1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Sedan. Photo by Randy Stern
Over two years ago, the last Oldsmobile rolled down the assembly line of the old Lansing plant. It was a burgundy Alero sedan, perhaps a shell of the most famous Oldsmobiles built down the same line. The medium-sized sports sedan represented a marque that once stood for automobiles that were bold and powerful. It was the brand that gave you the Rocket V8 and the Hydra-Matic transmission; among many of the innovations Oldsmobile gave the world.
An Oldsmobile symbolized what was good about cars built in the good ol’ USA. They were cars that sported affordable luxury graced with touches that appealed to everyone. In the good ol’ days, you can tell the difference between driving a Chevrolet Bel Air and an Oldsmobile 88. You can also sense a special air when you revved up that 455 cubic inch V8 underneath that Cutlass 442 when hunting for Mustangs, Road Runners and Chevelles.
