Oldsmobile 88
The Oldsmobile 88 is a full-size car that was produced by the Oldsmobile Division of GM from 1949 until 1999. From 1950 until 1974, the 88 was the division's most popular line, particularly the entry-level models such as the 88 and Dynamic 88. The 88 series was also an image leader for Oldsmobile, particularly in the model's early years, when it was one of the best-performing automobiles, thanks to its relatively small size, light weight, and advanced overhead-valve high-compression V8 engine. This engine, originally designed for the larger and more luxurious C-bodied 98 series, also replaced the straight-8 on the smaller B-bodied 78. With the large, high-performance Oldsmobile Rocket V8, the early Oldsmobile 88 is considered by some to be the first muscle car.
Naming conventions used by GM since the 1910s for all divisions used alphanumeric designations that changed every year. Starting after the war, Oldsmobile changed their designations and standardized them so that the first number signified the chassis platform, while the second number signified how many cylinders. A large number of variations in nomenclature were seen over this long model run — Super, Golden Rocket, Dynamic, Jetstar, Delta, Delmont, Starfire, Holiday, LS, LSS, Celebrity, and Royale were used at various times with the 88 badge, and Fiesta appeared on some station wagons in the 1950s and 1960s. The name was more commonly shown as numerals in the earlier years and was changed to spell out "Eighty Eight" starting in 1989.
First generation (1949–1953)
introduced the 88 badge for its new Rocket V8-powered mid-range in 1949, replacing the previous straight-8 engined 78 and complementing the existing division lineup of entry-level Seventy-Six and luxury 98.The new car used the same new A-body platform as the straight-6 engined 76 but paired it with the company’s new, V8.
This combination of a relatively small, light body and large, powerful engine was a sensation in performance circles, causing it to be viewed by some as the first muscle car. The Rocket 88- powered 88 vaulted Oldsmobile from a somewhat staid, conservative car to a performer that became a Carrera Panamericana winner, and the one to beat on the early NASCAR circuits. It won six of the nine NASCAR late-Carrera Panamericana model division races in 1949, 10 of 19 in 1950, 20 of 41 in 1952, and was eventually eclipsed by the low-slung, powerful Hudson Hornet, but it was still the first real "King of NASCAR." This led to increased sales to the public.
The 88 was available in six body styles: a 2-door Club Sedan, a 4-door Town Sedan, 2-door Club Coupe, 2-door convertible coupe, 4-door sedan and 4-door station wagon. The former two were in fastback design, dating back to the pre-war GM streamliners, whereas the others followed the new three-box notchback design. The 4-door Town Sedan would be for 76 and 88 a one-year-only model.
The 88 enjoyed great popular success as well, inspiring a catchy 1950s slogan, "Make a Date with a Rocket 88", and a song, "Rocket 88", often considered the first rock and roll record. Starting with the trunk-lid emblem of the 1950 model, Oldsmobile would adopt the rocket as its logo, and the 88 name would remain in the Olds lineup until the late 1990s.
The 1949 model was equipped with an ignition key and a starter push-button to engage the starter. Pushing the starter button would engage the starter, but if the ignition key was not inserted, unlocking the ignition, the car would not start. The car was equipped with an oil bath air cleaner. At the bottom edge of the front fender directly behind the front wheel was a badge that said "Futuramic" which identified an Oldsmobile approach to simplified driving, and the presence of an automatic transmission.
V8 Oldsmobiles were automatic-only in 1949 as Oldsmobile lacked a manual gearbox that could handle the torque of the new engine.
In 1950, Oldsmobile offered a modified Cadillac manual gearbox for V8 models. The 88 outsold the six-cylinder 76 lineup. It had a 40 ft. turning circle. Hershel McGriff and Ray Elliot won the 1950 Carrera Panamericana in a 1950 model. With the four-door Town Sedan being discontinued last year, the only fastback 88 remaining was the 2-door Club Sedan. However, as the fastback designs were quickly being regarded as outdated by the turn of the decade, only 31,093 88 Club Sedans were produced in its last year, whilst a new notchback 2-door sedan had been introduced, of which 50,561 were produced.
In 1951, the 88 moved to the new GM B-body, and became the entry-level Olds with the discontinuation of the straight six-cylinder 76 line, leaving all Oldsmobiles powered by the Rocket V8.
The 88 was given an I-beam frame, and an in-house manual transmission replaced the modified Cadillac gearbox, but as the 1950s progressed, manual shift became increasingly rare in Oldsmobiles and normally only available by special order.
The more upscale Super 88 made its debut, which included restyled rear body panels, a more luxurious interior, and a slightly longer wheelbase than the all previous 88s had ridden on. The station wagon was discontinued and would not reappear until the 1957 model year.
Hydraulic power windows and seats were optional.
In 1952, the base 88 shared the Super 88's rear body panels and wheelbase, while Super 88s came with a new four-barrel carburetor, upping output to.
Mechanical features remained unchanged, a new grille, taillights, and some interior revisions providing a very minor cosmetic refresh. An optional automatic headlight control became an option.
In 1953, the base 88 was renamed the DeLuxe 88 for only this year, while the Super 88 continued as the upscale version. Engines and transmission offerings were the same as 1952. Late in the 1953 model year, a fire destroyed GM's Hydra-Matic plant in Livonia, Michigan, which was then the only source for those transmissions. The temporary loss of production led Oldsmobile to build thousands of its 1953 models with Buick's two-speed Dynaflow automatic, until GM pressed its Willow Run Transmission plant into service to make Hydra-Matics.
New options this year included Frigidaire air conditioning, power steering, and power brakes.
Second generation (1954–1956)
1954
The 1954 Oldsmobiles were completely restyled, remaining on the GM B platform but receiving new longer and lower body shells, and new one piece wrap-around windshields and rear windows. Wheelbases on the B platform increased to. Base models reverted to being simply called 88s after being designated as DeLuxe 88s for only one year and the Super 88 remained the top of the range.The standard two-barrel Rocket V8 was enlarged from 303 to 324 cubic inches and raised to, while Super 88s got a four-barrel version. A safety-padded dashboard was offered as a $17 upgrade from the standard all metal dash.
1955
Just one year after the all new 1954 models, the 1955s were heavily facelifted, with new grillework, taillights and body-side chrome. Horsepower for the 324-cubic-inch Rocket V8 increased to 185 for 88s and 202 for Super 88s.At mid-year, Olds introduced the new pillarless four-door hardtop body, dubbed the Holiday sedan, in both the 88 and Super 88 series. It joined the four-door 98 Holiday, Buick Century Riviera, and Special Riviera as the first four-door hardtops ever produced.
Air conditioning became an option. The 88 had full instrumentation. The term "Morocceen" began to be used to describe the new vinyl interior, which was used for several decades.
1956
In 1956, styling highlights included a new split grille, revised taillights and deck, and revised side chrome. Horsepower for the 324 Rocket V8 increased to 230 for 88s and 240 for Super 88s. A new four-speed Jetaway Hydra-Matic was introduced to replace the original Hydra-Matic transmission that Olds had used since 1940. The new Jetaway Hydra-Matic retained the four forward speeds and fluid coupling unit, but added a new "Park" position to the shift quadrant, and no longer required band adjustment as required routine maintenance. Inside, an oval speedometer replaced the round gauge, and a new foot-operated parking brake replaced the previous T-handle unit.Third generation (1957–1958)
1957
In 1957 the basic 88 was officially renamed Golden Rocket 88, after Oldsmobile's 1956 Motorama two-passenger show car. However, the only badging was an "88" underneath each taillight and the name was gone by 1958. A triple two-barrel carburetor "J2" option was introduced, similar to the Pontiac Tri-Power. The Super 88 continued as the upscale mid-line series.Under the hood, the base Rocket V8 was enlarged to 371 cubic inches, with power up to. Although rare, three-speed manual transmissions were still available.
Styling highlights were more evolutionary than radical, with a three-piece rear window design marketed as the “Twin-Strut Rear Window.” This was a feature in all series fixed-roof body-styles except station wagons. Buick also used this 3-piece rear window design that year, but without any marketing nickname. A safety deep-recessed steering wheel was introduced.
Oldsmobile revived station wagons for the first time since 1950, offering the sporty hardtop Super 88 Fiesta.
1958
For 1958, GM was promoting its fiftieth year of production, and introduced Anniversary models for each Division.The 1958 model is best known in Oldsmobile as the year of the "ChromeMobile". thanks to tremendous splatterings of chrome trim, particularly on the higher-priced Super 88 and Ninety-Eight models. The styling was advertised by Olds as the "Mobile Look." However, it would later become seen as the height of 1950s car design excess, to the point where a stylist at Ford would later buy a 1958 car for use as a daily driver. To emphasize the importance of tasteful design, he re-arranged the "OLDSMOBILE" lettering on the front of the car to read "SLOBMODEL".
The entry-level 88 became the Dynamic 88 in 1958, a nameplate that lasted through 1966. It featured a more economical Rocket V8 than its upscale Super 88 siblings – a de-tuned two-barrel version of the 371 cubic-inch Rocket V8. Super 88s received a four-barrel version, bumped to with the triple two-barrel carburetor J-2 option.
A revised instrument panel was highlighted by a new deep-dish steering wheel with "horn bars" replacing the long-standing horn ring still common during that period. The "Trans-Portable" radio was a new option, which could be removed from the instrument panel through the glove compartment and used as a portable.
Despite an economic recession that cut into new-car sales industry wide, and especially affected the medium-priced car market that Oldsmobile competed in, the company saw only a slight decline in sales for 1958, and even rose in industry standings to fourth place behind the "Low-Priced Three" of Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth, while surpassing a now-floundering sister division Buick on the sales charts for the first time in many years. Oldsmobile was also way ahead of other mid-priced competitors such as sister division Pontiac, Mercury, Dodge and Chrysler, along with Ford Motor Company's all-new and ill-fated Edsel, and Chrysler Corporation's DeSoto, the latter fading into oblivion within the next three years.