| Vehicle Description |
| The Starfire was the top-of-the-line Oldsmobile in 1961, and available only as a convertible. Performance cars were just coming into their own, and Oldsmobile jumped in with a sporty convertible that packed a 394 cubic inch V8, special trim, and beautiful bucket seats to create a fantastic gentlemans express. Oldsmobiles were all-new in 1961, losing some size and dropping the excesses of the 50s, and instead looking forward to the jet age. The entire car gives the illusion of motion, from the special aluminum panels that sweep across the sides of the car, to the little "winglets" at the lower edge of the rear quarters. Finding one of these in any condition is a rare thing, with only 7800 or so being built, but to have one restored to this level is highly unusual. Sharing a chassis with the Dynamic 88 means that mechanical parts are easy to find, but if you dont start with a rust-free example like this, you can expect your restoration to be a long, slow, painful, and expensive process. The original sheetmetal is quite good, with tight gaps and a wonderful Glacier Blue paint job that suits the big ragtop perfectly. The Starfires other claim to fame, besides the trim, was the luxuriously trimmed bucket seat interior as standard equipment. Buckets and a console were still a relatively rare innovation, especially on a full-sized car, but it gives the Starfire a very sporty attitude. The seats have been neatly retrimmed in blue vinyl with contrasting dark blue carpets. The steering wheel is so slender it almost looks fragile in your hands, and frames a full array of instruments including a tachometer in the center stack. As an Olds, it also neatly straddles the luxury/performance line, and carries factory A/C, an AM radio with rear speaker, power windows, and a power drivers seat. A newer white convertible top has been fitted, and it powers itself up and down with the touch of a switch and stows under a matching boot when the sun is shining. Oldsmobiles top engine was the 394 cubic inch Rocket V8 making 330 horsepower in Starfire trim. A Hydra-matic automatic transmission was standard, and an "Anti-Spin" rear end was included as well. The air cleaner advertises "Ultra High Compression" as a kind of warning, although the bright red powerplant is happy to run today on pump gas, so dont let it scare you. Everything has been neatly restored, the engine rebuilt, and the details sorted. The floors underneath are shockingly clean, and a new exhaust system has been installed within the past few months, giving it an appropriate V8 rumble. 14-inch steel wheels with full wheelcovers offer 205/75/14 whitewall radials, which are quite similar to the narrow white stripe tires this car originally wore. Documented with restoration receipts and factory literature, this is an unusual cruiser that has the performance to remain entertaining. Call today! This vehicle is located in our Atlanta showroom. For more information, please call (678) 279-1609 or toll free (877) 367-1835. |
|
|
