When it comes to GM’s platform-sharing and badge-engineering, the normal way things work is that one car shines and the rest are kind of “there”. There are few exceptions. The Pontiac Firebird was different enough from the Chevrolet Camaro to bypass that stigma. Same with the Buick Grand National and Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS of the 1980s. But when you look at the rear-drive X-cars, there was barely anything to worry about. You know what a Chevrolet Nova is. But the Buick Apollo/Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega and Pontiac Ventura languish in the background, parts cars for someone’s sweet Nova project. Eeech.
I’ll be straight up honest: this 1975 Oldsmobile Omega is tugging on my heartstrings harder than most of the cars I find in my used car searches. My mother owned a 1975 two-door pretty much the whole time I was growing up. It was bronze…then primer gray…then primer black…then primer gray again…then, after killing it’s third 250ci inline-six, it was killed off via an impromptu field demolition derby, it’s unibody bent by a high-speed hit from a Plymouth cop car that was also doomed to the crusher. It’s a New Mexico car, so be grateful there isn’t rust and don’t sweat the paint imperfections. A 260ci V8 lives underhood, an automatic on the column runs the trans, and oddly enough, this car has a radio delete plate. For $3500, we’d pick it up, drive it, and start looking for an Olds 350, a console floor shifter and some decent Oldsmobile SSII rally wheels. Just remember, it’s not a Nova, but it’s on it’s way to being a sweet project.
Craigslist Link: 1975 Oldsmobile Omega
’78 Pontiac Phoenix, 305, auto on the floor. Loved that car!
Clean car to have fun! Drop a LS1/6spd into it to make it perfect!
My 1st car – 74 Olds Omega coupe 6cyl auto. Not a hot rod but my first ticket to freedom to travel.
We lost most of these to salt and rust in Canada long ago. At that price I could drive it as is and have fun all sunday long
Ever notice what the first letter of each GM Nova clone spells? Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo…
That 260 V8 is hands down the biggest POS in the history of GM V8’s….What an absolute pile of crap. I had one in a Cutlass and could get smoked by an iron duke…I removed all of the emissions crap from it and it run better but still just terrible….This car is fantastic and an easy engine swap away from being a great little cruiser…I’d love to own it…Add some chrome mid 80’s Cutlass rally wheels and some big n’ littles….I’d go Chevy V8 due to simplicity (STFU, I dont want to hear it..) and maybe EFI….