1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350 ( 442 Faux Muscle Car )

Description

This car was purchased several years ago from the famous LeMay collection.Harold LeMay amassed the largest privately owned collection ofautomobiles,motorcycles, trucks, and all manner of other vehicles and related memorabilia in the world. At its peak, the LeMay Collection numbered in excess of 3,000 vehicles and thousands of "automobilia" artifacts.[3]The Collection, recognized by many as a national treasure, represents the American experience with the automobile as it spans the 20th century and features virtually every American make, as well as numerous foreign cars. Currently, the bulk of the LeMay Collection is still housed on LeMay property. Some of the vehicles are in the process of being donated to the LeMay Museum in order to be accessible to the public; others are still owned by the LeMay Family and are on display at the LeMay Family Collection atMarymount.

I searched for just the right Rallye 350 for over 3 years.I am only selling this rare version because I recently completed a "reference grade" restoration of another Rallye 350. This car has the very rare Hurst His/Hers Automatic Console shifter. Optional A/C, Buckets, Loop carpet, Original spare tire and wheel, jack and handle. T3 original headlights. 12 Bolt rear end, KYB gas shocks.Heavy duty sway bars front and rear. This car has extremely low miles and has obviously been cared for its entire life. It appears to have had a respray several years ago and still shows well. All else is original including the radio. This car has not been "monkey'd" with. No holes, speakers, no after market BS. STOCK ORIGINAL PERIOD. No rust or any indication it ever had rust. This might be the second NICEST RALLYE 350 in the country. (The exception is my "reference grade") A/C might need a recharge. The car comes with a show display and stand, Framed poster and all other documents. I am a private collector and VERY picky about the cars I own. I rarely sell a car, only when I upgrade. If you have any questions call me. Bob (727)642-8237. The car is also for sale locally. Car is located in Kalispell, MT. Please check transportation cost prior to bidding. If inspection is desired, please do so before close of auction. PayPal deposit within 24 hours.

2ND TIME RELISTED:Please don't bid if you do not intend to pay for this car. Please check cost of transportation from 59901 and complete any inspections prior to bidding. Call before bidding if you have under 100 positive feedback.

Perhaps the most unique among the “junior” muscle cars was the 1970 Oldsmobile Rallye 350. Available only in Sebring Yellow, its striking appearance was highlighted by color-matched bumpers and wheels that gave the Rallye 350 a look unlike any other muscle car on the street.

In an era when chrome was still cool, Oldsmobile’s monochromatic color scheme was certainly daring and influential on the future styling of performance cars. Instead of adhering to Oldsmobile’s traditional touch of class, the Rallye 350 was bold and muscular. Nearly a half-century later, we’re still waiting for today’s luxury automakers to get with the times. Yes Buick, Lincoln, and Cadillac — we’relooking at you.

A unique deck lid spoiler and a fiberglass W-25 cowl induction hood definitely signaled this was no ordinary Olds. But the Rallye 350 was much more than an appearance package: The sole powertrain option was a bulletproof 350 cubic inch V8 engine with an impressive 310 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. Perhaps Oldsmobile was right — no big block was needed after all. With just the little 350 at the helm, this junior Olds could sprint to 60in seven seconds flatand complete the quarter mile in 15.27 seconds at just over 94 miles per hour.

If you wanted to go even faster, customers could choose to upgrade the Rallye 350’s standard 3.23:1 open differential. A 3.42:1 and 3:91 ratio were also available with Anti-Spin — Oldsmobile’sclassy name for a posi. Transmission choices were also plentiful, with the option of a floor-mounted three-speed manual, Muncie M-21 close ratio four-speed, or a Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 automatic.

While the Rallye 350 certainly wasn’t about to win any road course races, it was still quite agile and fun to toss around corners with Oldsmobile’s FE2 “Rallye Sport Suspension,” which included stiffer springs and larger front and rear sway bars. Compared to the 442 anchored by its much heavier 455 big-block V8, the Rallye 350 felt like a slot car.

Surprisingly,just a little over 3,500 Rallye 350s were built in 1970, and the model was discontinued after just a single year of production. Reports say that Oldsmobile dealers struggled to sell them and often replaced their painted bumpers with chrome alternatives simply to move them off dealership lots — a costly endeavor. While the Rallye 350 may have helped prove that the muscle car era could survive without big block engines, the market just wasn’t ready for its radical monochromatic styling. Like many other incredible cars that didn’t sell particularly well, perhaps the Rallye 350 was simply ahead of its time.