Strangely-Optioned 1971 Oldsmobile 98: See What Makes This One Unique!

Check out this awesome, clean, 1971 Oldsmobile 98 and its strange option content.

[landiahillfarm]

So many of these 60's and 70's "Vinyl Roof Delete" cars looks so much better than their counterparts.

[corgiowner]

Those metal GM belt buckles got blistering hot in the sun.

[unclebob]

I miss those BIG Oldsmobiles. Smooth, comfortable and powerful.

[sageskeleton]

I was raised 30 miles from Lansing. Many of the local farmers ordered their Oldsmobiles much as this 98 is equipped (fewer things to break with manual windows & locks). Many of those farmers supplemented their income by working at Olds Assembly.

[benjaminrobinson]

*1971:* Gee, that car looks plain without the vinyl top.
*2024:* Gee, that car looks elegant without a vinyl top cluttering it up.

[markdc]

I remember our neighbors who drove to Detroit in late 1970 and returned with a new light green metallic 98 hardtop. The mother was very proud of her new car and her very words to me were "it's like a Cadillac, only better!"

[Steve_in_VA]

A neighbor had two of these 455 powered four door sedans. It was well into the late 80s when he got rid of them. They were beaters he drove to work. I remember they ran smoothly and had tons of torque. The green interior was comfortable and could haul all the neighbors to lunch with room to spare. When his mother passes he inherited her mid 80s Delta 98. What a difference in the two cars! He kept the '73's because they were so reliable.

[Jerry-okgj]

Beautiful car!!! Bring Oldsmobile back!!!!

[VB-bklh]

Back in the early 80's I worked at an autoparts distributor and we had an elderly woman who worked in the office that drove a '71 Olds with a 350 and a three on the tree column shift model, it had no options, not even a radio in that same blue. I'm not an Old's guy and it could have been an 88 or 98 models but the thing was like new back then. It turned out she only drove it about 1/2 mile to work, living in the block of houses right behind the warehouse. (She probably could have gotten to work faster if she walked). I'm not sure what happened to it, She retired not long after I started there while still in school. the place sat in a low area off the highway, to pull out it meant climbing a short hill, and gunning it up onto the main road, she left a patch of black rubber every day when she pulled out, she must have just side stepped the clutch and let it rip every time.

[JasonFlorida]

I really like how you can get inside the designers head and tell the story! I find your videos fascinating.

[douglasb.]

How you're able to find vintage designs is pretty incredible.

Merry Christmas dude.

[michaeltucker]

I really enjoy these videos. I grew up through this era. My family and friends families all had a full size, usually GM family car. These cars rode so nice. My dad always opted for the larger engine, which made me happy as a teenager.

[stevenschwartz]

I was only six when my dad brought his ‘71 Olds 98 in gold with black interior home. Used to love napping in the huge backseat on long trips.

[TheGhostofW.C.Fields-lzxh]

My dad's family were mostly an Oldsmobile family. I ended up getting my uncle's '65 98 LS with the 425 and the Rochester 4 jet. (NOT the Quadrajet) It had posi traction but GM called it "Limited Slip". I changed the fluid in the rear end and got a special GM additive to put in the rear differential. I was informed by an extremely knowledgeable GM tech that the GM additive was the only thing that GM could find to make the rear differential work smoothly. The additive being whale oil. No kidding. It was a clear lightweight oil that came in maybe a 3 ounce tube. I believed it to be what the expert told me it was.

[jamesnordbeck]

You finally did it. I knew it wouldn't take you very long to find the car that my mother drove me home from the hospital in after I was born. She loved that car. I remember sliding back and forth in the rear seat when she would take corners fast. A true classic car. Thank you for creating and sharing this video!

[jameskennedy]

Brings back memories. I used to own a 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with a 350 V-8, 1974 Oldsmobile 98 two door hardtop with 455 V-8. Never had any issues with them.

[jameswaltersdorf]

We were always an Oldsmobile family. Came home from the hospital in a '59 Ninety Eight convertible and took my driver's test in 1977 in our last new oldsmobile, a '73 Custom Cruiser. One thing I always remember about Oldses of that era was you could always recognize them in a parking lot by the sound of their exhaust. I have no idea why that was, but I distinctly remember it.

[Dac]

There was a rather interesting fellow who resided on the same block as I did growing up who got a new Oldsmobile 98 2dr every couple of years or so. I'm not sure if he leased or traded them in, but the first one that I remember was a 1970 2dr in gold color with a black vinyl top. Perhaps this color was discontinued at some point because the next two that he had through the 1976 model year were brown with tan or beige color vinyl tops. As I recall, each of them had power windows, power locks, and air conditioning. In the area where I grew up, there were plenty of Oldsmobiles of each of the popular models in all colors and configurations. It brings back lots of memories; it's hard to believe that it's going on 20 yrs since the final Oldsmobile was produced.

[robertlutgen]

One of the best automobiles featured on the channel! Not including your personal collection which always makes my jaw drop with amazement. Keep up the great work!

[rightlanehog]

Adam, I like the way this car was optioned. I would have only added cloth seats and air conditioning if I was signing on the dotted line at my friendly, neighbourhood Olds dealer in 1971. 🤩