Soon you will read a personal report of Wieringerwerf op Wielen, which was held on June 25 under sun-drenched conditions. The heat did not prevent many visitors and old-timer owners from traveling to the cool event in Wieringermeer. In fact, the organization welcomed a record number of participants and visitors. Today we take a look at a rare American classic car, a car that you hardly see in the Dutch classic scene: the Oldsmobile 88 Holiday from 1957, a jewel of a car that has been owned by the current owner for more than 30 years.
From a distance you mistake the Oldsmobile 88 Holiday hardtop for a Bel Air, but when you get a few steps closer to the car you know that's not the case. Now a beautiful American classic is often a puzzle for someone who mainly focuses on European and to a lesser extent Japanese classic work. Especially when it comes to a rare copy, so rare in fact that this Olds from 1957 was the only copy in the Netherlands for a while. According to the owner, things are now slightly different, but still: these cars are also reason enough to brave the heat of the day and visit a cool event such as in Wieringerwerf.
The Oldsmobile stands out because of its white-red color scheme, because of that typical styling from the period that ran from the mid-fifties to say 58/59, because of that specifically designed passenger compartment. And a detail that strikes the undersigned is that set of separate diamonds that fill the c-pillar on the left and right. In the United States, that three-window rear configuration was called Twin-Strut-Rear-Window. That was a marketing thing that General Motors also applied to some Buick models at the time
As said, the American classic looks beautiful. The owner says that the Oldsmobile was close to saying goodbye because of a fire. This caused a lot of damage to the front. Fortunately, there was enough left to salvage. The Olds regained its former glory, thanks in part to the meticulous craftsmanship of Jaap Havik. And it's true: the paint looks great, and the Oldsmobile is also fantastically preserved.
The luggage compartment lid opens, and the owner says, "Run your finger over it." The finding: the edge is mirror-smooth and 100% even. After the first sight of the classic, that is not surprising, but still. Quality reveals itself when everything is right down to the smallest corners. Speaking of which: the luggage compartment was stripped of its original upholstery, it was really at its end. The covering that now fills the space has been meticulously applied.
Under the hood you will find a good six liters of cylinder capacity, neatly divided over eight cylinders in a V-shape and good for 260 hp. The whole is linked to the General Motors Hydramatic automatic transmission. The owner of the Oldsmobile drives his wonderful touring kilometers with the American classic, which is just as wonderfully eye-catching and has been cherished for years. A beautiful car that tells its own story within the illustrious history of the American automotive industry. As the owner, completely spontaneously, told his story about this beautiful classic.
No country in the world was as booming as the USA! Hence the great designs, and yet sometimes the simplicity. A car then cost an annual salary, usually borrowed. Easy to maintain, because there is no garage around the corner!
What a great history and heritage !
great, what a beautiful car.
Can I use it myself? No!
Do I have something with it?… Yes 😃
What a beautiful thing to say. Compliments.
Craftsmanship on a piece of driving history. Beautiful!
Please more of these fantastic stories about Yanks 😉 Mostly underrated …
Beautiful and unspoiled copy with a beautiful color scheme and beautiful original wheels.