Pleasanton Street Sighting - 1970 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight LS Holiday sedan

I don't know what it is about vintage full-size near-luxury sedans. The more ornate their ornamentation, the more optimistic the name, the more trashed they tend to be. This one is a 1970 Ninety Eight LS (Luxury Sedan) Holiday four-door hardtop, the top model in Oldsmobile's lineup. The 98 came with a 455 Rocket V8 and was available with a host of convenience options befitting a luxury cruiser, including standard power seats, power windows, power steering and power front disc brakes, available tilt and telescoping steering wheel, 8-track tape player, and of course a luxury vinyl roof. Rear fender skirts were standard.

This barge has definitely seen better days. It's been smashed, thrashed and has shed all four of its hubcaps. Chances are it doesn't have the kind of intrinsic value to warrant restoration, and replacement body panels are bound to be scarce. The aftermarket for 1970 Oldsmobile 98 reproduction sheetmetal isn't as strong as, say, 1969 Camaros. I'm just glad to have found it, because the only Oldsmobiles of this era that I see these days are the smaller and more collectible Cutlasses. The design has some interesting details to it, from the sharply sculpted body lines to the formal badges, to the skinny little taillights that take up only a fraction of the massive rear end. I'd love to see a car like this restored, but unfortunately I don't see that happening.