Well, I guess I should begin by saying that I currently do not drive or own an Oldsmobile. I am the proud owner of a 1996 Volvo 850, a car that I love and will probably be keeping for 5-7 years, possibly longer.

However, I someday want to restore and show an Oldsmobile. The cars have been a favorite of mine from back in the day--my grandfather had a 1984 Cutlass Ciera (and I have the flags from the side of it on my desk...it lasted him 12 years before he sold it). He also had a 1977 Delta 88 for some time, and both his father and my grandmother's father had Oldsmobiles--I think one had a Ninety-Eight and the other a Cutlass (which may have been a 442, nobody seems to know for sure).

My top choices for showing/restoration would be a 1966 Toronado, a 1977 Delta 88, or a 1997 LSS (that thing was awesome...low production if I recall and a future collectors car). And if I wanted to be unique, I'd find another 1984 Ciera (doesn't seem to be as much love for the Cieras as there should be out there) or maybe even a Firenza sedan (which almost nobody seems to value anymore).

Hi MacPlus512, hello everyone,

Welcome to TOC.


Someday? Talking about it, doesn't get it done.


At what point, does an ordinary car become a collectors car?

Regards, Norm.

When the reason for ownership changes from transportation to fascination.

Well, I would start now but there are a few roadblocks:

1. I'm in college so my time is a bit cramped.
2. I don't have any room for another car right now.
3. I have to take some crash courses in auto technology. I'm a veteran computer technician so I wouldn't imagine the cars are too difficult, just a bit bigger.

Once I finish undergrad and grad school I may have to wait a few years since I'm considering getting a PhD. But I will restore at least one Olds before I die.

As for the LSS and its status as a collectors car, I say it's not yet because they are a bit too new. I like to think 20 years as the minimum, but I have some exceptions (like the Final 500 cars are obviously collectors item, maybe some of the Cutlass Supreme convertables from the 1990s).

Perhaps in a few years when I begin restoring one the LSS will be worth a ton of money in good shape. Or maybe even the Cutlass Cieras--the car that got me into Olds. Lots of fond memories with that Ciera--studying the flags on the side as a little kid, trying to pronounce "Brougham", I got my first barber shop haircut on a trip in that car, and left my old house for the last time in that car. Plus it was COMFY. And powerful, my grandpa had the biggest engine (I think it was 3.8).

I also have, in addition to the flags we salvaged from the car, a cassette tape that they used to hand out with the cassette equipped cars. It had the Olds jingle of the time ("There is a Special Feel in an Oldsmobile") plus a sampler of other tracks--if I recall Neil Diamond is one of the artists.

25 years, and older, is generally accepted as the definition of an antique. Does that make any car, over that age, collectible?

Norm

Welcome to the site. Be sure to post up pics to your car or cardomain if you have it. I like seeing what others do with their cars.