Car Spot: 1968 Oldsmobile 442 Mod Rod Concept

A car that fit right in with the movement …

Chances are if you’re reading this, like me you remember the late 1960s. It was a time when much of my generation was protesting and trying to find its own way. Not me of course, I was more interested in cars. Car marketers knew that some of us wanted flashy wheels, so latched onto it with advertising featuring a lot of bold, bright colors, eye-catching graphics, and big, loud patterns. Many times called Mod. This week’s spot, Oldsmobile’s one-of-a-kind 442 “Mod Rod” is a perfect example.

This is the Oldsmobile 442 “Mod Rod” which debuted at the 1968 Chicago Auto Show. It was displayed on a turntable under the banner “Olds is Young” and was shown with a professional model in matching attire. Obviously, there was no production intent behind it, rather it was the stuffed shirts of General Motors that were attempting to connect with the Flower Power generation.

Finished in a light pearlescent yellow (but much of it looks orange) the car features a matching interior, set off by this wild custom Pucci-esque fabric inserts of purple, silver, orange, and yellow in the bucket seats and door panels. To set it off appropriately, the models wore outfits made of the same fabric with orange and purple skirts and orange go-go-boots. Red line tires and “Mod Rod” scripts completed the look.

After the 1968 auto show season the car was purchased by an Oldsmobile dealer in North Carolina who displayed it on the dealership’s showroom floor for some time. Still, it also became a daily college commuter in the early 1970s for the dealer’s daughter. It now resides at a museum in Chicago.

What is it worth now? Well, that might be up for debate since it’s one-of-one but ones that are not painted in these wild colors will sell around $57,000.

Thanks for stopping by and reading about this week’s spot. I have a plethora of others so go check them out. Come back next week for another one of my spots along with some of its history. Have a great weekend.