Most convertibles get attention, but there’s something about drop-tops from the 1960s that draws the eye even more. Perhaps it’s the fact that most people aren’t used to seeing 60-year-old cars on a daily basis. Maybe it’s the sense of nostalgia people of certain generations feel when they see them. I think it’s mainly because of the way they look. So many of them have an immediate presence and a perennial coolness to them. Our Pick of the Day, a 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire posted for sale on ClassicCars.com by a Fort Worth, Texas dealership, is a great example.
In the early 1960s, Oldsmobile fans were familiar with the Starfire name. It had been sporadically used in the previous decade for a show car and versions of the 98 convertible. In 1961, it became its own model (and the best-looking version of all of the subsequent Starfire models, if you ask me). Everywhere you look, there’s something attractive or interesting. The two pairs of round headlights bookend the grille, which slants downward toward the red badge suspended just above the chrome bumper. On the hood, peaked strips of brightwork reach their summits behind the O L D S M O B I L E lettering and run straight back to the cowl.

The best angle for the Starfire is its profile. A swath of brushed aluminum starts off at the front fenders and goes all the way across each side before tapering off to a rounded point at the similarly shaped tail end the vehicle. Not only does that add eye-catching contrast (especially to a Garnet Mist car like this one), but combined with the flat-topped rear wheel openings, it also creates the illusion that the Starfire is squatting down on its back wheels and accelerating, even when its parked.

Oldsmobile saved the biggest visual flourish for the end – literally. Below the round taillights and their ribbed half covers is a chrome bumper that flares out at 45-degree angles and ends in distinctive points. If you’ve never seen a ’61 Starfire in person before, that’s OK. Once you get an eyeful of one, you’ll never forget it.

According to the selling dealer’s website, this particular Starfire is largely a “survivor,” but it has received some updates. The 394ci V8, which was factory-rated at 330 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, and the Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic transmission were recently serviced.

Inside, the gray leather upholstery and gray carpeting is new. Amenities include a power driver’s seat, a center console, power controls for the white soft top, and power windows, steering, and brakes. There is also air conditioning, but it is currently nonfunctional, so that will need to be addressed before you take off in this rocket-age car.
If you can’t stop looking at this 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire, just pay the $28,995 asking price and you can park it in your driveway and look at it whenever you want. Expect plenty of company when you do.
Click here or one of the pictures above to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
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