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1965
Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible
Provided by Hemmings
 VALUES
TODAY
Low: $4,500
Avg.: $8,750
High: $14,000
The Starfire nameplate first appeared on an Oldsmobile in
1953 when two-seat and four-seat dream convertibles hit the GM show circuit
and were the subject of a great deal of publicity. Styled in the Harley
Earl tradition of jet fighter-inspired looks, this car was actually named
after a jet fighter plane-the Lockheed F-94B Starfire which saw a great
deal of combat in the then-hot Korean War.
The original Starfire's signature oval grille opening found
its way onto later production Oldsmobiles, particularly the 1956 cars.
In 1954 the Starfire name was first attached to a production Oldsmobile:
the 98 series convertibles. It was the most expensive of the '54 Olds
offerings, with a base price of $2,963. Only 6,800 Starfires were built
in 1954. By 1955 the price of a Starfire 98 convertible had risen to $3,276
but production had also risen to a respectable 9,149 units for the model
year.
In 1956 the price was up again-to a base of $3,380, making
it the most expensive Oldsmobile in the lineup. Production dropped to
8,581 examples of these two-ton dreamboats. And while a base price of
$3,380 for a big, powerful car like this one may seem absurdly cheap compared
to today's new car prices, bear in mind that a new '56 Chevy Bel Air convertible
had a base of over $1,000 less than the Starfire.
The model year 1956 marked the final one in which the Starfire
name was applied only to the 98 convertible. For 1957 the entire 98 model
lineup became Starfires, and the model name continued to appear on 98s
until the final Starfire convertible in 1965, which is the subject of
this week's survey.
Ever since the introduction of the high-compression "Rocket"
V-8 in 1949 and its success in stock car racing with 88 models in the
early 1950s, Oldsmobile enjoyed a deserved reputation for hot-performing
cars. This 98 Starfire, despite it size and slightly higher weight due
to its convertible body, could give any of its Big Three rivals a very
hard time at a spotlight drag or galloping over the road at illegal speeds.
Interior materials on the Starfire were worthy of the finest
imports. Hand-buffed leathers in matching or complementary color combinations
to the exterior paint were featured. The grille treatment was rather conservative
for a marque known as GM's style leader, with an egg-crate appearance
that looked like a cross between Cadillac and Buick front themes. Taillamps
were mounted slightly inboard of the long rear fenders.
In assessing a '65 Starfire convertible the potential buyer
must be alert for the bugaboo of most '60s cars-rust and rot. Oldsmobiles
were as prone to these problems as any other car and a potential purchase
should be checked carefully unless it has prize-winning credentials. These
cars are mechanically robust, however, and are not known for any particular
drivetrain weaknesses.
Mechanical parts are relatively easy to come by, but
interior trim and outside sheet metal is scarce, due in some part to the
fact that a minuscule 2,236 examples were delivered in a model year when
Oldsmobile Division achieved record total sales. This makes the 98 Starfire
convertible the rarest full-sized Olds for that year. As with other collector
cars, buy the best example you can afford and avoid the real clunkers.
That is, unless you have the time, skills and patience needed to bring
a lost cause back from the edge of destruction. Get a good one and you'll
have an eye-catching, strong-running, example of mid-'60s automotive Americana
and the last example of the drop-top Starfire-a car that was replaced
in 1966 by the most radical Oldsmobile yet, the benchmark front-wheel-drive
Toronado.
1965 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible
Base price: $ 4,778
Base weight: 4,347 lbs.
Body: All-steel five-passenger convertible coupe
Frame: Ladder type with x-bracing and cross members
Wheelbase: 126 inches
Length: 222.9 inches
Track (f/r): 62/64
Suspension: Independent coil
Suspension (rear): semi-elliptic leaf springs
Brakes: Four-wheel internal expanding hydraulic drum
Engine: OHV V-8, 425 cid, 360 bhp, 4.125x 3.975
Transmission: Console-mounted Turbo HydraMatic drive standard equipment
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