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For most of the 20th century, Oldsmobile occupied a comfortable place in the General Motors status hierarchy: more prestigious than those aspirational Pontiacs yet less show-offy than the snooty Buicks. In 1978, the Ninety-Eight Regency reigned as King of the Oldsmobiles, and Olds shoppers with both money and a bit of gangster-style swagger chose the rakish Ninety-Eight Regency Coupe. Forty-two years of hard use has eroded much of the luster from the crown of today's Junkyard Gem, but we can still see flashes of Malaise Era opulence in this car, now awaiting the crusher in a Northern California self-service yard.