1988 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CONVERTIBLE INDY PACE CAR

Details

In 1988, the Indianapolis 500 chose Oldsmobile as the pace car to be driven by Chuck Yaeger for the big Memorial Day race. Traditionally a manufacturer builds many pace car editions, often thousands, but this year Oldsmobile chose to only have 50 Cutlass convertible Indy pace car editions built by an outside GM contractor, Cars & Concepts of Brighton, Michigan. Every one of these 50 very unique cars went to Indianapolis in May for the race, used in various track and local promotions, and were

then distributed to the few Olds dealers who promptly spoke for one of these cars when they came available. These cars were highly optioned including the first application of a 'heads up' windshield display originally developed by Hughes Aircraft. Then things really get strange. After the cars were shipped to dealers around the country, someone at GM discovered some issue with certification of these models and the cars were called back to be repurchased from the dealers and destroyed. It appears that most dealers did, in fact, return the cars for credit, but a few objected and kept their cars leaving less than 10. That's right, 10 of these Indy Pace Car Editions from the 1988 race. Mr. Thomas Knobloch, a second generation Oldsmobile dealer in Erie, PA, was one of those dealers who did not relinquish his car but instead held onto it as a collectible and, realizing its incredible rarity, drove it a total of less than 800 miles over his many years of ownership. Always properly stored and maintained, we acquired the car from the Knobloch family after his passing. The car is 100% original and un-restored, highly documented and likely one of the the finest and lowest mileage examples of one of the rarest Indy Pace Car Editions of all time.