Oldsmobile 98

The Oldsmobile 98 (since 1952 advertised as the Oldsmobile Ninety Eight) was a car built by Oldsmobile, a brand of General Motors, from 1940 to 1996. During this period, the 98 was consistently Oldsmobile's top-of-the-range model and was equivalent in size and prestige to the luxury model of its sister brand Buick.

The Oldsmobile numbering system

In 1939, Oldsmobile introduced a uniform, two-digit numbering system for its entire model range. The model designations 60, 70, 80 and 90 stood for the size of the car, and from 1942 a second digit was added, „6“ and „8“, which stood for the number of cylinders in the engine used. The entry-level model was the „Oldsmobile 66“ (or „Sixty Six“), the largest and most expensive model was the „98“. Only in the model years 1940, 1941 and 1946 was this top model called „90“.

After the Oldsmobile six-cylinder had been discontinued without replacement in 1951, only the 88 and 98 models remained within this numbering system. From then on, the 88 was the „normal“ Oldsmobile, although still quite large in size, while the 98 was the luxurious top-of-the-range model positioned above it. Both model designations were to be long-lived: the 98 was available until 1996, the 88 until 1999.

The history of all the years would be an imposition for the reader, which is why we will skip straight to the 8th generation, which marks the years 1965 to 1970.

In 1965, Oldsmobile's full-size vehicles, including the flagship Oldsmobile 98, were redesigned. The center of the 98's hood lengthened into a V, a front seat with split backrest and center armrest became available on two-door models, and the trunk was significantly enlarged. The gas tank was increased to 25 gallons and the 394cc V8 was boosted to 425cui with either 360 or 370 hp. The Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission was revised and now provided smoother gear changes and faster acceleration.

The Olds 98 was available in five models: A two-door sports coupe, a four-door sedan, a luxury sedan and a four-door Holiday Hardtop as well as a convertible. In total, more than 90,000 units were sold in 1965, with the luxury saloon leading the field with 33,591 units.

The 1966 98s were little changed from 1965, with the exception of the vertical „blade“ front fenders, similar to those on the new Toronado. There were still the five 98 models and sales remained stable.

The 1967 model year brought a number of mechanical and safety advances to the Oldsmobile brand. Like the rest of the product range, all 98s were fitted with two brake master cylinders, breakdown indicators, transistor ignitions, energy-absorbing steering wheels and three-point seat belts. Front disc brakes were optional.

There were only a few changes to the Oldsmobile 98 line for 1968. All models received a wide trim strip along the sills, the grille was split in two and position lights were fitted. The drum brakes were revised and the windshield wipers swept a larger area of the windshield. The displacement of the 425 was increased to 455, although the power output remained the same. Most of the 90,000 98s ordered were fully equipped with power steering, brake booster, electric windows and seats as well as air conditioning.

The 1969 Olds 98 was more angular and significantly flatter at the sides, with the rear fender leveled and the «coke-bottle» design removed as a result. Encouraged by the success of the luxury sedan, Olds added a luxury hardtop, of which a whopping 25,973 were sold.

The 8th generation Oldsmobile 98 is a solid choice for a luxury cruiser from the 1960s. The cars are large enough to comfortably accommodate a family and they capture much of the style of the era while costing less than the more iconic and powerful muscle cars of the time.