Valve cover gaskets.
Oil pan gasket.
Heater core.
Fan clutch.
Fuel pump.
Rebuilt carberator.
I snatched up this car after my dad passed away, for fear that one of the grandkids would beat on it and destroy what was left of it. It turns out there was a lot more left than I imagined. This car is 99% rust free, and still has a shiny original dog-dung brown paint. This spring, I plan on repainting it rally Red.
Most of the above problems only occurred after it had sat for 9 idle years. This car has enough power and torque to pull a castle of its foundation. I pulled my neighbor's '77 F-250 out of the ditch last spring, no joke!! It intimates and frightens the drivers of mere mortal Japanese imports as it looms in the rearview. At a dead stop, the engine is barely audible. But if floored, it lets out a ferocious roar (especially with it's new glasspacks) that can be heard for miles as it burns up its tires for a few blocks.
Terrible fuel economy (9 MPG city and 16 Highway, if I drive the speed limit). But what I waste on gas I save on repairs. This beast refuses to die. This is the perfect car for highway trips. Ice cold A/C. It rides like a magic carpet, the ugly tan seats are surprisingly comfy, and it seats 6 overweight adults with ease, or 8 if you really squish. There's room for 5 or 6 more in the trunk if you're in a pinch.
I wish America still knew how to build real full-size cars, not this Nissan-Toyota-Honda tin can garbage...
The 1970 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Custom, has to be the best car I ever owned... and I've owned many. I about cried the day I had to get rid of her... had no room.. had to sell her.. so I sold to a friend... I about DIED.. or killed him when he wrecked her!! I WANT MY BABY BACK!!! :(
You tell , em, Brother!
My aunt and uncle had one with a 455 under the hood. Rocket V8 is an understatement. This thing was a "Go-mobile".
Oh my gosh, I love my delta 88, shes a 66 and its awesome, i will never get rid of it, I've only driven onec seeing that the tittle is being cleared right now, I moved it about 50 foot and I had the pettal about 2 inches down, spun them the whole way, she is a beast I tell ya, I love it more than most things I own, every one who likes power needs one, I couldent live without mine, you shouldent either, I have respect for neone who has a mucle car, one they have great tast and two they wouldent have it if they didn't wanna go fast, keep up the muscle car count and be safe.
I agree. My '75 Delta 88 is a road beast, takes up one full lane, and will f*&^% up any rice grinder trash in it's path. I love my car. It's fast and I love how anyone who tries to race me gets utterly humilated by my gigantic supercharged land barge. It only has 79,000 miles on it now and like you said is quiet as a cat in idle. It has come through time to smash and destroy the trash on today's streets.
The poster of the preceding comment seems to be living in a fantasy world where beaters like his somehow terrorize everything in their path.
The reality is, these are the guys you always see trying to fix their cars in the parking lot at AutoZone (or by the side of the road) just so they can make it to wherever they are going.
"supercharged land barge" lol.
Oh, so you "snatched up" this car because you were afraid the grandkids would beat on it and destroy what was left of it, so you get it and then burn up the tires for blocks and floor it from stoplights?
Right, sounds like the car is in good hands now!
Hehe "supercharged land barge" sounds about right with almost 500 lbs of torque.
Betcha this car has been junked, crushed and recycled into 3 Hyundais by now...
"19th Jun 2008, 15:27
Betcha this car has been junked, crushed and recycled into 3 Hyundais by now..."
I'm the original commentor. I love how people like you think that Japanese tin cans are superior. The car is still on the road, eating Hyundais and Hondas for breakfast. Keep driving your econobox, It keeps the price of oil down for people like me who actually have a real taste in cars.
Here's a newsflash - Hyundai's are Korean automobiles.
Restore one and take on a very long trip. I rode in one ice cold A/C from Delaware to Fla. non stop and it was comfortable and smooth.
The "original commentor" isn't into restoration. Sounds more like he is just going to beat the hell out of it until it falls apart, sad...
Well I originally submitted the review. And to the poster above me: Yes, I did do a partial restoration of this car. This included a professional paint job to the tune of about $4000 and an engine rebuild at 172,000 miles last year.
You should not assume that this is my only car, it isn't. It would be quite foolish to use as my daily driver, although with plummeting gas prices, I gave into temptation causing me to use it a lot more this fall.
You should also not assume that I pound on it every time I drive it. But you gotta have some fun driving a car like this once in a while.
This car is what it is. If you like tiny imports with high revving, bumble bee sounding exhaust pipes large enough for semi trucks, well then good for you, whatever lights your fire. To me a front drive subcompact is not as fun as an old muscle car or land barge like this. So forgive me for hanging on to a piece of something similar I owned in my youth. It was a time when cars had style and personality.
I have a 1970 Delta Ragtop. 455 rocket in it.
This car still has the original ball joints in it and drives straight as arrow. My 4 kids and wife can ride in comfort.
The wiring harness has roughly 6 to 8 wires in it.
Anything can still be repaired at a low cost.
90 miles an hour seems like 55.. with one finger on the wheel; that is hard in any foreign car.
All eyes, young and old, think it is the coolest. Headers and side pipes make it a growler.