Man spends $20,000 to restore 1978 Olds Delta 88

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
05/26/2015 at 15:52 • Filed to: None

And despite having a weird obsession with 70’s and 80’s Oldsmobile Deltas; I can’t help but ask why. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! but basically this guy rescued the Olds from a chicken coop and then spent $20,000 to bring it back to showroom condition.

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I guess we all have different tastes and I have to commend anyone who brings a not-so-valuable car back from the dead. It doesn’t seem like he had any family history or sentimental value with the car. I guess he just really loves malaise barges. (I have a weak spot for them too) And hell, if restoring them makes him happy then more power to him. I just don’t know if I’d spend my imaginary $20k on the same thing.

DISCUSSION (27)

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 15:56

Wow. I wouldn’t spend that much on my Cutlass. It’s cool and all, but not the way I’d spend my money.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
05/26/2015 at 15:58

Exactly. You could probably buy 3 mint condition Cutlass’ for what this guy payed to restore one. That said, I still kinda want one after that old 1980 I used to drive.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 15:59

Speaking of restorations, how’s the $200 Lotus?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
05/26/2015 at 16:01

Yeah about that haha it’s still sitting behind that shop until I can get time and a trailer to go and fetch it. I hope to have it home later this week.

Wobbles the Mind > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:01

Why not spend $20k to have a vehicle that’s unique for you area, 100% on repairs and maintenance, and showroom condition? No depreciation. I’m sure he could sell it for over $20k at anytime this decade.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:02

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/…

Is this sort-of what you are looking for?

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:03

If you ever need a hand with the car, just let me know and I can come down. Also, U-haul trucks and trailers are cheap to rent.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
05/26/2015 at 16:04

Kind of. It’s gotta be a four-door and it’s gotta be pre-1980 so it can have an Olds 350 instead of a GM 350. Hopefully I can find a brown one too

lone_liberal > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:04

You wouldn’t spend $20k on it and I certainly wouldn’t spend $20k on it but this guy got some kind of enjoyment out of it, and gave him a purpose since he’s probably retired. I both understand and don’t understand doing it.

**Ok, I read the article and he’s not retired so I got nothing. Some people are just different, I guess.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
05/26/2015 at 16:04

Thanks man, I’ll let you know. I’ll probably go to U Haul for a trailer. it’s only like $55 for a day.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:07

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars…

I found one in red. It’s a pillarless hardtop, but it’s bit pricey.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:08

Don’t forget the kilometerage charge! That’s the one thing you have to look out for.

Alfalfa Romeo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:11

I mean, I love land barges too, but for 20k I would much rather get one from the 60’s...

desertdog5051 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:13

It’s not even a 98. I had a 1978 98. Nice car and all but I could not see dumping that kind of money into it. I guess some people have lots of dollars and no sense. (see what I did there).

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:13

Wouldn’t spend it on my 02 (right now) and not to shit on malaise, but they’re kinda in demand. My dream to-do list sans paint isn’t more than $8k

Jagvar > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:15

I guess you like what you like.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Alfalfa Romeo
05/26/2015 at 16:17

Exactly! He said he wanted to buy a 1963 Pontiac sedan but couldn’t afford one. Like seriously? You had $20k to spend!

Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast. > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:19

No worse than building a replicar, I guess.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:22

“rescued the Olds from a chicken coup”

Thank God. Lord knows what would have happened if the chickens had been successful in their attempt to take over the government.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious
05/26/2015 at 16:29

god dammit haha that’s hilarious

deekster_caddy > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:42

GM 350? What’s that? Olds 350, Buick 350, Pontiac 350, Chevy 350 all different in the 70’s. Late 70’s only the Chevy 350 survived...

deekster_caddy > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 16:46

He certainly did a nice job with the restoration, it looks great! I hope my ‘73 looks as good once it’s done.

Who am I kidding, I’ll never be finished with my car.

Birddog > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 17:24

I wouldn’t restore one in this way either. There are still a bunch of these things still tooling around in near mint condition.

I can understand the idea though. Eventually these will be hard to come by.

When I was in my Body/Paint apprenticeship one of the Journeymen was in the process of restoring his Mom’s 2 door 88 In our downtime. She wouldn’t drive anything else.

Tohru > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 17:48

I gotta agree with you. Why would you spend that much on a 1978? The 1976 Delta 88 would be a far superior choice.

Kinja'd!!!

(Pictured: my ‘76 Delta 88 , before I was forced to sell it.)

The ‘76 was the last year of the “big” B-body - 19’ long and 8.5’ wide. It still had the Oldsmobile motor and not a smog-choked Chevrolet small-block or Buick V6.

The ‘78 is the same size as a ‘76 Cutlass, it’s hardly a B-body at all.

The guy’s taste in cars might just be unusual - it says at the end of the article that he just picked up a 1990 Delta 88 Royale - that’s one of the front-wheel-drive H-body cars with the 3800 Series I Buick V6.

Alfalfa Romeo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 18:41

One of the best things about malaise barges (in my opinion) is that they can be had for cheap. The appeal is greatly curbed when they’re the same price as something that everyone thinks is cool, not just weirdos like us.

ranwhenparked > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
05/26/2015 at 20:13

I know restoring a car is rarely a sound investment, but it seems to me that he could have found a nice, nearly showroom, ‘78 88 for like $5k and spent maybe a few thousand more putting everything right and had the same exact results for less than half the money.

Of course, I guess you could say the same thing about every other restoration project.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > ranwhenparked
05/26/2015 at 20:16

You summed up my thoughts exactly. Clean malaise cars are kinda everywhere and they’re not expensive.