LOL @ 2:56. I often get nostalgic for these classics, because they looked and sounded beautiful in their own way. But my, my, would driving one today get old quickly. A modern full-size SUV would handle better. XD
Beginning in 1969 the 455 had to be bought as an extra cost option in the 88 series, except for the Royale. The standard engine in this car would have been an anemic 150 HP 350.
@MrCouchmen - The front 5 mph bumpers didn't start until 1973 (my first car was a '73 LeMans) and the front and rear 5 mph bumpers didn't start until the 1974 model year. I remember reading about the bumper rules in the car magazines back then.
any idea what a 1973 chevy caprice classic 4 dr 454ci hardtop is worth?, options are p/b p/s also power locks, and cruise control power windows, it is white, with a white vinyltop and fender skirts,with black interior, cars in very good shape and runs like new,
Holy Laugh Out Loud! Even if that thing stayed on the road during a slalom test, in the real world its tail would have smacked into everything left and right of its path! Insane!!!!!
I had the chance to buy a loaded, all options, 1973 Buick 225 for $400.00 in 1999. The seats still had the plastic! Hood had a lot of rust in the front though. I would have gotten it but didn't have a place to put it. Sad...
The size of that land yacht makes the test driver look like a little kid..but he manages to get around the corners gracefully in spite of the weight and the tires! Acceleration was fast enough to loose the trailer he was towing!
gotta luv the sound of a pre-cat era oldsmobile exhaust! u can always tell the oldsmobiles from the other gm's by the exhaust note alone. always luv'd it!
I know the 1970s are supposed to be the worst decade for classic cars, but there were some beautiful sedans in the era (along with a number of hideous sports cars and compacts). As much as I love Oldsmobile though, I think my next car will have to be a 1969 Chrysler, since it was the beginning of the fuselage era of design and the end of the performance era (if it weren't for the fact that I already have a sluggish 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight I would probably go with a 70s Oldsmobile or Buick)
@obi1kenobi1 The worst? Not so. There were MANY classic cars built in the 70s. ALL of G.M.s full sized luxury boats are comanding HIGH prices. The Olds 442 and Buick Regals too. Dodge Charger, Camaro, Mustang, even some of the Mercury Marquis's are considered classics. The 70s was GREAT for classic cars. Then along came the 80s. Only the full size luxury cars will become classics from that era. What a shame. None in the 90s. Even sadder. 2000-2010? Where are they?
@cadrolls1 I just meant that the 1970s marked the beginning of the end, with poor performance, bigger emphasis on small cars, and generally worse styling than the previous decades. There were also some of the ugliest cars of all time, especially sports and compact models from Ford. And while it is too late to predict which 1990s cars will become classics, I'm sure the early 1990s GM full size line will do well, with the last real Cadillac, Buick, and station wagons, plus the last good Chevrolet.
I had a 73 delta 88 , 350 2 barrel, it was the biggest gas hog of all times. it was slow very slow, brakes were ok, handling so so. but it rode smooth, was very quiet. over all it was well built car and very reliable.
My parents also had 72 pontiac catalina, 400 2 barrel. this car was much faster and easier on gas. I raced a 75 Olds cutless once with a 350 4 barrel, beat it by about 2 car lengths
This car is a joke. The American car industry started faltering in the 70's because of these land yachts. The designers should have been shot. 8mpg? Really?
@bendover992002 Well people kept on buying them until the oil embargo sounds like they were giving people what they wanted, performance and comfort. Not to mention that small cars then were death traps back then that seemed to be made out of compressed rust (didn't matter if they were American or foreign). Face it dude, until gas got expensive THIS is what Americans wanted!
@bendover992002 they may not have been what you think of as a performance car, but those engines would outlast anything that is produced today. The tranny was almost indestructable - nobody could beat the THM400. GM quality was worlds above other manufacturers at the time, and their products sold. America loved big cars, and loved dependability - and these cars delivered!!! When fuel costs 25-30 cents a gallon people weren't worried about mpg!!! This was a family car, not a sports car!!!
@bendover992002 I would take one of these any day over some crappy ass toyota. Oh, wait, I have the exact same one now. Hmm lol But seriously, gas wasn't really a concern then, or pollution controll, as much as luxury and quality. Trust me, if you ever took a ride in mine, you would definity FEEL the quality and surround you. Seriously, I can FEEL it haha Even 40 years later.
ok. i had a 72 98. looked a lot like this car but longer. the guy i bought it from rebuilt the 455 and put a 518 lift and a mallory duel point curve advance ignition in it. i dont know why but im not compaining. the only time i ever raced it was against a 91 5.0 gt. he had me till about 90. and i ate him up after that. this car was around 5700 lbs. huge. and luxury to the hilt. ok im just rambling now.
as long as the seals are good , mine doesnt leak, also my dash has absolutly no cracks and the first thing people comment on my inside is the dash, just shiny black
im only 21 and I own this exact type but mines the oxford gray color. my 455 had a lot miles when i rebuilt it, it now only has 8,000 miles on a rebuilt motor i did myself and although this is a big car it will get on it. I love getting on interstates with it, by the time your getting off the exit ramp onto the highway you can be doing 100 mph.also im a pretty tall person i struggle in the small cars i love this car for long trips. plenty of room, and mpg are great, 16 in town, 23 on the highway
i knew a lot of people, friends and family members that had this car. I drove it myself and i tell ya, its damn near a musclecar. my cousin had 3.55 posi unit put in it and that thing haled ass for sure!!! Put this thing up against a 2010 Camaro SS and this thing would kick that ass for real. For driving on vacation from chicago to mississippi, this thing was like riding in a Greyhound Bus--plenty of room and plush. That Olds 455 was a beast for sure!
@BNforever2009 They were nice back then, that's for sure. I think most of the younger people would feel cheated if they ever had a long trip in one of these highway cruisers and then had to step into what they are driving now. 10 hours in one of these cars was NOTHING. With the new cars, you want to get out after 3 hours!
As the other poster said this is what the the American public wanted back then - big and luxurious. And these cars were comfortable cruisers. You could drive down a bumpy road without getting your arse kicked on every pebble you rolled over, unlike today's cars. They were great for long drives. And this car has character! Something that today's cars DON'T. Don't knock early American automotive engineering. It was what it was for a reason. This is a great video and it's fun to watch - thanks!
@brock6051 I agree with you TOTALLY! As I stated above, if ANYONE under 40 took one of thses cars for an all day drive, they would NEVER want to get into their new car again!
@cadrolls1 Yeah, I'm 32. My first car was a Pontiac Fiero (still have it). I've owned a couple of big cars, nothing THIS huge... my biggest car was a 73 Cutlass which I just sold (check my videos). But I would love to have this. I have a 69 olds 455 big block fully built with mondello cam and whatnot... just waiting for something to put it in. I also have a 2002 Crown Victoria LX with 43k miles on it, it's big, but not THIS big. My 73 Cutlass was bigger than my Crown Victoria!!!
@StoneCold75 People drove their "boats" differently back then. It rode so smoothly that most people put their coffees on the dashboards while driving. That is why the radios in most don't work now as they usually spilled their coffee after someone pulled out in front of them or had to make a sudden turn. These cars had a lower fatality rate per mile driven then the new B.M.W.s do today because the people knew how to drive them accordingly. In other words, they were safer cars to be in than BMW.
@jdillmeister Keep in mind that this is what the US family car buyer wanted back then. If you wanted better road manners from an Olds, you'd buy a Cutlass. If you wanted an absolute silky-smooth ride, you bought an Olds 98 (same frame as the Cadillac DeVille line - softer sprung than the Delta 88 line). The auto makers were building what we wanted at the time. Times changed - the US automakers didn't look at the clock.
@jdillmeister If you compared this car with what Toyota, Datsun, and Honda were offering at ther time, you would have driven this car too. The foreign cars got ahead because they were more dependable--------at the expense of thousands of jobs in the auto repairing business. Ours are as good now as the best that the Germans and Japanese are offering. Who cares if people are employed?
Nice car, very good performance for a big car considering the 455-4barrel has less power than the 455's of the previous years and the car is slightly heavier as well, I'm a big fan of the 1971-72 GM full size B-bodies due to the styling and the performance was still there on these cars
No dumbass check the gross weight of a new honda or other import POS they are fat pigs nowadays A 2010 accord sedan weighs 3368LBS . this buick only weighs a 1,000lbs more, Kinda sad for honda. plus It was sarcasm now go screw off.
@CSXRockford They may but, they don't ride as well and their interiors are smaller. After 4 hours of driving, you just want to get out. You could drive all day long in one of these and still want to continue. THAT was the difference.
Today´s cars are heavier for their size compared to old cars like this Olds. The most important fact here is safety equipment, airbags, side impact bars, lots of extra gadgets, computers and sensors that older cars don´t have. Those extras add lots of weight but will never give you a ride as comfortable and smooth as these full size american cars. I´d gladly have one of these.
LOL @ 2:56. I often get nostalgic for these classics, because they looked and sounded beautiful in their own way. But my, my, would driving one today get old quickly. A modern full-size SUV would handle better. XD
jaymum23 3 weeks ago
I didnt know the USS Nimitz had wheels
Tireshredderjoe 3 weeks ago
Beginning in 1969 the 455 had to be bought as an extra cost option in the 88 series, except for the Royale. The standard engine in this car would have been an anemic 150 HP 350.
VictrolaJazz 1 month ago
Less body lean than what? A capsizing ship?
sidefx996 2 months ago
@sidefx996 hahahahahahahahahaha best comment ever
SantoroT2 2 months ago
@sidefx996 That's what the sixteen dollar option gets you- about the same amount of improvement it would get you today!
BoobyMcDoogle 1 month ago
"Less body lean" BWHAAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAA I love this car
sidefx996 2 months ago
@MrCouchmen - The front 5 mph bumpers didn't start until 1973 (my first car was a '73 LeMans) and the front and rear 5 mph bumpers didn't start until the 1974 model year. I remember reading about the bumper rules in the car magazines back then.
16924fps 2 months ago
Holy dirt tracker Batman.
olechevy 3 months ago
This is back when men were men, except when they got prostate cancer because they smoked and drank too much.
tomperanteau 5 months ago
the 1971-1976 Oldmsobile 88/ Oldsmobile Delta 88 was assembled in
Lansing, Michigan
Fairfax, Kansas
Arlington, Texas
Framingham, Massachusetts
Linden, New Jersey
Fremont, California
Annihilator1111 6 months ago
Must have the best tire sealant ever !! tires almost popping off the rim!
dmx011 6 months ago
any idea what a 1973 chevy caprice classic 4 dr 454ci hardtop is worth?, options are p/b p/s also power locks, and cruise control power windows, it is white, with a white vinyltop and fender skirts,with black interior, cars in very good shape and runs like new,
bcartist76 8 months ago
Just shows how long the car is that when they test the brakes (1:53) at 36 feet, the car is still right next to the first set of cones.
useaol 9 months ago
Holy Laugh Out Loud! Even if that thing stayed on the road during a slalom test, in the real world its tail would have smacked into everything left and right of its path! Insane!!!!!
Dumblikeyoutu 9 months ago
My parents had a 71 Olds 88 but had a 350 with 4 barrel. Dad said it was best car he ever owned. Never had a problem with it.
txscowboy2 10 months ago
I had the chance to buy a loaded, all options, 1973 Buick 225 for $400.00 in 1999. The seats still had the plastic! Hood had a lot of rust in the front though. I would have gotten it but didn't have a place to put it. Sad...
PotatoGunsRule 10 months ago
Big Cars like that would smash todays cars into tin foil!!
crcracker1 10 months ago
1973 Delta 88 looks better than 1971.
MrCouchmen 11 months ago
@MrCouchmen hate those 5 mph bumpers.
5JackofHearts5 4 months ago
I have a car very similar to this. 72 Delta 88 convertible with the 455.
I plan on running oversize sway bars, KYB shocks, and heavy-duty springs for a '74-'76 big-block Caprice wagon to make it handle.
Cougar111469 11 months ago
what a body roll special. so much weight.
durko83 11 months ago
The size of that land yacht makes the test driver look like a little kid..but he manages to get around the corners gracefully in spite of the weight and the tires! Acceleration was fast enough to loose the trailer he was towing!
mchalewj 1 year ago
Hey! The Ash-molile!
keewatin427 1 year ago
I always liked the front end on these oldsmobiles. It was great to see it drifting around the corners.
tomsriv 1 year ago
For a car weighing in at over 4,000lbs, I call that impressive.
Seattlecarnut 1 year ago
@Seattlecarnut Put a big enough engine in a car and it could do a lot! :)
dmine45 1 year ago
@dmine45 I believe that. I've never been much for small cars. I've always been an intermediate to full-sized car guy.
Seattlecarnut 1 year ago
gotta luv the sound of a pre-cat era oldsmobile exhaust! u can always tell the oldsmobiles from the other gm's by the exhaust note alone. always luv'd it!
phpat1 1 year ago
i have a 73 vert 88, but just hearing 0-60 n 8sec is fuckin hilarious!!!
9c1box 1 year ago
I know the 1970s are supposed to be the worst decade for classic cars, but there were some beautiful sedans in the era (along with a number of hideous sports cars and compacts). As much as I love Oldsmobile though, I think my next car will have to be a 1969 Chrysler, since it was the beginning of the fuselage era of design and the end of the performance era (if it weren't for the fact that I already have a sluggish 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight I would probably go with a 70s Oldsmobile or Buick)
obi1kenobi1 1 year ago
@obi1kenobi1 The worst? Not so. There were MANY classic cars built in the 70s. ALL of G.M.s full sized luxury boats are comanding HIGH prices. The Olds 442 and Buick Regals too. Dodge Charger, Camaro, Mustang, even some of the Mercury Marquis's are considered classics. The 70s was GREAT for classic cars. Then along came the 80s. Only the full size luxury cars will become classics from that era. What a shame. None in the 90s. Even sadder. 2000-2010? Where are they?
cadrolls1 1 year ago
@cadrolls1 I just meant that the 1970s marked the beginning of the end, with poor performance, bigger emphasis on small cars, and generally worse styling than the previous decades. There were also some of the ugliest cars of all time, especially sports and compact models from Ford. And while it is too late to predict which 1990s cars will become classics, I'm sure the early 1990s GM full size line will do well, with the last real Cadillac, Buick, and station wagons, plus the last good Chevrolet.
obi1kenobi1 1 year ago
I had a 73 delta 88 , 350 2 barrel, it was the biggest gas hog of all times. it was slow very slow, brakes were ok, handling so so. but it rode smooth, was very quiet. over all it was well built car and very reliable.
My parents also had 72 pontiac catalina, 400 2 barrel. this car was much faster and easier on gas. I raced a 75 Olds cutless once with a 350 4 barrel, beat it by about 2 car lengths
summitdrinker 1 year ago
mad respect for this driver not to many drivers can drift a big body car like he did at 4:25
isaiah213 1 year ago
@isaiah213 didnt the drift start at 4:20?
JamesPriceJohnson 1 year ago
Wow, props to that driver for weilding that bias-ply beast around like that.
gregwddriver 1 year ago
This car is a joke. The American car industry started faltering in the 70's because of these land yachts. The designers should have been shot. 8mpg? Really?
bendover992002 1 year ago
@bendover992002 Well people kept on buying them until the oil embargo sounds like they were giving people what they wanted, performance and comfort. Not to mention that small cars then were death traps back then that seemed to be made out of compressed rust (didn't matter if they were American or foreign). Face it dude, until gas got expensive THIS is what Americans wanted!
meanmotor74 1 year ago
@bendover992002 they may not have been what you think of as a performance car, but those engines would outlast anything that is produced today. The tranny was almost indestructable - nobody could beat the THM400. GM quality was worlds above other manufacturers at the time, and their products sold. America loved big cars, and loved dependability - and these cars delivered!!! When fuel costs 25-30 cents a gallon people weren't worried about mpg!!! This was a family car, not a sports car!!!
biglinc1 1 year ago
@bendover992002 actually the gas mileage was better than that. u have to suck at driving to drop that low in gas mileage.
JamesPriceJohnson 1 year ago
@bendover992002 I would take one of these any day over some crappy ass toyota. Oh, wait, I have the exact same one now. Hmm lol But seriously, gas wasn't really a concern then, or pollution controll, as much as luxury and quality. Trust me, if you ever took a ride in mine, you would definity FEEL the quality and surround you. Seriously, I can FEEL it haha Even 40 years later.
andythewindsurfer 1 year ago
@bendover992002 It seemed perfectly normal and acceptable at the time.
auaiao9 1 year ago
WOW! Super video! Olds Delta88-cool car!
TheRestavrator 1 year ago
whats the name of the song starting at 1:42
JamesPriceJohnson 1 year ago
... and with less body lean ... (as the back-end flys out and the car almost flips) HAHAH!!!!
Todd82TA 1 year ago
ok. i had a 72 98. looked a lot like this car but longer. the guy i bought it from rebuilt the 455 and put a 518 lift and a mallory duel point curve advance ignition in it. i dont know why but im not compaining. the only time i ever raced it was against a 91 5.0 gt. he had me till about 90. and i ate him up after that. this car was around 5700 lbs. huge. and luxury to the hilt. ok im just rambling now.
mrbangoskank 1 year ago
as long as the seals are good , mine doesnt leak, also my dash has absolutly no cracks and the first thing people comment on my inside is the dash, just shiny black
Oberpanzerschutze 1 year ago
I wonder if it leaked inside the car when it rained...also I wonder how soon down the line did the dashboard crack.
hialeahdude 1 year ago
im only 21 and I own this exact type but mines the oxford gray color. my 455 had a lot miles when i rebuilt it, it now only has 8,000 miles on a rebuilt motor i did myself and although this is a big car it will get on it. I love getting on interstates with it, by the time your getting off the exit ramp onto the highway you can be doing 100 mph.also im a pretty tall person i struggle in the small cars i love this car for long trips. plenty of room, and mpg are great, 16 in town, 23 on the highway
Oberpanzerschutze 1 year ago
i knew a lot of people, friends and family members that had this car. I drove it myself and i tell ya, its damn near a musclecar. my cousin had 3.55 posi unit put in it and that thing haled ass for sure!!! Put this thing up against a 2010 Camaro SS and this thing would kick that ass for real. For driving on vacation from chicago to mississippi, this thing was like riding in a Greyhound Bus--plenty of room and plush. That Olds 455 was a beast for sure!
BNforever2009 1 year ago
@BNforever2009 They were nice back then, that's for sure. I think most of the younger people would feel cheated if they ever had a long trip in one of these highway cruisers and then had to step into what they are driving now. 10 hours in one of these cars was NOTHING. With the new cars, you want to get out after 3 hours!
cadrolls1 1 year ago
As the other poster said this is what the the American public wanted back then - big and luxurious. And these cars were comfortable cruisers. You could drive down a bumpy road without getting your arse kicked on every pebble you rolled over, unlike today's cars. They were great for long drives. And this car has character! Something that today's cars DON'T. Don't knock early American automotive engineering. It was what it was for a reason. This is a great video and it's fun to watch - thanks!
brock6051 1 year ago
@brock6051 I agree with you TOTALLY! As I stated above, if ANYONE under 40 took one of thses cars for an all day drive, they would NEVER want to get into their new car again!
cadrolls1 1 year ago
@cadrolls1 Yeah, I'm 32. My first car was a Pontiac Fiero (still have it). I've owned a couple of big cars, nothing THIS huge... my biggest car was a 73 Cutlass which I just sold (check my videos). But I would love to have this. I have a 69 olds 455 big block fully built with mondello cam and whatnot... just waiting for something to put it in. I also have a 2002 Crown Victoria LX with 43k miles on it, it's big, but not THIS big. My 73 Cutlass was bigger than my Crown Victoria!!!
Todd82TA 1 year ago
What a whale. We had a 1971 Buick LeSabre Custom 350 that was probably similar. We finally lost it to an F4 tornado.
swmdal 1 year ago
ROFL at 2:54 the boat flies off the track ....And get ready for that upcoming "non leaded fuel
' he says
StoneCold75 1 year ago
@StoneCold75 People drove their "boats" differently back then. It rode so smoothly that most people put their coffees on the dashboards while driving. That is why the radios in most don't work now as they usually spilled their coffee after someone pulled out in front of them or had to make a sudden turn. These cars had a lower fatality rate per mile driven then the new B.M.W.s do today because the people knew how to drive them accordingly. In other words, they were safer cars to be in than BMW.
cadrolls1 1 year ago
@cadrolls1 cup of coffee?..you could curl up and take a nap on one of those dashboards
StoneCold75 1 year ago
This is the exact reason the U.S. auoto makers almost lost in all. look at the laziness that went into this car....
jdillmeister 1 year ago
@jdillmeister Keep in mind that this is what the US family car buyer wanted back then. If you wanted better road manners from an Olds, you'd buy a Cutlass. If you wanted an absolute silky-smooth ride, you bought an Olds 98 (same frame as the Cadillac DeVille line - softer sprung than the Delta 88 line). The auto makers were building what we wanted at the time. Times changed - the US automakers didn't look at the clock.
thekidrocks72 1 year ago
@jdillmeister
Take a look at the sorry ass tin cans imorts had to offer, I'd take this buick anyday.
BUY AMERICAN
CSXRockford 1 year ago
@jdillmeister If you compared this car with what Toyota, Datsun, and Honda were offering at ther time, you would have driven this car too. The foreign cars got ahead because they were more dependable--------at the expense of thousands of jobs in the auto repairing business. Ours are as good now as the best that the Germans and Japanese are offering. Who cares if people are employed?
cadrolls1 1 year ago
A sedan!?
F6HemiCharger 1 year ago
コンバーチブルなら更にいいねぇ。。。
萌え☆
NTC335 2 years ago
I love the music on this commercial
Doobie1975 2 years ago
US Cars !! Nice cars !! Vintage road test - super video .
MrTenerife 2 years ago
sweet
cody56108 2 years ago
Nice car, very good performance for a big car considering the 455-4barrel has less power than the 455's of the previous years and the car is slightly heavier as well, I'm a big fan of the 1971-72 GM full size B-bodies due to the styling and the performance was still there on these cars
Doobie1975 2 years ago
Gigantic car!
jex9 2 years ago
there's a trailer hitch on it !
scubasteve06 2 years ago
4300lbs? My cts weighs almost as much!
bajabusta 2 years ago
@bajabusta LOL funny thing is most import compacts weigh close to that nowadays..lol
CSXRockford 1 year ago
@CSXRockford
Huh? Are you an idiot?
mypalrocco 1 year ago
@mypalrocco
No dumbass check the gross weight of a new honda or other import POS they are fat pigs nowadays A 2010 accord sedan weighs 3368LBS . this buick only weighs a 1,000lbs more, Kinda sad for honda. plus It was sarcasm now go screw off.
CSXRockford 1 year ago
@CSXRockford They may but, they don't ride as well and their interiors are smaller. After 4 hours of driving, you just want to get out. You could drive all day long in one of these and still want to continue. THAT was the difference.
cadrolls1 1 year ago
@cadrolls1
Today´s cars are heavier for their size compared to old cars like this Olds. The most important fact here is safety equipment, airbags, side impact bars, lots of extra gadgets, computers and sensors that older cars don´t have. Those extras add lots of weight but will never give you a ride as comfortable and smooth as these full size american cars. I´d gladly have one of these.
luisinhoens90 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Yay, a new video!
Infinitrium 2 years ago