.

the car junkie daily magazine.

.

Rough Start: A Four-Speed Oldsmobile Omega Is A Shift From The Normal Nova


Rough Start: A Four-Speed Oldsmobile Omega Is A Shift From The Normal Nova

This 1976 Oldsmobile Omega is one year off from what I rode around in as a kid growing up in Washington State. My mother drove one of these for years…originally bronze with a black vinyl roof, the car ended up painted primer gray, then primer black. It was six cylinders of dependability, with the coolest automatic shifter ever (I still love the 1970s Olds shifters) and a surprising amount of attitude. Unfortunately, after it ate it’s third 250ci Chevy six, the car met it’s end in a demo match against an old Plymouth cop car, never to see the road again.

I always did like the Omega. Before I truly understood the X-body’s place in GM’s lineup, I always likened it to the musclecar I never heard of. Even after figuring it all out, I still like it best over it’s corporate siblings…Novas are everywhere, the Pontiacs don’t do it for me and there is only one Buick I like, and it’s owned by a forum member. That’s why when I found this neat-as-a-pin 1976, I had to run it. It’s a V8/4-spd car, so I’m betting that it’s the 4.3L Olds V8 under the hood. I could be wrong…the Rocket 350 was an option, and that would be a hell of a find.

The price is high for a Rough Start find at $4,800, but if this is a drive-home kind of deal, that’s not bad money. The paint needs to be a better color…a metallic copper would look great, and a set of SSII wheels, color-matched, would top the Olds off right. But even if you left well enough alone, you have a V8, four-speed coupe with potential. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Craigslist link: 1976 Oldsmobile Omega


  • Share This
  • Pinterest
  • 0

4 thoughts on “Rough Start: A Four-Speed Oldsmobile Omega Is A Shift From The Normal Nova

  1. C.M. Bendig

    All Oldsmobile Blocks are ‘Rocket engines’ from the original 303 V8 to the 260 V8 the 350 Diesel or the 455. Gold valve covers do not mean a thing. same HP & Torque figures as any other color valve covers. So when you hear a tard go ‘gold top rocket’, you know they have no rights to own a car.

    1. BS

      LOL, I \”had\” to learn Olds speak a few years ago and it makes me cringe to hear (read) some of the crap that comes from Olds owners\’ mouths. It\’s worse than a Chevy owner because we (I) expect it from them…..Corvette motor, etc.

Comments are closed.