Not many of these ’67-’70 Oldsmobile Delta 88s have appeared at CC, so I figured sharing this one for sale in Central America was a reasonable idea. A one-owner car since its purchase in 1967, that seems to have been used little and carries the damages of long-term storage.
CC readers know that I occasionally share vehicles that appear on my Salvadorian FB Marketplace feed. I try not to over-share these finds as these aren’t near the US, and it makes little sense to get readers excited about cars where purchases carry import duties and other hassles. Still, this being a one-family car since new makes for a somewhat interesting find.
The car’s condition suggests the ad is truthful, and looks to have been stored for quite a while. Years, likely. Still, it looks remarkably original; a quality not common over here. Then, there’s the normal damage of storage in a tropical country. Some nicks on the chrome, damage on the front bumper, some brittle plastics, and other paint damage.
Other than the tinted windows, I see little that isn’t spec.
To be precise, today’s model is a Delta 88 Holiday Sedan. For ’67, these still rode on the ’65’s B-body platform. The Delta was the higher trim of the Olds B-body full-size models, perched above the short-lived Delmont 88s. As for the Holiday moniker, it was Olds-speak for hardtops. Last, all these carried a variation or another of Olds’ Rocket V8 engines.
These proudly wore the chiseled and expressive looks trickling down from the ’66 Toronado. As for production numbers, these ‘plain’ Holiday sedans moved about 22K units. A pretty good showing for an upscale brand like Olds.
Regarding its location, it’s near the town of Juayua in Western El Salvador. An area filled with coffee plantations and where coffee barons lived in luxury until the 1980s Civil War.
That aside, there are remnants of that splendor in those coffee plantation towns; from large luxury houses, to –apparently– hacienda garages hiding old American cars.
It makes sense that a Salvadorian upper-class family would favor an upscale American brand back in the ’60s. German luxury makes were just making (significant) inroads at the time, and brands such as Cadillac and Buick still carried significant cachet. I can also see such a car being stored indefinitely by such a family and getting little use.
That little use is too evident on this Delta 88’s dusty engine bay. No mention of which version of the many available Rocket V8s in ’67 is under this one’s hood. I do presume it’s a low-mileage car, but no idea how much refurbishment will be needed. Soft bits like hoses and electrics just don’t do well in this humid and hot environment.
I assume the market for these is too soft to justify the whole trouble (owner is asking 9K). That said, my mind has occasionally wandered into “Should I..? When will I find another American car from the ’60s so original? Shouldn’t I preserve all that patina?”
Of course, I know I shouldn’t; mostly because I couldn’t. Should you care to check out the listing, it’s here.
Related CC reading:
Car Show Classic: 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88 Convertible: A Dynamic Convertible With A Frumpy Name
COAL: 1969 Oldsmobile Delta 88 – All Aboard The Green Bus
Cohort Pic(k) Of The Day: 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 – Frozen Delta
Nice find. There were four different versions of the 425 cubic inch Rocket V-8 available in the Delta 88 this year. The overwhelming majority had the standard 2 bbl. 310 h.p. version. Then there was the optional 4 bbl. at 365 h.p. and the “”Starfire” version with dual exhaust at 375 h.p. There was also a no-cost option lower compression 2 bbl. rated at 300 h.p. that used regular fuel.
As noted, the Delta was a step up from the entry level Delmont, which basically replaced the Dynamic 88 this year. The Delmont was dropped for 1969, with the Delta assuming the entry level model.
1967 Delmonts with the 375 h.p. 425 were used by the California Highway Patrol. Ted Kennedy was also driving a Delmont when he took his infamous drive at Chappaquiddick.
Another nice survivor .
I hope it’s not too rusty .
I like that garage, is has a Concrete floor and sufficient space to work in .
-Nate
I always found these to be a bit puffy, in need of a diuretic. In ’67 I would have gone with the Le Sabre or maybe even the beautiful, albeit “step down the rung” Impala.
I liked the “Pontiac”.
Just as those of us “of a certain age” associate ’61 Lincolns with JFK in Dallas …
… a ’67 Olds 88 brings to mind the nose-down 88 that plunged off the bridge at Chappaquiddick Island.
Except that one was a Delmont 88 post sedan.
And the National Lampoon VW ad parody that posited that if it’d been a Beetle he’d be President by the time it ran.
Always think of this too.
“CC readers know that I occasionally share vehicles that appear on my Salvadorian FB Marketplace feed. I try not to over-share these finds”
I’m a big fan of posts that show everyday cars in countries other than the US. Personally I’m all for you oversharing vehicles from El Salvador. Your posts and Tatra’s from Japan are some of my favorites…
While the turn signal lights between the headlights was a highlight of Oldsmobile styling, must have been a serious bugger, seeing them with the high beams on.
Wow! Does anyone see what I see. The very first thing that came to mind was since it is a 4-door is the vintage 1976 TV-movie Smash-Up on Interstate Five in Southern California. I believe the movie car was a Delta 88 Custom with the dual taillights. This one is more of the standard Delta 88 to me. Still I love the 1967 Oldsmobiles.
This is one of those cars that was so common in the Midwestern US that I never noticed them. Then they disappeared and I cannot tell you the last time I saw one.
My parents had a 1968 Delmont 88 4 door HT very similar to this car.
It had a 350 2 barrel with a THM, AC, PW and a power seat. It was a nice car. It was traded in 1971 for a Chevrolet Malibu Sport Coupe.
Obviously a lead to a scam, bah…!
The Delta 88 Custom, with the extra taillights mirrored in the bumper, really takes it up a notch in my opinion. One of my fave rear end vehicle designs from this era.