Saturday’s visit to dealers past is courtesy of a few photos from Orbit Oldsmobile in Michigan City, Indiana. Our opening photo from May 1964 shows Orbit’s new location at 609E. US 20; even from this distance, one can see the showroom with a good number of 1964 models.
Ready for some Rocket-powered shopping?
The showroom has a pretty good sampling of the 1964 models, which was no easy feat, considering the Rocket brand offered up to 30 models that year. Still, in the shot, the Jetstar I Sports Coupe in the foreground is quite noticeable (the large tachometer still visible from this distance), along with the new for 1964 Vista Cruiser wagon near the showroom’s center. Only a convertible is missing in this image…
… and there is one, being tended to in the service area (on the image’s left). Can’t tell that well from this distance, but looks like a Jetstar 88 model.
Elsewhere, the remaining stations are mostly filled with Olds products, though a 1961 Dodge is being serviced as well. Curiously, there’s another 1961 Dodge (a white one), parked out front in today’s lede image.
The dealer’s roots go back a few years, when it was OLDS J.L. Freeland and was located at 531 Michigan St. (always serving as an Oldsmobile and GMC trucks enterprise). The older streamlined brick building is shown here, with a few 1950 models outfront.
Space Age fever must have played a role in the dealer switching its name to Orbit, the name by which it was known when this group of 1962 models (in what looks like parade-ready service) was captured out front. Sadly, the brick building was razed in 2007.
That closes today’s short dealer visit. Now, what Rocket-powered wonder will you take home?
How about a 1964 Cutlass 442?
I was thinking the same thing, first year 442. Used to be a farmer in my area had a new one in convertible form.. Another farmer had a new Pontiac gto convertble 389 4sp and 3 deuces…!!! Good times I was 13 and a fan…!!!
GMC light and medium duty trucks were often paired with Olds dealers, note the 47/54 pickup and the late ’30 mid size GMC in the J L freeland photo. Stand alone GMC dealers leaned toward the bigger trucks and road tractors.
My first auto experience was age four, 1955. I was with my parents at an Oldsmobile dealership. I remember like it was yesterday. The showroom was close to the street. New cars in inventory were parked on a second floor parking garage and the roof top. We were an Air Force family, I have no idea what city or state this dealership was in.
I remember getting off an elevator to the second floor parking garage. Seeing the first time a new 1955 Olds ’98’ two door Holiday hardtop, turquoise & white, instant love. That is the car my parents bought. I also distinctly remember seeing a side view of a 1955 Olds ’98’ Starfire convertible parked at the end of a row of new cars, also turquoise & white. Even at age four, I wanted that convertible something bad. A few days later Dad went back and bought the convertible for Mom. We now had matching colors 1955 Olds ’98’s’, one two door Holiday hardtop, one Starfire convertible.
I would love to know where that dealership was located. I have no clue.
I was all about new 1964 Oldsmobiles when the parents picked up a fresh F-85 Cutlass hardtop late in the model year. I remember being swollen with pride as my 5 year old self was ferried around in that new car! But ours came from the northeastern part of the state, at Rice Oldsmobile on Fort Wayne’s south side.
What color? My mom’s co worker had the “tquse blue”. ((tudor -post-sdn))
It was a dark, dark, dark green called Jade Mist. Here is a Jetstar 88 painted that color. It was a really sharp car.
I still have my fathers 1964 Cutlass Convertible, metallic blue, white top, and blue interior. He brought it off my godfather, in 1966. 89k original miles. It’s a fun car to drive
My aunt had a beautiful ’64 Starfire. It was marron.with white leather bucket seats. It was always garaged and rarely driven. It received a wax job from the dealer yearly. She was going to sell it to me in ’72. It only had 17k miles. About a month before the event, while visiting my cousin, a huge oak tree fell on it during a rare storm. It was in the Olds body shop and after over 120 hours of labor it was fixed. It leaked, rattled, doors didn’t close right and the paint looked like crap. It was sold to a stranger for peanuts. That car sparked my love of Oldsmobiles. I own a ’79 NINETY-EIGHT two door, maroon and with a 403 4bbl engine.
The photos of the showroom and shop look to have been made by a professional or serious amateur. Good exposure, depth of field and composition, and taken from an elevated position. I wonder if all of the 1964 shots were part of some sort of announcement or press packet.
609 E. US-20 looks to be a bike shop now, and the building bears little resemblance to a car dealership.
Actually, the showroom was just east of the current bike shop building. I assume at some point, the addresses were changed, but the current address of that site is 625 US-20. From Google Maps, it looks like the building was demolished in 2024. Below is a StreetView shot from before demolition – it had been used as an RV dealership until about 2020:
Google StreetView link:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ACTTPQzaT47st72P9
Yes, the building was in disrepair & demolished last year. Many fond memories came from that showroom!
Those are good photos, but the service department one is inverted, unless all the cars were right hand drive…
As for me, I will take the white Ninety-Eight on the showroom floor.
True. It’s fixed and updated now.
I wouldn’t mind taking a Starfire or a Jetstar 1. Those were some good looking cars. The Ninety-Eight coupe would also fit nicely.
’61 Dodge likely was a trade in. The ’64 Olds that replaced it was probably worth a lot more in three years than that Dodge was at the same age.
Yes, the building was in disrepair & was demolished this past year. Many fond memories from within that showroom!
Nice images .
In the late 1970’s a buddy of mine landed a ’64 Olds hard top two door, I don’t recall what model, it was seafoam green and IMO _very_ pretty and went like stink .
-Nate
Orbit Olds. Enyeart Chevrolet. Hirsch Ford and other dealerships in Michigan City In. Knoilas speed shop was in that area of Orbit Olds.
I’d want a 1964 Starfire Holiday Coupe or Convertible
The 394/345hp sounded good with the low restriction Walker Chambered exhaust pipes straight thru resonators.
Wish Turbo 400 trans would have made 1964 vs 65. 64 Starfire Interior was total luxury & class.