Junkyard Find: 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88
Even though Oldsmobile has been gone for more than a decade— doomed in the marketplace, no doubt, by the focus-group-dismaying first three letters in its name— we still celebrate the marque in music to this day. You don’t see many 1965-70 Olds 88s, on the street or otherwise, these days, so this non-cancerous Colorado ’67 four-door hardtop is a good junkyard find.
I wasn’t sure what kind of 88 I was seeing at first— the junkyard lists it as a Delta, but I am often reminded that junkyards get that stuff wrong all the time. However, you can just make out the shadow of “Delta 88” emblems on the rear quarters.
I was hoping that we had a genuine Delmont 88 here, because a ’67 Delmont 88 was the car driven by Edward Kennedy in the infamous Chappaquiddick Incident of 1969. Ted Kennedy likely would have had a real shot at the Presidency in 1972 and (even more so) in 1976, if not for the notoriety that stuck to him after incident, and so the ’67 Olds 88 has some historical significance.
It appears that Kennedy’s Delmont was the less sporty four-door sedan.
From what I understand, red valve covers on an Oldsmobile V8 engine of this era indicate that we’re looking at the potent 425-cubic-inch engine here. This would be a fun engine to rescue and drop into an X-body Olds Omega.
I’m betting that someone will grab these taillights and put them on eBay.
“The Toronado Look!”
Murilee Martin is the pen name of Phil Greden, a writer who has lived in Minnesota, California, Georgia and (now) Colorado. He has toiled at copywriting, technical writing, junkmail writing, fiction writing and now automotive writing. He has owned many terrible vehicles and some good ones. He spends a great deal of time in self-service junkyards. These days, he writes for publications including Autoweek, Autoblog, Hagerty, The Truth About Cars and Capital One.
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For the love of God salvage that engine. The Olds 425 was an asskicker of a motor and they are getting scarce. Get that engine and stick it in a corner of the garage and I promise to take it off your hands.
Plz help. I need a cowl id tag and title (if possible) for a 67 Delta 88 Custom. 4dr hdtp with a/c. Being a novice i didn't see the cowl tag with vin was missing till it was too late. Any help much appreciated.