1968 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight

Convertible Convertible

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

Gasoline

Oldsmobile built 91,747 Ninety Eight's in 1968, only about 4% were convertibles - exactly: 3,942 and less than 800 came with the optional front disk brake/ 15" wheel option, making this car very rare. The 98 always was Oldsmobile's top of the line model, in '68 it came with the newly developed Rocket 455 ci engine / Turbo 400 Hydramatic Transmission. (365 hp) There is a video on Youtube in which an Oldsmobile engineer explained how the new 68 engine developed its peak torque at half the RPM than the '67 model. While the Rocket 455 kept the 4.126 in (104.8 mm) bore of the Rocket 425 engine, the stroke was bumped to 4.25 in (108 mm). The 455 engine was built until late 1975, however the output was reduced from 365 to 190 hp due to emissions regulations. In addition, this car is in an outstanding condition due to the extremely low mileage (less than 1000 miles per year) and the fact that she spent her whole life in Southern California and Arizona. Matching engine / VIN numbers. The 42,385 original miles are well documented, I have a stack of repair and maintenance receipts, most of them from shops in Hollywood. I also have the original California plates from 1968 + dealer license plate frames. Previous owner was a Hollywood movie producer who used her as a weekend cruiser, she was featured in some of his videos. This car was also featured in a Playboy production. Mileage might be slightly higher at the end of the auction. Most of the car is original, the chrome upgrades can be reversed (I will include the original oil pan, transmission pan and valve covers in case you don't like the chrome parts). I will also include the original 15" Hubcaps (almost impossible to find...), 2 repair manuals, a complete taillight, emblems and other spare parts. Other rare options on this car are: * Factory A/C / heat* mechanical cruise control with illuminated speed dial and speed warning* AM/FM Stereo* Power antenna* Passenger side mirror* 4 power windows and 2 power vents* 6 way power seat* cornering lights* Power steering* Power brakes* Power convertible top with rear glass window* Electro-mechanical clock* illuminated glove compartment and trunk* vacuum driven power locks and trunk release* tilt & telescopic steering wheel* dual exhaust with chrome tips* factory optional 15" wheels Vehicle is in excellent condition, everything works perfectly, it starts right up, has lots of power and no squeaks, rattles or vibrations. She drives like when she was new. Unfortunately the pictures can't tell how she runs and what the rumble of the dual exhaust sounds like. A/C blows ice cold, heater works excellent even without the fan, power windows go up and down within seconds, even at 90 mph on the freeway you can let the steering wheel go. Suspension, ignition, exhaust, radiator, battery, tires, gas tank, power top and brakes are new. New Rochester 4 BBL carburetor. There is a Sony stereo with CD player and remote control installed underneath the dashboard. Original Borg clock (with original electro-mechanical movement) has been serviced and works. New windshield washer pump. Aftermarket oil pressure / voltage and water temperature gauges match the colors and design of the dashboard. This car with its deep red paint draws attention where ever I go. Imagine yourself cruising with your buddies on the freeway or the Pacific Coastal highway ... Vehicle is sold as is, without warranty. My description is to the best of my knowledge, however it is the buyer's responsibility to inspect the vehicle. I will facilitate an independent inspection if you can not inspect the vehicle yourself. I will also work with shipping companies if you can not pick the vehicle up yourself. If you would like to fly in and drive the vehicle home I can offer you a free airport pick up from Phoenix Sky Harbor or Mesa Gateway. I am a private seller: with a few exceptions like New York most of the states don't charge any sales tax if a vehicle is purchased from a private party, saving you up to 10%. If you plan to register the vehicle in Arizona, you can get the 5 year registration for about $ 50,- (this is not a typo - currently the registration is good until Oct. 2016) For European buyers: I have shipped several vehicles to Germany and Australia and can refer you to shipping companies in Long Beach, California. Here are the numbers from the NADA price report for the 1968 Oldsmobile 98 convertible: Low Retail: 10,400 Average Retail: 21,600 High Retail: 31,300 add 455/365 hp V8 Eng 15% 15% 15%add Air Conditioning 5% 5% 5% Total Price 12,480 25,920 37,560 It appears that this car was built in the 5th week of March 1968 (code 03E on the first line of the body plate) However, I can't guarantee this information. Buy it now price includes free shipping within the 48 continental states. Vehicle comes with its original owner's manual in almost mint condition: 57 pages, P/N 400858, printed in black and purple in August 1967. I created a Photobucket album with over 100 pictures of this vehicle: http://s1054.photobucket.com/albums/s487/flyhi172/?albumview=slideshow You can also see it on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kli0AkgT_OE