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West Coast Classics are proud to present a very rare 'barn find' (garage really!) example of this most desirable and valuable first year of the Oldsmobile Starfire - an original California 'Black License Plate' 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire 394/345HP V8 Convertible in original and rare factory 'Twilight Mist Poly' (Color Code B) color paint with a matching light Blue interior and fully loaded with factory options including the standard factory options of:
Starfire 394/330HP V8 Engine with 10.50-1 Compression,
High Speed Cam Shaft,
Ultra High Compression Cylinder Heads,
Dual Exhaust System,
Special Fiberglass Packed Muffler,
Foam Cushioned Bucket Seats,
Tachometer,
4-S Hydra-Matic automatic transmission,
Power Top,
Power Steering,
Power Brakes,
Power Drivers seat,
Power Trunk Release,
Power Antennae,
Electric clock,
Courtesy lamps,
Soft ray tinted glass,
Console with shifter,
Outside LH rear view mirror
Original Wonderbar AM radio

The car was recently sold from the renown 'Petersen Automotive Museum' in Los Angeles, CA, one of the world's largest and most prestigious car museums. The museum has over one-hundred vehicles on display in its twenty-five galleries and the remaining half of the collection is kept in a 'vault', located on the basement level of the building. The car is a very original unrestored example that was set to be restored but which will now be sold as is. The car is running and driving very well with the power top working and functional. The car has some very minor dents in the body and chrome and the paint is oxidizing and worn in places (see photos below). All the power windows are working as they should and the car has all it's original logos and its original radio and the original spare wheel is in the trunk. The car drives very well - a truly remarkable daily driver that will really give any modern day sports car a run for it's money! The transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears and the temperature always remains cool! There are no signs or evidence of the car having any rust or indeed signs of any accidents.
The Starfire was Oldsmobile's entry into the personal luxury market built on the Super Eighty-Eight's 123-inch wheelbase frame. The list of standard equipment included a more powerful V8, Hydra-matic drive, sports console with shifter, tachometer, courtesy lamp package, two-speed wipers, power brakes, power steering, brushed aluminum trim, dual exhausts and leather trim. Oldsmobile introduced the new Starfire in mid-1961. It was a high performance, high style, luxury automobile that was true to the company's rich performance history and offered a host of distinctive features. The Starfire returned for 1962 to include a hardtop variant. Priced around $4,000 for the Starfire Hardtop Coupe and $4,744 for the Starfire Convertible; the cars were equipped with all the features found in the Super Eight-Eight plus brushed aluminum side panels, a sporty cockpit featuring bucket seats, leather upholstery, floor console and power-operated front seats. Power was from a 394 cubic-inch V-8 engine that offered 345 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque, courtesy of a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, 10.5:1 compression, a revised camshaft profile, an efficient combustion chamber design and a free-flowing dual exhaust system.
The Oldsmobile Starfire was easily distinguishable from its Super 88 counterparts by the addition of brushed aluminum side panels. Arguably this was the first muscle-car from Oldsmobile since it combined a very powerful engine in a small, compact body. The Starfire's sporty and luxurious hardtop coupe and convertible embodied the personal luxury cars for Oldsmobile with leather bucket seats, sport and special luxury trim. "Distinguished . . Distinctive . . Decidedly New" was how Oldsmobile advertised their all new 1961 first full-fledged Starfire series. Oldsmobile chose the General Motors 1961 Motorama which opened on November 3, 1960 at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC to debut the new one-model series. This series remained until the revolutionary Toronado picked up the Oldsmobile personal-luxury banner. At select Oldsmobile dealerships in January 1961 the first Starfires began arriving. On the outside the Starfire included two slim parallel hood moldings and a 4-inch wide band of brushed aluminum on the sides, touches which were exclusive to the Starfire. The 1961 Starfire also sported a chrome-plated air cleaner perched on top of the four-barrel carburetor and shiny valve covers and oil filler cap. Burning only premium fuel, the Starfire had a 10.25:1 compression ratio. Another unique advertising campaign was a direct-to-dealer piece that urged dealerships to stage special open houses to showcase the new model and gave interested dealerships with up to 500 invitations and envelopes.
It is hard to pin down the first actual muscle car; some have asserted that it is the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, which was built with speed in mind and with an overhead valve V8 placed in a mid-size car with a relatively lightweight body. A lot of observers cite the next big step in the evolution of the early muscle car to be the introduction of the 1955 Chrysler C-300 with its 300 horsepower Hemi engine that could go from zero to sixty in 9.8 seconds and reach a top speed of around 130 miles per hour. A car that came along a few years later that is of note to many collectors and muscle car enthusiasts is the Oldsmobile Starfire.
This is a rare opportunity to own a great candidate for restoration for the Oldsmobile enthusiast, the first and most desirable year example of a 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible and an original southern California 'Black Plate' car as well - one very collectible example of one of the outstanding early muscle cars and a truly beautiful GM classic car design from the early sixties muscle car era.
For further information contact West Coast Classics through EBay or on 310-399-3990 during regular California business hours.
WEST COAST CLASSICS, LLC Please note: TERMS OF SALE: YOU BID TO OWN: This vehicle is being sold by West Coast Classics, LLC; we are licensed and bonded vehicle dealers in the state of California. Please note that all vehicles sold to be registered in the state of California will be charged California sales tax on the final EBay sales price and any required DMV licensing, smog, documentation and registration fees. If leaving the state or country, the vehicle must be picked up by a professional licensed auto transportation company that can provide a bill of lading, otherwise California sales tax will be charged. (All licensed auto transport companies provide these). Any out of the state and international buyers will upon completion of the sale be sent by FEDEX the title and bill of sale for the vehicle and will be personally responsible for any sales tax and licensing and registration fees in their home state or province. All bids are legal and binding contracts to purchase the vehicle and by bidding you are hereby entering into a legal and binding contract to purchase the vehicle and agreeing to accept and abide by these terms of sale: Mechanical inspections welcomed; if you wish to inspect the vehicle you must do so before bidding; upon request seller will be happy to deliver the vehicle to a local Santa Monica mechanic of your choice for your prepaid inspection before the reserve price is met. Once the reserve price is met this vehicle is to be considered sold in ‘as is, where is’ condition to the highest bidder with no guaranties or warranties implied or given. Please have all funds available before bidding as a $1,000 non-refundable deposit is required from the winning bidder within 48 hours (2 business days) of auction end; an immediate $500 non-refundable deposit is required through Ebay’s Paypal service to end the auction early if the "Buy it now" option is exercised and the balance in full is due within ten days of auction end in any case. In the case these terms of sale are not met seller reserves the right to either re-list the vehicle or offer the vehicle to the next highest bidder. Seller reserves the right to end the auction at any time before the reserve price is met. Payment by bank wire transfer, cash in person or cashiers check only. All inspections must be done prior to bidding. The non-refundable deposit in the amount of $1,000 is due within 48 hours of the auction end via bank wire transfer or cashier's check via overnight mail. The full payment must be completed within 10 days regardless of a pick up date. In the event the deposit is not posted within the required period of time, the vehicle will be offered for sale to the next subsequent high bidder or relisted for sale. This is to be considered an absolute sale and the buyer is required to comply with all of my conditions in these terms of sale. By placing a bid and winning the auction you hereby agree to abide completely with these terms of sale and the terms of sale are to be considered a legal and binding purchase agreement. Once again, please note that there are no inspections to be made after the auction ends - please be sure to complete any inspection before bidding. The Seller reserves the right to cancel any bid at any time and to end the auction early for any reason. The seller makes every effort to describe in detail any known flaws in the vehicle and includes many detailed and recent photos of the vehicle. The mileage on the vehicle is correct at the time of listing but obviously subject to minor changes necessary to complete delivery of the vehicle to the buyer and test drives etc. Please note that all used vehicles, especially classic and older vehicles, are by definition unique and complex and their condition, for better or worse, must always be considered a subjective opinion to each individual. Therefore the seller shall not be responsible for the absolute correct description, authenticity, genuineness, or defects herein, and makes no guaranties or warranty in connection therewith. Vehicles are sold with one master key unless otherwise stated. Vehicles are sold with handbooks and manuals only if stated in the advertisement. Buyer hereby acknowledges that any definition or terms relating to a "matching numbers" description of any car has been met and the buyer has inspected the car and is satisfied with the description prior to bidding or purchase. No allowance will be made on account of any incorrectness, imperfection, defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle, and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value of the vehicle before bidding and to bid based upon that judgment solely. Seller assumes no responsibility for any repairs whatsoever regardless of any oral or written statements about the vehicle. A documentation fee of $55, which is capped and regulated in California as opposed to some other states, is charged on each sale, which once established legally has to be charged equally on each sale, to cover any necessary costs related to FEDEX mailings and other professional documentation paperwork fees for processing documents to establish title and registration in order to complete the transfer of documents to the new registered owner. Good luck and thanks for your interest!