I spotted this clean Ninety-Eight coupe at a red light back in December. I keep hoping to see it at a show or cruise-in, but so far, no such luck.
Nice colors, but it needs some 15″ wheels, factory wheel covers and narrow-band whitewalls, stat. And for the record, I’d like to go back in time and snap up that green Toronado!
You are probably not seeing it at car shows because you are going to the wrong type of car show.
Tee-hee!
And as indicated by some features of this car, you are probably not in a certain part of town….
It appears to have current Mississippi tags on it. Surprised it does not have antique tags since anything older than 25 years can be had, then no more tags until 2099. Unless you shot it while traveling in Dixie it apparently runs good to make it to your part of the country. I see quite a few CC here in my part of Mississippi with the oversized wheels on them. Most of them are A, B and D bodies or Panther Platforms.
Arghhh those rims! I can only imagine what that does to the ride quality – this platform isn’t the stiffest to begin with, if my ’73 DeVille was any indication. The rest looks nice though.
Shame about the wheels, as the rest of it is so nice. I will never understand the fascination with big 20+” rims, I’d much rather have wires and whitewalls. So much classier, and much better riding.
Not only that, but it’s jacked up so the stupid wheels will fit under it. Ech!
1972, the first year for the Ninety Eight Regency.
And correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the ’72 Regency introduced pillowed, buttoned velour seats…
Yes it did, the first Regency was to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Oldsmobile, they had the pillow interior and a gold faced Tiffany clock in the dash. It was so popular it became a regular model.
Here’s the ad copy on the Limited Edition (Tiffany-registered) Regency:
“Today you rarely have the opportunity to buy a true limited edition luxury automobile. This year provides you with such an opportunity: Oldsmobile’s 75th Anniversary.
To Celebrate becoming the first American auto manufacturer to reach this milestone, Olds is building a very special luxury car in limited quantity –the Ninety-Eight Regency.
The specially styled custom interior with its ‘pillow effect’ and velour upholstery is an example of its distinction and is available in black or covert.
And there are those very special Tiffany touches. The exterior is painted in Tiffany Gold, an exclusive custom metallic color created especially for this fine motor car. Even the face of the electric timepiece has been specially styled by Tiffany’s, and bears the famous Tiffany name.
Each Ninety-Eight Regency is registered at Tiffany’s and each Regency owner will receive a distinctive sterling silver key ring as a gift. If ever lost, the keys can be dropped in a mailbox and Tiffany’s will return them to the owner.
Finally, underneath all the things that make the Regency extraordinary, are all the other solid values you’ve come to expect from Oldsmobile. The limited-edition Ninety-Eight Regency. At your Olds dealer now.”
Donks…. on the one hand, putting large wheels on a big car so it sits up in the air and looks like a 4wd can’t be good for the car and looks awful…but on the other hand means some of these cars get saved instead of turned in for the scrap value….when the fad dies hopefully someone will return them to normal ride height.
+1. If not for the custom-car folks, a lot of the big GMs we all love might have been crushed years ago. And this car was very nice.
Or have been used in a demo derby.
I must agree with the no-like-em crowd on those wheels.
I saw an ’85 vintage Caprice sedan the other day with the same treatment. I could almost hear it say “rescue me please”. Bad taste is only illegal if it poses a safety hazard. It’s amazing the stuff that is created out of poverty, ignorance, and arrested development.
Ignoring the elephant [wheels] in the room, I’ll just say the ’72 98 is a great car, and that’s a rare color, presuming it’s original. I had a ’72 Regency for several years and loved it. It handled interstates beautifully, even loaded with 4 or 5 people and their luggage.
Wow, you had a ’72 Regency too? If you ever get the time to do some COAL posts, I think most of us here would love to read them!
Love the body style but whenever I see cars done up with wheels like that I just think… “Why didn’t you just buy a clapped out Tahoe for the same money and get the ride height for free?”