Does the profile of any other car declare itself as "classic" quite like that of the 1957 Oldsmobile Starfire 98? The top of the line Oldsmobile in the mid- to late- 50's, the Starfire 98 was built to be the ultimate dream driving machine. In our spring auctions, we will offer a '57 Starfire 98 that has been meticulously restored to include all of the highest end options available at the time the car was manufactured.
The Starfire was first introduced as a concept car in 1953 at a General Motors car show. Modeled after the Lockheed F-94B Starfire jet fighter, from which it took its name, the first Starfire had an aerodynamic shape and a fiberglass body. After this debut, the Starfire name was given to the convertible version of Oldsmobile's top-of-the-line 98 cars. In 1957 only, all of the models in that line, convertible and hardtop alike, were referred to as "Starfire 98."
The Starfire 98 that we will sell this spring was restored twice by its most recent owner, once in 2004 and once in 2014. In the process, the car was given every bell and whistle that would have been available in a Starfire 98 when the car was built in 1956. These include the Autronic Eye, which detected oncoming car headlights and automatically dimmed and brightened the Starfire's own lights accordingly, and a Super Deluxe AM radio with the Wonder Bar, which automatically tuned the radio with a touch to the button either on the radio, or with the driver's foot on the car's floorboards. Needless to say, this was state-of-the-art technology in the days before digital assistants. The car has a Rocket V8 engine with the J2 Tripower option for 300 total horsepower, and a Hydra-Matic transmission.
In 2003, the classic beauty of this Starfire 98 was featured on the cover of Hemmings' Vintage Oldsmobile Calendar.
For more information about the 1957 Starfire 98, or for information about consigning a vehicle to our spring auctions, contact Leland Little Estate & Collector Vehicles Director Mark Terry.