreciate that somebody went in and asked for the cheapest Olds he/she could buy and left with two of my favorite "almost extinct" car features...cloth interior and stick shift.  Find this 2004 Oldsmobile Alero offered for $2650 in Phoenix, AZ.

Special Feels: 1986 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham

The Oldsmobile corporate slogan in early 1986 was "There's a special feel in an Oldsmobile"...which is ironic because that "special feel" wasn't necessarily a good thing...but the corporate goons at Olds changed it in late 1986 to "Oldsmobile Quality. Feel it!"...also...funny in an ironic sorta way...but I have to admit that this Toronado has a certain charm to the entire hearing aide beige package...from the hidden headlights to the odd proportions of the truncated rear window..it's almost nostalgic.  Find this 1986 Oldsmobile Toronado Brougham here on eBay bidding for $4150 with a few hours to go, located in Palm Harbor, FL.

Seller Submission: 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Troféo

Few cars elicit that "wow, you never see these on the road anymore" like an 80s Oldsmobile, particularly something that wasn't commonplace when new, like an Toronado Trofeo. The fourth and final generation Toronado was introduced in 1986 on a smaller unibody E-body platform shared with the Buick Riviera and Cadillac Eldorado.  The switch to transverse engine layout without any available V8 did not go unnoticed by the old guys in the room...but the fact that you'd be the only one in your car club with one of these makes it sorta interesting. Find this 1988 Oldsmobile Toronado Troféo offered for $3000 in Milwaukee, WI via craigslist. Seller submission from Jesse.

Like A Nova: 1973 Oldsmobile Omega

The original Oldsmobile Omega was a badge engineered version of the X-platform Chevrolet Nova and was sold in two generations 1973-1974 and 1975-1979.  The Omega was more luxurious than the Nova it was based on, but it still rode on the same basic chassis and is just as wonderful or horrible depending on who you talk to about it.  Novas in good shape demand some coin, but the equivalent Oldsmobile Omega (or Buick Apollo or Pontiac Ventura) are offered for cheap. Find this 1973 Oldsmobile Omega offered for $6,500 in Spokane, WA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Brown Machine: 1980 Oldsmobile 88 Custom Cruiser

What is the best color for an aged wagon from the malaise era?  Brown, you say?  Oh yes, brown is the correct answer and fitted with a 3rd row for your little monsters is the correct bonus answer. Find this 1980 Oldsmobile 88 Custom Cruiser offered for $5000 in Piqua, OH via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.

Curiosity Kills: 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2 L69

This next car won't last long, because it is either a great deal or a big time scam.  Or there are some serious issues that aren't visible in the few photos provided by the seller...but you don't see tri-carb powered big block muscle cars with manual gearboxes offered for this cheap. Find this 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass 4-4-2 L69 offered for $11,800 in SF Bay Area, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Twisted or Twister? 1971 Porsche 911 Olds V8

The original Porsche 911 has seen incredible price appreciation in the past decade, to the point that you've got to own a software company or be a rap star to own one of these things and the worst part is that even the cleanest museum quality version is dangerously slow in the modern world of minivans that hit 60 mph in 5 seconds and family sedans with 700 horsepower.  But you can fix that with a simple injection of V8 power from an Oldsmobile Toronado.  Find this 1971 Porsche 911 Olds V8 offered for $12,000 in Long Beach, CA via craigslist. Tip from Lars.

It's Log, It's Log: 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser

There is a Ren & Stimpy song that goes something like this; It's log, it's log; It's big, it's heavy, it's wood; It's log, it's log, it's better than bad, it's good.  Now, I don't know how long its been since I'd seen that episode of Ren & Stimpy (decades, for sure), but for some reason it popped right into my cranial echo chamber when I saw this next car. Find this 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser offered here on eBay for $9990 or best-offer located in Simpsonville, SC.

Hatch Camper: 1975 Oldsmobile Omega

The '75-79 Oldsmobile Omega offered all of the reliability and road manners of the Nova, but with an upscale Oldsmobile grill and some wood trim on the inside -- this was some serious mid 70s luxury folks.  Suspension in the 1975 version, of course, shared with the Nova, but very similar to the one used in GM's 2nd generation Camaro/Firebird F-body cars. It was equally as wonderful or terrible depending on who you ask...but this one comes with the rare rear-hatch camper tent option...which is the big orange tent you see pictured below that looks like something you'd deploy to warn people that your Omega had broken down on the side of the road or was about to.  Find this 1975 Oldsmobile Omega here on eBay offered for $7,500 buy-it-now or make-offer located in St Louis, MO.

Poor Little Fool: 1981 Cadillac Eldorado

Sometimes you see a custom car and think "I'm not sure what I'm supposed to make of this..." and other times you think "I'm not even sure what this was made from...".  This next car fits slightly into the latter category with a small dose of the former, because the seller lists it as a Cadillac Deville, but it looks like an Eldorado to me or maybe an Oldsmobile Toronado.  Whatever the original source, this thing does appear well loved, very customized, but oddly named.  Find this 1981 Cadillac DeVille offered for $12,000 in Marion, IN via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Weird Spec: 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass S 5 Speed

If I mentioned 5 speed manual equipped coupes from the 1970's, brands like Alfa Romeo, Lotus, or BMW would first come to mind.  Imagine my surprise when finding this factory 5 speed Cutlass S.  You could, but not many did option out the small 260 ci Olds V8 with a 5 speed manual on all models except for the Supreme and wagon.  The 260 was a reaction to the 70's fuel crisis and shared the same stroke as the larger Olds 350.  The Borg Warner sourced 5 speed could likely be paired up with the larger 350, but am not sure how robust they were.  These Colonnade models ended in 1977 and gave way to the even smaller G-body coupes.  Find this 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass S for sale in Lexington, MA for $6,900 via craigslist.

Court Is In Session: 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe

I am not normally a fan of cars that have a vinyl top...or those being listed by a "friend" of the seller...but this next car might just be cool enough to overlook a few strikes and become the next cheap classic in your garage.  Find this 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe offered for $14,000 in Prince George, VA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Modified Classic: 1965 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser

It might not be the preferred Buick Sportwagon version, but this A-Body Vista Cruiser has the awesome skylight windows and all of the classic style you'll ever need for a weekend family classic. Find this 1965 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser offered for $16,000 in Detroit, MI via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Long Roof A-Body: 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass 2 Door Wagon

Oldsmobile never made a two door wagon ever so today's feature is a bit of a mystery.  In 1981, Oldsmobile did offer a four door wagon.  However, this wagon has a number of unique features that add up to a more questions than answers as to what and how this beast came to be.  You can see later style G-body Cutlass nose, either a Olds or Chevy 350 engine swap, and enough velour/suede material on the interior that it could pass as a hearse or flower car.  Find this 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme for sale in Laconia, NH for $8,500 via craigslist.

Golden Oldie: 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado

The Oldsmobile Toronado was a groundbreaking car for a number of reasons -- but it wasn't the first front wheel drive 'Murican car there was a Cord 810 back in 1936...nor was it the first car with a rotating drum style speedo, (although the Toronado and Riviera both used the drum with the miles/hr written on the drum, but look at all those old speedos that use a 'sliding bar' display, like the 1957 Buick etc. It is actually a painted drum as wide as the display with a diagonally split red/white surface.  As the drum rotates and the 'window' is a slit, the display appears as  a bar/ribbon which grows from left to right).  It also wasn't the first car with side marker lights, or shoulder harness for safety belts.. see every 1968 GM product as well as those pesky FMVSS Regs....BUT the Toronado did have a sweet hidden headlamps and a body shape that is wicked, so this car still gets three thumbs up.  Find this 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado offered for $7000 in Austin, TX via craigslist. Tip from Jeff.

Florence's Long Roof- 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Brougham Wagon

The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera was a 1980's fwd shrunken equivalent of near any 60's or 70's GM car.  These cars had a relatively long model run from 1982-1996 and were available as a coupe, sedan, and wagon.  Everything on the interior would have been very familiar to any senior citizen from the column shifter to the ribbon speedometer to the flat seats.  In keeping with tradition, the Ciera had a optional Brougham package which fitted today's wagon with vinyl wood grain trim all over.  The conservative approach was rounded out with 14" whitewall tires along with wire wheel hubcaps.  All of these niceties were catnip for traditional GM drivers.  Find this 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera Brougham wagon for sale in Stamford, CT for $5,000 via craigslist.

Pond Scum- 1987 Oldsmobile 442

The 1987 Oldsmobile 442 was the swan song for the pseudo hotrod G-body coupe.  The 442 couldn't hold the Buick Grand National's jock strap in terms of outright speed, but it still was a desirable car.  These special models were fully equipped and had many options you would have thought should have come standard on car by 1987.  The warmed over 170 hp 307 was only good for mid 9 second 0-60 times and a 16 second 1/4 mile.  With all that said, Olds sold a ton of these cars and they are very easy to make faster in 2018.  Today's 442 has some light engine mods, but what really stands out is the shade of green it was painted.  Given the relatively low selling price, the putrid color scheme is not helping the resale value. Find this 1987 Oldsmobile 442 for sale in Woodbury Heights, NJ for $4,000 via craigslist.