1938 Oldsmobile 6 cyl 4 door $13,500

[B Jake Moran]

Marketplace - 1938 Oldsmobile f38 | Facebook

 

1938 Olds. Cast iron Straight 6. 6v electrical. New white walls.

 

 

 

 

[B Jake Moran]

I do not normally go for 6 cylinder cars when 8's are offered but this shows again, there is value in pre war closed cars. 

 

I recently followed a 1928 Buick Master 6 until it sold for $12,000. It was a nice driver, that took 3-4 months to sell. 

This one will likely sell for $10,000 to $11,000 and have a hard time finding the right buyer. 

[suchan]

Sharp!

Like the color, too.

One of the all-time great dashes.

Not sure the tiger-stripe woodgraining is factory, though, although it is striking.

No engine photo?

[TerryB]

Maybe they don’t want you to see under the hood.  I often wonder about electrical wiring conditions in cars like this.  Age can make insulation as brittle as potato chips.  On the surface a nice car, the dash seems overdone in the tiger stripe application and the color just seems off shade for the year.

[deac]

WOW, that tiger stripe woodgrain is quite striking.  It looks like a pretty cool Olds!

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

2 hours ago, TerryB said:

 I often wonder about electrical wiring conditions in cars like this.  Age can make insulation as brittle as potato chips. 

Yes, I too have those concerns……..after twice buying late 40’s cars and finding the wiring, shall we say, a bit scary. The first one I bought a new harness ($1100) and the second one which I have now I am slowly replacing wiring. 
This car in my opinion, is the most desirable year of the ‘30s Oldsmobile. I like it!

[kingrudy]

1 hour ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

Yes, I too have those concerns……..after twice buying late 40’s cars and finding the wiring, shall we say, a bit scary. The first one I bought a new harness ($1100) and the second one which I have now I am slowly replacing wiring. 
This car in my opinion, is the most desirable year of the ‘30s Oldsmobile. I like it!

I often wonder, why is the electrical the last thing someone would tackle on a car this nice?

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

16 minutes ago, kingrudy said:

I often wonder, why is the electrical the last thing someone would tackle on a car this nice?

I think electrical systems on most older cars are the least understood and most feared part (by most hobbyists) of bringing an old car back to safe standards. A new wiring harness would be not as complicated as  one expects. My experience with my ‘48 Packard and Rhode Island Wiring went very well. This ‘38 Olds would be easier.

[deac]

I have seen pretty scary wiring in old cars. Rhode Island isn't cheap but it's a good place to get the kit for your specific car.

Edited November 21, 2023 by deac (see edit history)

[B Jake Moran]

I do wonder if that wood graining is correct. It goes into the doors and looks well done. Why would someone go to that extreme and be not accurate?  

[kingrudy]

11 hours ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

I think electrical systems on most older cars are the least understood and most feared part (by most hobbyists) of bringing an old car back to safe standards. A new wiring harness would be not as complicated as  one expects. My experience with my ‘48 Packard and Rhode Island Wiring went very well. This ‘38 Olds would be easier.

I agree with you 100%. I noticed that the insulation was flaking off my wiring under the hood, so I stopped driving my '40 Buick and I ordered a full wiring harness from YnZ in California. I am no electrical wizard, but the instructions and technical support was fantastic. When you throw money at these cars for paint, interior work, chrome and other things. It seems to me that you could be left by the side of the road with a beautiful car that won't be able to get you home. 

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

@kingrudy All glory in cosmetics, no glory in mechanicals. I am on the no glory route with my NY’er.

[MccJoseph]

2 hours ago, kingrudy said:

I agree with you 100%. I noticed that the insulation was flaking off my wiring under the hood, so I stopped driving my '40 Buick and I ordered a full wiring harness from YnZ in California. I am no electrical wizard, but the instructions and technical support was fantastic. When you throw money at these cars for paint, interior work, chrome and other things. It seems to me that you could be left by the side of the road with a beautiful car that won't be able to get you home. 

Or worse, have a beautiful car that burns to the ground.

[B Jake Moran]

I understand not focusing on the electrical but to me, as a restorer, I think that would be a blast.  Electronics are a mystery to me overall, and that is probably why they are avoided by restorers.  To get a Rhode Island kit with instructions would be fun.  To me.