I have to admit, this 1967 Oldsmobile Delta 88 is a really striking-looking car. Inspired by the look of the front-wheel-drive Toronado, the Delta 88 coupé shared a similar long hood/fastback look with no B-pillar. I mean, look at it! It’s imposing and swoopy in all the right ways. This picture has some nice bokeh effects over a nice, rich, pea soup-colored background, and two models, one of whom seems to be wearing traditional Russian peasant clothes and the other is a…witch? A good witch? That’s a magic wand, right?
What’s the theme, here? Is this Oldsmobile in the Russian-occupied part of Narnia or some shit? Are those streamers or vines? Was this representative of Old’s target market? Witches and Russians?
I have to say I’m just loving all the recent Oldsmobile articles; Thanks Autopian!
At first glance I thought it was a Toronado. All this and vent windows too? No wonder those Russians are plotting to defect.
Best guess is it’s meant to be people dressed up as characters from the Slavic (?) folk tale The Cossack and the Witch. My question is: which character is the Olds? The apples that tempted him (effective!) or (my bet) the fairy/eagle that let him fly away and triumph over the witch?
I spend way too much time thinking about all y’all’s posts…
“Under capitalism your gourds would look like this”
looks great from the side, but the lack of hide away headlights made the front look a bit dopey. still a nice car though. And really all the 67 Olds front ends were a little ugly.
My grandfather was an Oldsmobile man, though all of his were 4doors in the light Champagne color offered from the 1950’s until some time in the 80’s when he bought a green one. I will always have a soft spot for any Olds.
RIP Grandpa & Oldsmobile.
I worked at Hutchins Automotive in the 90’s. It was a good day when someone with an ’88 88 came in.
The “hardtop” look was pretty popular back in the 60s. Typically cars were designed and marketed as coupe (2-door), sedan (4-door), both with B-pillars, or as a hardtop (2 or 4-door), no B-pillar. The hardtops usually got a different roof treatment and fastback was a popular choice.
Also, this is a costume party. The woman as a fairy godmother (wand has a star), the man as a cossack, and the Delta 88 as a sports car.
I think it should be “Olds’ target market” unless one shortens Oldsmobile to merely “Old” (break it before “smobile”?) But everyone shortens it as “Olds” so I believe my inclination is correct (but, I admit, also picayune and irrelevant).
The proper noun Olds here is being used as an adjective to identify a particular market. It’s not really indicating possession. What you are saying isn’t wrong. It’s just not necessary.
Just imagine the word play if Ransom Eli Olds had used his first name when starting his euphonious auto company.
Perhaps the early key parties were costume-required?
“Hello? Look, next time you send a princess who has been cleaning ashes to a ball, just use a Toronado: pumpkins are so played out!”
Was the ad done as a teaser for some sort of aborted plan to launch Oldsmobile in the Soviet market?
“are those streamers or vines” do you mean the dangly things or the people?
My 14 year old talks about both streamers and vines constantly. Maybe this is what is actually being referenced.
The Russian cassock is peaking under the mask of the fairy godmother. This type of image has societal and psychological implications that keep people in therapy for years. Oh, and nice car.
The witch and Russian costumes are good but the guy dressed as an Oldsmobile blew it out of the park.
My guess is two attendees at a costume ball. It looks like he’s lifted up her mask and they’re having an “oh, it’s you” laugh. I think you’re right that those are party streamers.
I think the green background and the styling of the good witch suggests this is the magical land of Oz (not the one David’s in). So you can get there by Toronado or tornado.
Maybe the Russian is the Great and Powerful Oz, coming out from behind the curtain to speak to a good witch about the fact that a near-Toronado made it. I dunno.
Pretty, but give me the full-on bonkers Toronado look. Because that car was bonkers, one of those cases where the GM car guys got the bean counters drunk and slipped something crazy past them.
As for the witch and the Russian guy…I got nothing.
My dad had a 1969 back when I got my license. I didn’t drive it often, but when I did I was stylin!
I’m guessing the peasant wished for an Oldsmobile from his fairy godmother?