By Dave Ashton
Muscle cars used as the preferred mode of transport by movie characters is nothing new. The obvious examples that come to mind are from the most popular, such as John Wicks’s Mustang, and the white Dodge Challenger in Tarantino’s Death Proof. As a summary, ‘The 10 Top Muscle Car Chases.’ However, one vehicle that has popped up multiple times is the Oldsmobile Delta 88.
A Bit of History
The Oldsmobile Delta 88 started life like many proto-muscle cars in the early 1950s, strictly 1949. With the addition of the 303cu (5.0 L) Rocket V8 engine, it was considered the first muscle car. The 1950s fins and designs came and went, and while muscle cars hit their peak in 1969-70, the Delta 88 turned into what became of every muscle car in the late 1970s—a luxury cruiser until its end in 1999.
The Oldsmobile Delta 88 in TV and Movies
With such a long history of manufacture, the Oldsmobile Delta 88 has starred in many TV shows and movies, mostly under the radar. From the 1950s-1970s, the Delta 88 was a supporting character in shows like Ironside and Model Shop in the late 1960s. If you want to check out a full list of old TV shows starring the Delta 88, check out the IMCDB-Internet movie cars database here.
Like any good actor, the Delta 88 only needs one starring role in a hit show or movie to become front of mind. The movie Evil Dead was the one for the Delta 88. The movie franchise transformed the car from an old beaten-up prop to a fan favorite, like the movies themselves.
The car used in the Evil Dead was a 1973 Delta 88 ‘Royale’ Oldsmobile in gold/yellow with plate number 586 IKV. Sam Raimi, director of The Evil Dead used the Delta 88 in his future projects such as the Spiderman franchise as uncle Ben’s car.
For a quick list of movies by Sam Raimi featuring the Delta 88 – The Evil Dead (1981), Crimewave (1985), Evil Dead II (1987), Darkman (1990), Army Of Darkness (1992), A Simple Plan (1998), The Gift (2000), Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), Spider-Man 3 (2007), Drag Me To Hell (2009), Evil Dead (2013), Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness (2022).
Could this mean the Oldsmobile Delta 88 is the most prolific muscle car in TV and movie history? There are plenty more popular choices of prolific muscle cars on screen such as the Dodge Challenger, Charger, Mustang or the Bumblebee Camaro, but the Delta 88 is the bruised underdog, usually ending up beaten and battered, which just keeps coming back.
If you wanted to own a Delta 88, especially a 1973 ‘Royale’ model like the one in Evil Dead, the price would depend on condition and mileage as with any other vehicle. Luckily, the Delta 88 isn’t the most sought-after vintage car around, so prices can range from $7-30k. This example we found is a 1973 Delta 888 Royale with only 569 miles on the clock, featuring a 455ci V8 and a 4-speed auto transmission, sold for $29,900.
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