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69 Delta 88


BillG

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Bill, your car sounds VERY cool...I think I may have seen a pic once, forwarded by someone you sent your car to. Is it black, and are you located in California (that is what my memory is saying).

Not sure if you can get a breakdown such as you are requesting. My guess is that 3-spd on the column cars were very rare to begin with (even though that was the standard transmission offered in big cars). Probably there are exceedingly few left...as for convertibles, fuggedaboudit! If yours is not the one I saw pics of, then there are at least two left. My money is on just the one.

By the way, I own a 1965 Starfire convertible, and converted it to 4-spd using parts from a donor car (very badly rotted factory 4 spd Starfire). I never tire of telling this to people who I think might care...so if you do, and would like to see pics:

http://www.realoldspower.com/cgi-bin/cla...n=&max=

Also on that site are pics of my friend's 1966 Delta88 4-spd car, the inspiration for my building my own car, and perhaps the guy who you corresponded with and who forwarded me pics of your car:

http://www.realoldspower.com/cgi-bin/cla...n=&max=

Our cars are all kinda rare, and kinda related. Bet you'd love to get your hands on a source for clutch/brake pedal pads, eh?! Me too...

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Bill, its official...there is someone out there with a car very similar to yours! Thanks to you also for your weblink...very cool and very interesting.

I'd be curious to know if the transmission in your car is longer than a 3 spd that might be found in a Cutlass or other A-body car. I ask because the big 4-spd cars use what is called a "long-tailshaft" Muncie (in order to keep the driveshaft from being too long, I guess). Could you measure, if you have a chance, the distance between the bellhousing and the very end of the trans in your car? I ask because it would answer a question I've had in my mind for a while about big 3-spd on the column cars. I'd sure appreciate it.

Also, does your car have a rear sway bar? I've been looking for one to put on my Starfire for a long time, and may ultimately have one custom made. Our cars should be essentially the same, suspension-wise, by the way.

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I likewise really enjoyed the links showing these three cars, and am thankful that there are others who appreciate the B-Body GM cars of this era.

Am I correct in assuming that 1966 was the final year that the factory 4-speed was offered in a full-size Olds? I assume that it was also offered on the Starfire in 1966, but what about the lesser-series 88's?

Scott Fe, I want to try to scan a color photocopy of the cover of the 1964 General Motors Annual Report and post it here (maybe this weekend). The cover showed an incredible array of the corporation's beautiful '65 models on the GM test track, including Starfires, Jetstar I's, Catalina 2+2's, Wildcats, etc.

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Centurian, I'd love to see those pics. To answer your question, I believe that 1965 and 1966 were the only years for the 4 speed B-body cars (though I heard somewhere that a 4 speed trans might have been available in a 1964 Jetstar88, behind a 330 engine). I think the 3 spd "on the tree" was continued in the B-bodies to 1970. I have a 1966 Olds "Power Teams" brochure that indicates 4-speed trans availability in every B-body (but no C-body, ie no 98s) including the Jetstar88 (again behind a 330). It also indicates that only "normal ratio" 4 speeds were available in these cars, no "special ratio", which I assume means M20s and not M21s.

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Oldsmobile's police car package was call "Police Apprehender" The car in the pic is a Cal. Highway Patrol unit based on the '67 Delmont 425 cid with 365 hp, 4 bl carb with single exhaust. The CHP fleet was eqipped with pointless distributor, HD suspension, boxed frame, rear sway bar, 15" wheels, manual steering, front disc brakes, larger rear drums from the 98 Olds, rubber floor covering and other modifications.

The Apprehender Delmonts were offered with any engine from 330cid to the 425cid rated at 375hp. There was also a Apprehender package offered on the "A" body cars. Henry

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Hmm, I wonder where all the retired Blues Mobiles go when they retire in that rust-free climate? I'll bet there might be a few in the junkyards there. Odd thing about the single exhaust though. Restoring a vintage police car would be something interesting. Who would pull over whom though? <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

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Here's an attachment with just a portion of the fabulous cover photo from the General Motors 1964 Annual Report. The sight of all of those beautiful '65 models is a great reminder of the days when GM was the styling leader.

I especially like the trio of cars in the foreground: Grand Prix, Jetstar I (I don't think this is a Starfire), and Wildcat. Many other examples of the B and C-Body cars -- all new for 1965 -- can be observed in the photo.

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I think it's a J-I too. Can't see front fender vents or tailpipe outlets, so it's hard to tell. There's a dark Starfire convertible towards the back.

A guy in IL has a 1970 455/3-speed Delta convertible that he's documented as one of two, and he's been chasing the other one for years. He might also know something about the 69s. PM me and I'll give you an address and phone.

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Centurian...that is a very cool pic, thanks for posting...I will need to git me one a them there 1964 annual reports! Nice to see all those BIG cars. Equipped properly, the B-bodys could be really amazing...every much a muscle car as the usual Chevelle, Cutlass, Lemans or Skylark derivative. I started out with a 66 442, then saw the light, and realized how cool the big Oldses (65 and 66 especially) could be. I knew I had to have one, and equip it the way that few people thought to do back in the day.

By the way, I have the April 1965 issue of "Car Life" magazine, the cover story is the 1965 Delta 88. The car used in the story was had the 2bbl motor, single exhaust, column-shifted auto, bench seat, and cheap hubcaps. The writers essentially say that the car was boring, and off-handedly mention towards the end that the car could be equipped more for performance if one wanted (they suggest that you might have a hard time finding a dealer to help you there). The very next article in this issue is on the 421 HO powered Pontiac 2+2. The car in the story came with buckets, console, 4 spd, 4.11 "posi", dual exhaust, 8 lug wheels, "stiff" suspension...in other words all the "goodies" that would put it at the top of the collector car heap today. Not surprisingly, the authors fell over themselves praising it.

Thank God there were some Olds lovers back in the day who went to the trouble to order their cars "special". I know of one 1965 Delta 88 in California with a 4 spd, boxed frame, heavy duty suspension (with boxed lower control arms and rear sway bar), 3.42 posi, and Starfire (370 HP) motor. What an amazing (are rare) combination of options.

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