Oh I understand your enthusiasm. My mother had a 1959 Oldsmobile 88. It was sky blue with a cream colored top. It reminded me of the Jetsons spaceship because of all the glass surrounding you. I learned to drive in my mothers 1959 Oldsmobile 88. It was such a magnificent looking car and drove like a dream. It was easy to drive 70 miles an hour and you didn’t even feel that you were going that fast. I wish I had that car today. Thank you mom. I see comments from three years ago so this young man should be driving this magnificent space shuttle at this point in his life. Good for you. Remember to thank your great grandfather in your prayers. Wonderful inheritance. Ride like the 🌬 Wind!!
Lucky young man to inherit this beauty. Gorgeous color and the condition is pristine!! Enjoy the ride and take good care of it and who knows, pass it along to your son someday.
I cannot believe what I am seeing. The 1959 Ninety Eight Rocket. Almost 60 years old and is all original and still looking showroom condition! Absolutely wonderful.
Shawn that’s hell of a nice car. Love the story behind it. And your right no one keeps cars that long anymore. People flip them or get bored. He’s a lucky guy very lucky
That was a real treat. What a beauty of a car. Really nice! I get a sense that the young man will truly appreciate what has been given and that is also special. Thanks for sharing.
The back windshield and front windshield almost look interchangeable, such cool wraparound windshields. Love those tail fins, that family is lucky to own such a cool car.
From a time when the American cars really was the top of every design. Hope that many others too will keep these beauties going for many decades to come! the fines years absolute were 1959, 60 and 61.
@@huseyinutkuyldrm6745 It's great when the younger generation knows about these classics! I am soo grateful to know about my grandfather's '58 Olds wagon 😊😊
The gears are Low, Super and Drive. It actually was advertised as a Scenic Coupe when it was introduced, Bubble Dome and Bubble Top were reference from car buffs!
Absolutely gorgeous. Hard to believe it’s original, family truly care for that car. It’s part of the family. Glad you did a video on an original car. Seeing bad ass customs is cool, but this is something else, plus with the story behind, great video man.
Absolutely gorgeous car! Such modern space age lines. Really is as cool as it gets!! I suspect the "S" on the shifting indicator means "Second gear" and "L" is "Low". The boy is deserving and thank you for thinking outside the box and bringing this into view. Just Awesome!!
If owners manual is available check the drive selection and it will show that "S" is Olds slang Super gear. It is actually the third drive gear in the sequence. "L" is for low as in any other transmission. If my memory is correct the trans had a very low gear for take off that quickly went to another slightly higher low gear and then went to Super(passing gear for us old timers). And "D" is of course drive/hwy gear. Our family was dedicated Olds drivers. So this info is from memory and definitely age related.
Lucky kid!! I got my first car being a student in 2012 (17 yr old) it was a '79 Citroen I completely restored, but... I always love 50's american boats, so being 22 and working then, I bought a 1958 Plymouth and shipped it to Europe where I'm restoring it now. It still needs all the bodywork and paint, interiors, etc... To be done, but the engine, trans, brakes, radiator, etc.... Each and every mechanical part has been restored or changed to brand new. It isn't street legal yet (lots of paperwork right now) but I've driven it a couple of times arround the block... It runs and drives like a dream... Imagine what it is to drive this Olds in America nowadays... Then imagine one of this cars in Europe now, where this kind of cars were never sold, people love it, extremely.
👍💕How lucky is this little dude...my dad had a 1959 Buick Invicta same colour which was called salmon. The rear window was the same. The shape is immaculate and the family history continues. Cool or what. May you have the joy of driving this car with the enthusiasm your great grandad had. Not the car for burn 🔥 outs. You have no idea how cool you’re going to be...🍺😂👍
Oh, memories....my second car was a two-tone 1959 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday SportSedan, similar to the picture above, only 2 tone. It was a gorgeous sky blue body and white top/trunk. I really coveted that car! It had the Rocket 394 cu in (6.5 L) 4-barrel carb rated at 315 hp engine, 4 speed Jetaway Hydramatic Drive, saftey spectrum speedometer, padded dash, electric clock, and tons of chrome. It was enormous. With all 4 windows down, there was a long open greenhouse effect from front to back, (no pillars) and a large wrap-around rear window. The feather light power and handling was effortless and awsome. I was young and felt so flashy. It had all of the goodies for it's time, even automatic headlight dimming. I still have occasional dreams of having it back, and of course, it's brand new.
A friend of mine took one of these for a test drive once and I went along with him' I'll always remember when he suddenly accelerated real hard'the torque was really strong'the back end sunk down and it took off like a rocket 'the skinny tires felt like they were squirming of the rims.
What a beautiful beast! My grandfather, many decades ago, had the '58 Fiesta custom built, and the ONLY wagon here in Winnipeg. What a huge car, but damn....a head-turner! Awesome work on the '59! I love it!!
This is absolutely a wonderfully preserved example of top of the line Olds for that year. Yes, Sam seems like a great guy, and he's very lucky to have inherited this car, but one thing scares me. I just don't think it's the best idea to make this his very first car, given as how we, as teenagers, tend to drive sometimes. I grew up loving '50s, '60s, and even a few '70s large luxury cars , but was well into my twenties before I acquired one. They take a lot of responsibility, and having good spatial awareness is a must. This car was always driven by adults, and older men tend to drive a little more conservatively than teens. Sam, if you happen to read this, I'm only saying this: I'm happy for your good fortune, and I know you'll enjoy it. But please consider getting a small bang around car to hone your driving skills with, and don't make the Olds your daily driver. Save it for the more special occasions. Run to the corner store or Home Depot in something that can handle the nicks and dings; we would ALL hate to see anything happen to that burgundy beauty. As someone who has owned his fair share of cars like that, I know whereof I speak. Best of luck, and congratulations on your inheritance!
Such a beautiful car, that's one of my all time favorite steering wheels. And idk if theirs doesn't work but I noticed you didn't show how the speed guage moves to the right the as you speed up, and turns from green to red when it hits 40, another feature that probably blew people away at the time lol. The cars a work of art
@@AutotopiaLA yeah man this is one of those classics with a lot of nifty features that I can actually afford so I've looked into it a lot. It's one of those cars if you saw it you'd think it costed waaaaay more than it does. Always wanted one. Again thanks for all the replies, I'm still binging all your stuff lol and believe me I actually didnt comment everything I watched, I'm going through your content thoroughly lol have a good one man stay blessed
In '59 and '60 there were no sheetmetal differences between the 88 and 98 models which was unusual. I think that held true for '61 and '62 as well. Generally the more expensive 98s had at least one exterior body modification to separate the two. Nevertheless, that was a very handsome car.
Flat tops are rare to begin with but man what an example. It's funny with all the custom cars on here, this thing shows up and gives a lesson on cool from a master. Love it
Thank you for the video. I still have the 1962 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that belonged to my grandparents. As a teenager wondering if the 120 mile-per-hour speedometer was a true indicator of the car's top speed, I floored it, westbound on Olympic boulevard. If that Oldsmobile is anything like the early sixties Cadillacs, that car will go 120. But the brakes won't stop it at that speed. I was lucky. Keep up the good work.
“Rocket” is not part of the name of this car. It is a Ninety Eight Holiday sedan. “Holiday” was the name Oldsmobile used to designate a hardtop (no B pillar) model. The car has a Rocket engine, which Is what Olds called most of their V8 engines. My grandparents bought a white ‘59 Ninety Eight Holiday sedan new. I remember when they got it. I also remember their previous car, a ‘57 Buick Special. I vaguely remember the car they had before that, an older Olds Ninety Eight.
Great episode. Love the car, the wire wheels, the color, the interior,. 59 Oldsmobiles have always been near the top of my list of favorites. Just love the lines, all the chrome and stainless and especially the flat top roof. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful car and one of the coolest Space Age styled examples of the automotive Mid Century Modern era. As whimsical as it is, it still looks futuristic today! Being the owner of several GM vehicles of the same vintage, I can attest to this roof style being one of the best ideas to come out of that time. Aside from looking fantastic, all around visibility is spectacular and gives such a good sense of where the vehicle is in traffic that it makes this massive car surprisingly easy to park and maneuver. The overhanging blade-like roof at the back creates a good amount of shade to keep the interior cool on sunny days. This "Vista Roof" was a happy marriage of style and function! By the way, Oldsmobile called its 4-door hardtop models "Holiday Sedan" throughout the 50s and 60s. Perhaps because every drive feels like a vacation....? A few notes regarding the car's data: It may have LOOKED 20 feet long, but it was actually "just" a little over 18.5 feet (223 inches). Factory shipping weight was around 4,500 pounds for this model, optional power accessories, air conditioning and a full tank of gas would definitely push it towards the 5,000 lbs mark, as Sam was saying. Torque and horsepower numbers before 1972 were "SAE gross" measurements. Those power figures were measured for the "naked" engine on a dynamometer test stand without power-robbing belt drives for accessories, pumps, cooling fan etc, hence SAE "gross". That makes the numbers for cars up to 1971 seem much higher than they really were. After 1971, the more realistic "SAE Net" ratings were published and those are the basis for comparison with today's vehicles. So deduct 25-35 % from the torque and horsepower figures of this '59 Olds (depending on how many power accessories were driven by the engine) and you get closer to the mark. The unusual automatic transmission shift selector sequence PNDSLR was typical for GM Hydramatic Drive at the time. This was before automatic transmission selector sequences were standardized to "PRNDL". The original Hydramatic was a 4-speed with a fluid coupling design (not torque converter) and the "S" setting was for preventing the transmission from shifting into the highest gear and thus provided a more suitable driving range for rapid passing, city driving or engine breaking downhill. The "D" setting was for all other "normal" driving. "L" was the low gear for climbing steep hills and such just like all other automatic transmissions.
My family had a ninety eight 4 door in the same color in the 1960s. It had the automatic headlight dimmer. The speedometer indicator was a line that started out green, then turned orange, and at 70 mph, red.
I had a similar story, my great grandfather bought a brand new '67 impala, 283, three speed on the tree. It was my great grandfather's love until he passed away. I've always dreamed with the car, and we kept it in the family until the past year, when they decided to sell it. I was the only one who wanted to keep the car, so, they just ignored my desire and sold it 🙃 I know who is the owner and I dream buying it back someday.
We had two of these, one a super 88 and the other a 98. Great cars. I think a tri carb with dual exhaust available. Both of mine had the clear plastic seat covers as optional item. Put over 150k miles on them, replaced by newer 98's 3 or 4 times in later years.
Great car story. I owned a 1959 Oldsmobile Super 88 in the early 70s. It was a good car. It had a wrap around rear windshield and had no blind spots. You could use the rear fins to sight with when backing up. It had good power and ride.
nice car. Actually guys...the S stands for Second. three speed tranny..1st...2nd..3rd. The reason they had R reverse at the bottom of the pattern was for safety. I remember a couple guys trying the shift into 3rd while racing...accidentally hit reverse shifting up...lol
mynameis63 makes sense. And watching back I realized the S was for 2nd 😂 and I spell it Shawn. Thanks for your input and I really like the safety idea of reverse at the end of the shifter for safety. Smart thinking.
+Hurricane Sam that's awesome bro. I know you'll get at beater or something for a daily driver lol. But you'll definitely be taking that to prom haha. My parents have a '62 Vette they've had since 1965. As you can imagine that'll never be getting sold either.
"Big old boat." he says: That is exactly right - the '59 Olds was soft in an era of soft-riding cars. Add on decades for the springs, dampers, and bushes to soften even further, and I always felt that my 98 "Scenicoupe" - (2-door hardtop) - was more like piloting a dinghy than driving an actual car. The boot/trunk is so big that I could put my bike in there without even removing the front wheel. And the hood/bonnet is so long, that the only way I could get to the dizzy - (located at the back of the block) - was to lie on top of the engine with my feet off the ground! Just my view, but I think that the '59 Olds is a beautiful car, especially as a 2-door Coupe - it has an elegance that the other '59 GM cars - Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, and Chevy didn't manage. PS: the car is my "retirement project" - it's been in primer for the past 30 years and I think Shawn and Sam have just decided me on what colour I'm going to repaint it next year - thanks, guys! "Burgundy Mist Metallic" is the official name - (though in this video it looks more like "Magenta" to me....).
Hi, on the automatic gear shift indicator, the S, did not stand for slow, it stood for SUPER!! Super was one of the Oldsmobile words. Thanks for the video. My parents bought one of these new, but theirs was a Celerity Sedan.
My late grandfather had a '59 Olds 98 (blue and white) that I vaguely remember as I was 4 years old when he died. This is an absolutely beautiful automobile for being an almost 60 year old, original car. Refreshing that the young man seems to be a smart, decent, nice kid (unlike so many of today's obnoxious, self-entitled brats). Hopefully, he stays that way
R for Racing, typically that’s why they changed the gear selector. That car drives better than all the stuff you had on the show. Put a wine glass on that hood while it’s idling. Nice Really Nice 👍
thank you so much shawn. can we have some high resolution shot of cars you reviewed? cause this cars are so unique and rare we cant found any good high detailed photo of them any where, please consider it . thank you so much man.
My father had a 58 Super 88 and recall 'S' stood for super-range. Kinda like sport mode and used for going up hills in a lower gear and engine breaking going down hills.
I rode in a '59 Oldsmobile and a '59 Pontiac Bonneville ( just like this featured car .) They were " huge " in size and literally floated down the road ! The Olds and Pontiacs cost more than a full sized Chevrolet . That's one reason , they are less common than Ford's or Chevys , If you want luxury , you must pay for it . Happy Motoring ! Mark E. Switzer
If I was that kid, I wouldn't accept that Olds as a first car. He would regret ANY scratch or damage the car may have, be his fault or not. Being a car so important for his family and well maintained, he would better be of using a newer car as beater and this for the weekend.
alright kid listen, by the way you wrote that comment I assume you aren't mature enough for having a vehicle worth 2000$+ as a DD, let alone a '58 Olds 98 Don't take this as criticism, it's just an advice You will hate to see this work of art in an accident, trust me. Start on something more disposable as a start and leave this for the empty route, just that.
I’m not going to argue with you but I’ve restored that car with my dad and your tell me I’m not supposed to have it! Get a life and stop hating on people.
And my dad was in the same Situation as I am in now, he at my age saw this car and knew he’s going to be the next owner, the first time when he went to drive it he thought he would crash it because it’s a big car but not one scratch or dent sense then and it’s a 59 Oldsmobile.
I’m s huge Oldsmobile fan, especially late 50’s and early 60’s full size. As cool As nice as my ‘64 Olds 98 is, this is way better. This body style is called a Holiday Sports Sedan 4,418 lbs and base price a whopping $4,162 36,813 sold
My original 88 was 3,253.00 less a/c but with super 88 trim. A fully loaded 98 with a/c was 4,700.00 new. This was in 1959. I now have the 98 w/factory a/c complete with all the bells and whistles. Red / white (factory) 31K
You are correct with the name of the body style and roof, well... partially... It is a Holiday Sports Sedan, meaning it has no Center Post, no "B" pillar.... but this roof, be it a ''59 Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, or Cadillac, was called a "Vista" roof, for obvious reasons. The "C" pillars were place far forward of where they normally were, which allowed for a tremendous "vista" view in the rear. These were not ever known, to my knowledge, as a "bubble dome". These were called "Flat-Tops". I love these old Vista hardtops that GM came out with in '59! They only made them for '59 and '60 with the 4-door hardtop. The '61 Chevy had a very similar Flat-Top, but it wasn't a "hardtop", it had a Center B pillar. One final thing, which I didn't see anyone else write about.... is that this car has the *ultra-rare* power VENT windows! Something like only 20% of '59 Ninety-Eights at the time, were equipped with power vent windows. Imagine how many of those are surviving today. I would guess that there are probably less than 50 of these in the world with power vent windows. The only (obvious) rare options not on this car, are factory air, and autronic-eye automatic headlamp dimming. I think your's has everything else available in '59! So cool! You are one VERY lucky young man Sam!!
Owned one in 1968. Was blue with white top. What I found unique was the speedometer. Speed was indicated in a horizontal multi-color bar: zero to 30 in green, 30 to 60 ? in orange, above to max.....all red bar. (the orange & green might have been reversed....I don't fully remember).
my dad had one identical in every way as this one.ours had the original hubcaps. they did not come with wire spoke wheels.we went from calif. to maine with never a problem.and tes i pegged the speedo many times.i believe the speedo bar shows red or orange.any way, they dont make them like that anymore.
The gears, P-PARK, N-NEUTRAL, D-DRIVE, S-SUPER, L-LOW, R-REVERSE. Not actually what he said! I've owned several of them and it's not a bubble dome, those only come on the two door no post coupe! And you can tell that the wheels aren't factory.
@@dontellgucci1117 Pontiac, Chevorlet, Buick and Oldsmobile had began to experiment with style changes more than Cadillac did after 58 because some of their bodystyles had started to look the same. But that top you see there is the one that was used on a 'no post' hardtop.
59 was a high point in Automotive quality and design. In 1960 the slow decent into the shit wheels we have today began. Chrome trim and metal grilles turned to plastic. High styling and design became square or round. Today most cars look generic. The big Tesla looks like a big Honda Accord. But at least for now, we still have wheels. My first grade teacher had a 59 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible. White with white and red interior. It was Amazing. Most of the GM cars of the 50's had the PD2LR on the column. I'm pretty sure that the S is for second gear. MAGA. Now that's what I'm talkin about. Trump 2020.
My father had a 59 Oldsmobile 98. This brings back memories. I was about the same age as the boy in the video.
Truly one of the coolest and most beautiful cars I've ever seen, and a great story behind it too. Wish I had a car like that.
Agreed all the way here 👊
Oh I understand your enthusiasm. My mother had a 1959 Oldsmobile 88. It was sky blue with a cream colored top. It reminded me of the Jetsons spaceship because of all the glass surrounding you. I learned to drive in my mothers 1959 Oldsmobile 88. It was such a magnificent looking car and drove like a dream. It was easy to drive 70 miles an hour and you didn’t even feel that you were going that fast. I wish I had that car today. Thank you mom.
I see comments from three years ago so this young man should be driving this magnificent space shuttle at this point in his life. Good for you. Remember to thank your great grandfather in your prayers. Wonderful inheritance. Ride like the 🌬 Wind!!
From one Rocket family to another,gratz Sam enjoy it. Since '52 S on an Olds stood for Super.
Lucky young man to inherit this beauty. Gorgeous color and the condition is pristine!! Enjoy the ride and take good care of it and who knows, pass it along to your son someday.
Mike Gehre the way you see it now will be better in 100 years from now.
I cannot believe what I am seeing. The 1959 Ninety Eight Rocket. Almost 60 years old and is all original and still looking showroom condition! Absolutely wonderful.
Curtis Heltsley I cant believe I’m going to own
They’ve done such a great job maintaining this car. Incredible.
Shawn that’s hell of a nice car. Love the story behind it. And your right no one keeps cars that long anymore. People flip them or get bored. He’s a lucky guy very lucky
Ross Lynn I’m very lucky thanks
Ross Lynn he’s lucky and the perfect next owner for sure
That was a real treat.
What a beauty of a car. Really nice!
I get a sense that the young man will truly appreciate what has been given and that is also special.
Thanks for sharing.
James White thank you and your welcome
James White glad you enjoyed it and we can all know that car will continue to be cared for and appreciated.
The back windshield and front windshield almost look interchangeable, such cool wraparound windshields. Love those tail fins, that family is lucky to own such a cool car.
This car exudes so much personality, it is just plain awesome
Now, the only thing it needs is AC and it's good to go
Look at those WHEELS. Beautiful car. Gotta love an original.
Rodcodnito 00 thanks
Rodcodnito 00 it’s a pretty one for sure
From a time when the American cars really was the top of every design. Hope that many others too will keep these beauties going for many decades to come! the fines years absolute were 1959, 60 and 61.
All of the ‘59 and ‘60 GM four door flat tops are just amazing. So much more stylish than their two door hardtop counterparts. In my humble opinion.
I had a 64 Olds LS optioned exactly like this one...LOVE It!
Steve Boros one of my cousins still have a LS Cadillac 
Awesome car and story!! Always great to see younger generations appreciate classics.
Christopher Marechal I agree bro
AutotopiaLA I'm 15 and 1959 Oldsmobile is my dream car😎
@@huseyinutkuyldrm6745 It's great when the younger generation knows about these classics! I am soo grateful to know about my grandfather's '58 Olds wagon 😊😊
Lucky young fellow to get a beautiful machine like that. Enjoy !
He’s very lucky to have this one passed down
What a wonderful, wonderful car. Pure Americana! Sam seems a great kid and a worthy custodian. More cars like this please! :)
Paul Tucker thanks
Paul Tucker more to come and yeah, Sams the perfect next owner of this gem!
The gears are Low, Super and Drive. It actually was advertised as a Scenic Coupe when it was introduced, Bubble Dome and Bubble Top were reference from car buffs!
Flat top 4 door
Absolutely gorgeous. Hard to believe it’s original, family truly care for that car. It’s part of the family. Glad you did a video on an original car. Seeing bad ass customs is cool, but this is something else, plus with the story behind, great video man.
Thanks for appreciating it. I’m all about customs/modded cars but this car, it’s condition and it’s story makes it an obvious stunner for me.
Absolutely gorgeous car! Such modern space age lines. Really is as cool as it gets!! I suspect the "S" on the shifting indicator means "Second gear" and "L" is "Low". The boy is deserving and thank you for thinking outside the box and bringing this into view. Just Awesome!!
That is correct, Drive, Second, Low
S is for Super which is a 4th gear for passing. L is for Low which is for mountain climbing. Kid does not know s**t!
If owners manual is available check the drive selection and it will show that "S" is Olds slang Super gear. It is actually the third drive gear in the sequence. "L" is for low as in any other transmission. If my memory is correct the trans had a very low gear for take off that quickly went to another slightly higher low gear and then went to Super(passing gear for us old timers). And "D" is of course drive/hwy gear. Our family was dedicated Olds drivers. So this info is from memory and definitely age related.
My dad’s ‘63 Starfire, like every Olds, came a GM three-speed automatic. First gear was L, second was Super on Olds parlance, and D gave you third.
Lucky kid!! I got my first car being a student in 2012 (17 yr old) it was a '79 Citroen I completely restored, but... I always love 50's american boats, so being 22 and working then, I bought a 1958 Plymouth and shipped it to Europe where I'm restoring it now. It still needs all the bodywork and paint, interiors, etc... To be done, but the engine, trans, brakes, radiator, etc.... Each and every mechanical part has been restored or changed to brand new. It isn't street legal yet (lots of paperwork right now) but I've driven it a couple of times arround the block... It runs and drives like a dream... Imagine what it is to drive this Olds in America nowadays... Then imagine one of this cars in Europe now, where this kind of cars were never sold, people love it, extremely.
Yup thank dude,it’s awesome people look like they don’t know what there seeing and they love it on the road
👍💕How lucky is this little dude...my dad had a 1959 Buick Invicta same colour which was called salmon. The rear window was the same. The shape is immaculate and the family history continues. Cool or what. May you have the joy of driving this car with the enthusiasm your great grandad had. Not the car for burn 🔥 outs. You have no idea how cool you’re going to be...🍺😂👍
He’s such a cool kid. Fun watching him grow up. He’s 16 now and getting big and ready to go cruise this beauty
Oh, memories....my second car was a two-tone 1959 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday SportSedan, similar to the picture above, only 2 tone. It was a gorgeous sky blue body and white top/trunk. I really coveted that car! It had the Rocket 394 cu in (6.5 L) 4-barrel carb rated at 315 hp engine, 4 speed Jetaway Hydramatic Drive, saftey spectrum speedometer, padded dash, electric clock, and tons of chrome.
It was enormous. With all 4 windows down, there was a long open greenhouse effect from front to back, (no pillars) and a large wrap-around rear window.
The feather light power and handling was effortless and awsome. I was young and felt so flashy.
It had all of the goodies for it's time, even automatic headlight dimming. I still have occasional dreams of having it back, and of course, it's brand new.
Cool comment 👊
Owned one too. Same color....sky blue with white top. Wonderful ride.
A friend of mine took one of these for a test drive once and I went along with him' I'll always remember when he suddenly accelerated real hard'the torque was really strong'the back end sunk down and it took off like a rocket 'the skinny tires felt like they were squirming of the rims.
Sam , i'm glad you appreciate this beautiful car . Take good care of it and I hope you have a lot of fun with it.
What a beautiful beast! My grandfather, many decades ago, had the '58 Fiesta custom built, and the ONLY wagon here in Winnipeg. What a huge car, but damn....a head-turner! Awesome work on the '59! I love it!!
This is absolutely a wonderfully preserved example of top of the line Olds for that year. Yes, Sam seems like a great guy, and he's very lucky to have inherited this car, but one thing scares me. I just don't think it's the best idea to make this his very first car, given as how we, as teenagers, tend to drive sometimes. I grew up loving '50s, '60s, and even a few '70s large luxury cars , but was well into my twenties before I acquired one. They take a lot of responsibility, and having good spatial awareness is a must. This car was always driven by adults, and older men tend to drive a little more conservatively than teens. Sam, if you happen to read this, I'm only saying this: I'm happy for your good fortune, and I know you'll enjoy it. But please consider getting a small bang around car to hone your driving skills with, and don't make the Olds your daily driver. Save it for the more special occasions. Run to the corner store or Home Depot in something that can handle the nicks and dings; we would ALL hate to see anything happen to that burgundy beauty. As someone who has owned his fair share of cars like that, I know whereof I speak. Best of luck, and congratulations on your inheritance!
Just two words.... ABSOLUTELY BEAUUUUTIFUL!!❤️
Old school class
@@AutotopiaLA I would proudly buy and drive this Car over ANY Car built today!!😁
all original, and looks brand new.....and yes, awesome....
And they still go out and enjoy it which I love!!
Such a beautiful car, that's one of my all time favorite steering wheels. And idk if theirs doesn't work but I noticed you didn't show how the speed guage moves to the right the as you speed up, and turns from green to red when it hits 40, another feature that probably blew people away at the time lol. The cars a work of art
It does work! I wish we could’ve got that on camera. Cool that you know about that speedo feature. Watch out when you hit 40 mph!!
@@AutotopiaLA yeah man this is one of those classics with a lot of nifty features that I can actually afford so I've looked into it a lot. It's one of those cars if you saw it you'd think it costed waaaaay more than it does. Always wanted one. Again thanks for all the replies, I'm still binging all your stuff lol and believe me I actually didnt comment everything I watched, I'm going through your content thoroughly lol have a good one man stay blessed
I had a '60 and a '62 Oldsmobile, and the correct speedometer color was green from 0-35, amber from 35-65, and red from 65 on.
what a lovely cared for car a credit to there owners . absolutely beautiful .
Kevin Quinton totally agree! I love that this has been in their family since 1961.
Kevin Quinton thanks credit to my great grandfather
The S gear is Oldsmobile's SUPER gear. The 57 also came with a foot-switch radio for changing stations Nicely preserved car.
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@hurricanesam1 is the car still in good condition? Any upgrades done? No scratches right?
In '59 and '60 there were no sheetmetal differences between the 88 and 98 models which was unusual. I think that held true for '61 and '62 as well. Generally the more expensive 98s had at least one exterior body modification to separate the two. Nevertheless, that was a very handsome car.
Flat tops are rare to begin with but man what an example. It's funny with all the custom cars on here, this thing shows up and gives a lesson on cool from a master. Love it
Beautiful and Unique Looking Car's ahead of their time for 1960" Very Slick
Stephen Smart 59 you mean
My Mistake 60" THANK you for the Video!
Stephen Smart 😁
Thank you for the video.
I still have the 1962 Cadillac Sedan DeVille that belonged to my grandparents. As a teenager wondering if the 120 mile-per-hour speedometer was a true indicator of the car's top speed, I floored it, westbound on Olympic boulevard. If that Oldsmobile is anything like the early sixties Cadillacs, that car will go 120. But the brakes won't stop it at that speed. I was lucky.
Keep up the good work.
rocket, what a badass name
Brayan Castillo I know right
Brayan Castillo I love it!
“Rocket” is not part of the name of this car. It is a Ninety Eight Holiday sedan. “Holiday” was the name Oldsmobile used to designate a hardtop (no B pillar) model. The car has a Rocket engine, which Is what Olds called most of their V8 engines. My grandparents bought a white ‘59 Ninety Eight Holiday sedan new. I remember when they got it. I also remember their previous car, a ‘57 Buick Special. I vaguely remember the car they had before that, an older Olds Ninety Eight.
Brayan Castillo we said rocket because it looks like one and its engine is call that
Great episode. Love the car, the wire wheels, the color, the interior,. 59 Oldsmobiles have always been near the top of my list of favorites. Just love the lines, all the chrome and stainless and especially the flat top roof. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful car and one of the coolest Space Age styled examples of the automotive Mid Century Modern era. As whimsical as it is, it still looks futuristic today! Being the owner of several GM vehicles of the same vintage, I can attest to this roof style being one of the best ideas to come out of that time. Aside from looking fantastic, all around visibility is spectacular and gives such a good sense of where the vehicle is in traffic that it makes this massive car surprisingly easy to park and maneuver. The overhanging blade-like roof at the back creates a good amount of shade to keep the interior cool on sunny days. This "Vista Roof" was a happy marriage of style and function! By the way, Oldsmobile called its 4-door hardtop models "Holiday Sedan" throughout the 50s and 60s. Perhaps because every drive feels like a vacation....?
A few notes regarding the car's data: It may have LOOKED 20 feet long, but it was actually "just" a little over 18.5 feet (223 inches). Factory shipping weight was around 4,500 pounds for this model, optional power accessories, air conditioning and a full tank of gas would definitely push it towards the 5,000 lbs mark, as Sam was saying.
Torque and horsepower numbers before 1972 were "SAE gross" measurements. Those power figures were measured for the "naked" engine on a dynamometer test stand without power-robbing belt drives for accessories, pumps, cooling fan etc, hence SAE "gross". That makes the numbers for cars up to 1971 seem much higher than they really were. After 1971, the more realistic "SAE Net" ratings were published and those are the basis for comparison with today's vehicles. So deduct 25-35 % from the torque and horsepower figures of this '59 Olds (depending on how many power accessories were driven by the engine) and you get closer to the mark.
The unusual automatic transmission shift selector sequence PNDSLR was typical for GM Hydramatic Drive at the time. This was before automatic transmission selector sequences were standardized to "PRNDL". The original Hydramatic was a 4-speed with a fluid coupling design (not torque converter) and the "S" setting was for preventing the transmission from shifting into the highest gear and thus provided a more suitable driving range for rapid passing, city driving or engine breaking downhill. The "D" setting was for all other "normal" driving. "L" was the low gear for climbing steep hills and such just like all other automatic transmissions.
WOW.... The Car The history and Story And This Young Man (Sam and Hiz Family) should definitely be in the history books for Real Rides ... Wow
My dad had a '59 Chevy Impala Flat Top in blue and white (in Switzerland) :)
My family had a ninety eight 4 door in the same color in the 1960s. It had the automatic headlight dimmer. The speedometer indicator was a line that started out green, then turned orange, and at 70 mph, red.
What a beautiful car!
I had a similar story, my great grandfather bought a brand new '67 impala, 283, three speed on the tree. It was my great grandfather's love until he passed away. I've always dreamed with the car, and we kept it in the family until the past year, when they decided to sell it. I was the only one who wanted to keep the car, so, they just ignored my desire and sold it 🙃 I know who is the owner and I dream buying it back someday.
We had two of these, one a super 88 and the other a 98. Great cars. I think a tri carb with dual exhaust available. Both of mine had the clear plastic seat covers as optional item. Put over 150k miles on them, replaced by newer 98's 3 or 4 times in later years.
Great car story. I owned a 1959 Oldsmobile Super 88 in the early 70s. It was a good car. It had a wrap around rear windshield and had no blind spots. You could use the rear fins to sight with when backing up. It had good power and ride.
nice car. Actually guys...the S stands for Second. three speed tranny..1st...2nd..3rd. The reason they had R reverse at the bottom of the pattern was for safety. I remember a couple guys trying the shift into 3rd while racing...accidentally hit reverse shifting up...lol
by the way..do you spell your name Shaun..or Shawn?
mynameis63 makes sense. And watching back I realized the S was for 2nd 😂 and I spell it Shawn. Thanks for your input and I really like the safety idea of reverse at the end of the shifter for safety. Smart thinking.
mynameis63 well now I know haha
S is for Super. Probably a Jet-a-way four speed. It's an Oldsmobile thing.
Yup I forgot to mention that
Wow. Speechless.
J.F Cote it’s so beautiful it’s speechless
J.F Cote that’s the idea
I love original survivors. Wonder if Sam still has the car and drives it?
Dad had the exact same car, back in the day. Same color and all.
That's awesome car !! And original is so cool 😎😎👍🏻👍🏻😀
Love the back. Those lights are so cool.
Lucky kid, gorgeous car! Have fun when you drive it!!!
Love the variety. Another bitchin car and great video. Love that the kid appreciates it. Thanks Shawn.
sidefx996 most kids don’t care about old cars these days so I’ve very lucky to own this beautiful car and respect it
+Hurricane Sam that's awesome bro. I know you'll get at beater or something for a daily driver lol. But you'll definitely be taking that to prom haha. My parents have a '62 Vette they've had since 1965. As you can imagine that'll never be getting sold either.
Nice
sidefx996 he does. He’s a great kid. Glad you enjoyed this one!
Awesome Job!
This was a outstanding video !
Keep em coming!!!
Pablo Cruise promise you I will Pablo. And I’m looking forward to meeting when I’m out for SEMA2018
WOW That's gorgeous!
OGG-Llama thanks
OGG-Llama I agree. Love the color and design
We were an Oldsmobile family. Love the video! 😊
"Big old boat." he says: That is exactly right - the '59 Olds was soft in an era of soft-riding cars. Add on decades for the springs, dampers, and bushes to soften even further, and I always felt that my 98 "Scenicoupe" - (2-door hardtop) - was more like piloting a dinghy than driving an actual car. The boot/trunk is so big that I could put my bike in there without even removing the front wheel. And the hood/bonnet is so long, that the only way I could get to the dizzy - (located at the back of the block) - was to lie on top of the engine with my feet off the ground! Just my view, but I think that the '59 Olds is a beautiful car, especially as a 2-door Coupe - it has an elegance that the other '59 GM cars - Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, and Chevy didn't manage.
PS: the car is my "retirement project" - it's been in primer for the past 30 years and I think Shawn and Sam have just decided me on what colour I'm going to repaint it next year - thanks, guys! "Burgundy Mist Metallic" is the official name - (though in this video it looks more like "Magenta" to me....).
😍he gets this for his first car at 13 im 19 still trying to buy my first car😂
Lucky kid
Four-door original cars are wonderful!
Great finally a 4 door.
My father had the same car, when I was a kid,only in baby blue.
Awesome! Truly a beautiful vehicle.
I love video Shawn thanks.
Hurricane Sam awesome Sam!! Glad you and your dad brought it up for us to shoot. Tell him I said thanks again!!
I envy this kid like really I do
Took my driver's test in a '59 Olds. It's a gigantic car. LOL
Awesome!! And yeah, it’s massive!!
My dad thought he would never drive it because it was so long and wide.
So did I!!
Hi, on the automatic gear shift indicator, the S, did not stand for slow, it stood for SUPER!! Super was one of the Oldsmobile words. Thanks for the video. My parents bought one of these new, but theirs was a Celerity Sedan.
art piece
Gorgeous car
My late grandfather had a '59 Olds 98 (blue and white) that I vaguely remember as I was 4 years old when he died. This is an absolutely beautiful automobile for being an almost 60 year old, original car. Refreshing that the young man seems to be a smart, decent, nice kid (unlike so many of today's obnoxious, self-entitled brats). Hopefully, he stays that way
He’s a great kid and has a real passion for automotive.
Bill M. I will, thanks
R for Racing, typically that’s why they changed the gear selector. That car drives better than all the stuff you had on the show. Put a wine glass on that hood while it’s idling. Nice Really Nice 👍
thank you so much shawn. can we have some high resolution shot of cars you reviewed? cause this cars are so unique and rare we cant found any good high detailed photo of them any where, please consider it . thank you so much man.
I don’t have any high res still photos of any of these. We shoot video on everything these days.
My father had a 58 Super 88 and recall 'S' stood for super-range. Kinda like sport mode and used for going up hills in a lower gear and engine breaking going down hills.
I rode in a '59 Oldsmobile and a '59 Pontiac Bonneville ( just like this featured car .) They were " huge " in size and literally floated down the road ! The Olds and Pontiacs cost more than a full sized Chevrolet . That's one reason , they are less common than Ford's or Chevys , If you want luxury , you must pay for it . Happy Motoring ! Mark E. Switzer
I have a scale model on this in black over coral rose - 1/43 scale!
Who cares how many doors they have, the flat tops are magic!
harold whodunit yup I love it
If I was that kid, I wouldn't accept that Olds as a first car. He would regret ANY scratch or damage the car may have, be his fault or not. Being a car so important for his family and well maintained, he would better be of using a newer car as beater and this for the weekend.
I accepted the olds when I first set my eyes on it I help my dad restore to its former beauty, so don’t say thing you don’t know about others.
alright kid listen, by the way you wrote that comment I assume you aren't mature enough for having a vehicle worth 2000$+ as a DD, let alone a '58 Olds 98
Don't take this as criticism, it's just an advice
You will hate to see this work of art in an accident, trust me. Start on something more disposable as a start and leave this for the empty route, just that.
I’m not going to argue with you but I’ve restored that car with my dad and your tell me I’m not supposed to have it! Get a life and stop hating on people.
And my dad was in the same Situation as I am in now, he at my age saw this car and knew he’s going to be the next owner, the first time when he went to drive it he thought he would crash it because it’s a big car but not one scratch or dent sense then and it’s a 59 Oldsmobile.
Up yours kid.
I’m s huge Oldsmobile fan, especially late 50’s and early 60’s full size. As cool
As nice as my ‘64 Olds 98 is, this is way better. This body style is called a Holiday Sports Sedan
4,418 lbs and base price a whopping $4,162
36,813 sold
I didn’t know much about it but I love the history or ownership and still can’t believe that’s original paint. Beautiful car
My original 88 was 3,253.00 less a/c but with super 88 trim. A fully loaded 98 with a/c was 4,700.00 new. This was in 1959. I now have the 98 w/factory a/c complete with all the bells and whistles. Red / white (factory) 31K
You are correct with the name of the body style and roof, well... partially... It is a Holiday Sports Sedan, meaning it has no Center Post, no "B" pillar.... but this roof, be it a ''59 Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, or Cadillac, was called a "Vista" roof, for obvious reasons. The "C" pillars were place far forward of where they normally were, which allowed for a tremendous "vista" view in the rear. These were not ever known, to my knowledge, as a "bubble dome". These were called "Flat-Tops". I love these old Vista hardtops that GM came out with in '59! They only made them for '59 and '60 with the 4-door hardtop. The '61 Chevy had a very similar Flat-Top, but it wasn't a "hardtop", it had a Center B pillar.
One final thing, which I didn't see anyone else write about.... is that this car has the *ultra-rare* power VENT windows! Something like only 20% of '59 Ninety-Eights at the time, were equipped with power vent windows. Imagine how many of those are surviving today. I would guess that there are probably less than 50 of these in the world with power vent windows. The only (obvious) rare options not on this car, are factory air, and autronic-eye automatic headlamp dimming. I think your's has everything else available in '59! So cool! You are one VERY lucky young man Sam!!
I love this car!! Do you have another car?👍
Lucky kid
Blair A haha i I’m
Blair A totally!!
Beautiful scars that's the lucky kids
👍
hey Sam!.....drive that car to school and blow those Hondas out the lot.........NOW YOU GOT A REAL CAR!
I always do!
Owned one in 1968. Was blue with white top.
What I found unique was the speedometer. Speed was indicated in a horizontal multi-color bar: zero to 30 in green, 30 to 60 ? in orange, above to max.....all red bar. (the orange & green might have been reversed....I don't fully remember).
I saw such a street in Moscow about how far the car skidded)))
My grandfather has a 58 Super88, two-door, champagne gold.
my dad had one identical in every way as this one.ours had the original hubcaps. they did not come with wire spoke wheels.we went from calif. to maine with never a problem.and tes i pegged the speedo many times.i believe the speedo bar shows red or orange.any way, they dont make them like that anymore.
What a beauty.
Yes, power antennas .......I forgot about those!!
Yeah look at the beauty of that Oldsmobile, and they stopped making them now. Total shame. Olds was a great car...
Jack Jacke it was a great company
Qué belleza de carro!
The gears, P-PARK, N-NEUTRAL, D-DRIVE, S-SUPER, L-LOW, R-REVERSE.
Not actually what he said!
I've owned several of them and it's not a bubble dome, those only come on the two door no post coupe!
And you can tell that the wheels aren't factory.
News to me. Thanks for the input. I really know very little about these other than they’re beautiful cars.
Would this be called “flat top” ?
@@dontellgucci1117
Pontiac, Chevorlet, Buick and Oldsmobile had began to experiment with style changes more than Cadillac did after 58 because some of their bodystyles had started to look the same.
But that top you see there is the one that was used on a 'no post' hardtop.
Yes. This is the “flat-top” roof. The model is the Ninety Eight Holiday sedan. My grandparents bought a loaded white one new in ‘59.
“Rocket” is not part of the name of the car; it refers to the engine. It has a Rocket V8 engine.
Was this car at the OPGI all Oldsmobile car show in seal beach on Saturday ?
Bryan Arrosa yeah
Yep and it took best in show from what Sam told me.
Yup I can’t believe I got best of show the A few days after the video came out it was good luck for Autotopiala.
The S. stands for Super not Slow It will drop it in to 3rd gear it has 4 Speed automatic glorious car. PS. I had two 60 Oldsmobles
Sam would be around 16-18. He should be driving this beauty by now
If we would see the car as much as your mug it might have been a good video
That grill
james burke gotta love it!!
that olds. my buddy almost done with his 64 continental show you pictures soon
i see that r32 in the back!
Hi
blinky tran can’t wait to see it
Lucky kid them cars in that condition are pricy
Really lucky. And he’s a really good kid. Appreciates the art of cars.
Flat Top Sport Sedan
59 was a high point in Automotive quality and design. In 1960 the slow decent into the shit wheels we have today began.
Chrome trim and metal grilles turned to plastic. High styling and design became square or round. Today most cars look generic.
The big Tesla looks like a big Honda Accord.
But at least for now, we still have wheels.
My first grade teacher had a 59 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible. White with white and red interior. It was Amazing. Most of the GM cars of the 50's had the PD2LR on the column. I'm pretty sure that the S is for second gear.
MAGA. Now that's what I'm talkin about. Trump 2020.
Love this comment 👊