DeltaStew

Could someone please help me out with some fullsize Delmont tech info? In 1967, you could get a Delmont 88 with a 425, and in 1968 you could get one with a 455. My question is actually 2 parts; One, why did some Delmonts have the engine designation an the front fender emblem? It would say Delmont 88 with a small box under the 88 with 425 or 455. When I was younger, I assumed all 425 or 455 powered Delmonts had this emblem, but later years and findings have taught me different. Second, when you had a 2-barrel 455 in 68, what was the difference in the ones with the black air cleaner vs the ones with the orange air cleaner? Were these different compression engines? Any info is greatly appreciated on this!

67442nut

Don't know about the emblems, since I'm more into the '67 "A" bodies.
As far as the air cleaners, the only logic I've been able to make on the colors is the black air cleaners
seem to be used on the "cheapie" cars, F-85 and "plain-jane" Cutlasses.
I've parted a couple of the cheapie Cutlasses, one 2-barrel 330 and one 4-barrel 330.
Both had black air cleaners.
I have three '67 Cutlass Supremes, 2 convertibles, all 4-barrels, all have orange air cleaners.
Never had a Cutlass Supreme with a 2-barrel, so, I can't say on that one.

jaunty75

Here's the story.

In 1967, the base engine for the Delmont 88 was the 330 V-8 in 250 or 320 hp configurations. The 425 was optional. So putting "425" on a fender emblem on a Delmont 88 was a bit of bragging as it showed that the car had the higher-powered engine. The 425 was available in 310, 365, and 375 hp configurations. My reference doesn't say, but I'm guessing variations were achieved by having a high-compression versus a low-compression version of the 425 and by going from a 2- to a 4-bbl carburetor. The 425 was the standard engine in the next-up-the-line Delta 88. It was the only engine available in the Delta line as the 425 was the largest cubic-inch engine offered by Olds that year. The first 455's didn't appear until 1968.

For 1968, the base engine in the Delmont 88 became the 350 V-8 in 250 or 310 hp configurations. Optional was the 455 in 310, 320, and 365 hp versions. Again, the base engine in the Delta 88 was the high-end engine in the Delmont, the 455.


As far as the air cleaners, I do believe you are correct, but someone please correct me if I'm wrong. The black air cleaner indicated a low-compression engine while the red indicated "ultra high compression."

Oldsmaniac

Correct, you will notice too the original gas cap will say premium fuel only on orange air cleaner cars.

DeltaStew

Thanks for the information, guys! The 68 Delmont 88 I just bought has the black 2bbl air cleaner, so I guess it's a 310 horse 455. I don't mind that so much with today's low octane gas versus the 60's high octane fuel. Wasn't that motor like 9:5:1, verses the 10:25:1 320 horse 2bbl 455?

66400

The big block Delmont may be the only Olds with a cid callout emblem.

Henry

wmachine

The 310 hp 455 was 9.0. The 320 HP 455 you refer to was not an option for the Delmont in '68. Next step up (and top offering) was the 365 hp 455.

Edit: Correction, the 320 *was* also optional.

D Appeldorn

I thought later build engine's aircleaner were black and the early one's were red.

At the same time when the round decal high and ultra high compression disappeared,
And the halve moon rocket 350 and rocket 455 came on the aircleaner.

But i could be wrong on that.

wmachine

In the years being discussed, black was low compression and red was high as previously stated.

wmachine

No, this is not correct.
It needs to be explained that in 1967, there were different Delmont "330" models and "425" models. Actual separate models.

Base engine in the "330" models was the 250 hp (manual trans) and 260 hp (auto). Optional was the L74 320 hp 330.

Base engine for the "425" models was the 300 hp (manual trans) and 310 hp (auto). Optional was L74 365 hp 425 (yes, there were 2 L74 engines) and the L75 375 hp Starfire 425 (yes even though there was no Starfire model in '67)


Almost. The base engine was the 250 hp 350 (only one available with manual trans). Optional was the 310 hp 350, along with the 310, 320, and 365 hp 455s.
The base engine in the Delta was the 310 hp 455, not the 365 hp 455.

DeltaStew

Great information, thanks again. Now, why , let's just take the 68 Delmonts for example, did some 455 powered Delmonts have the cid callout and some did not. Was it just the higher output cars that got it?

jaunty75

I'm just guessing here, but I don't think any full-size Olds ever had "455" on the fenders. On the air cleaner, yes, but not on the outside, at least that I can remember.

You have to remember the times. In 1967, the Delmont was a brand-new model, and Olds was advertising it quite heavily. I have a '67 Delta 88, and I've been trying to find magazine advertisements for it from back in the day, and I've not had much luck. Everything I run across is for the Delmont. So Olds was doing much to promote the car.

Remember also that the Delmont was a replacement for the Jetstar 88, which was Oldsmobile's low-end, full-size model. So Olds was trying to reach down-market a bit, away from the bank vice-presidents and insurance salesmen who were their typical customer and toward maybe the factory worker who might want to move upscale a bit with his next car purchase. That market was much larger. Well, THESE people might be more interested in a bit of flash and might be attracted to a car that brags about its power a bit, just like those mid-60s Chevies all did with their engine size written in badges on their fenders and which these buyers might have been more typically interested in.

By '68, the Delmont was in its last year. I've always wondered whether having it be only a 2-year model was Olds's original intent or if they just decided to kill it early because sales weren't what was hoped for. In any event, by '68, it wasn't a new model any more.

All of this is just guessing on my part as to what Oldsmobile's marketing department might have been thinking back in the late '60s. The market at which the Delmont was aimed was a bit different than the one to which the Delta 88 was aimed, and then the 98 was aimed at a still different market. HOW you market a car in each of those segments varies.