Generally speaking, I'm not a fan of cars made before 1960...but I do have some exceptions. Our primer grey 1950 Olds 88 here being one of them and this one is for sale on Facebook Marketplace with an out of this world asking price. I forget what it is exactly but I believe it was around $20,000. I know. As if.
General Motors needless if not senseless slicing, dicing, noodling and canoodling of their designs from year to year, under the auspice of creating artificial demand for new models, most often times, yes, subjective, ruined original designs. Mercifully, Oldsmobile left their new-for-1949 "88" alone for there's little to decipher a '49 from a 1950. They of course jumped the shark come 1951 but that's a blog for another day.
Our subject here's mid-restoration certainly does it's lines no favors but we can still see the simple James Dean cool that knocked the world on it's tailpipe in 1949. All of GM's 1949 designs, save for the Buick's, were deep breathes of fresh air that hinted of a aeronautic if not space-age inspired design future. That future would be, being polite here, rather bumpy at times; looking at you 1958 Oldsmobile. However, as the 1940's melted into the 1950's, the future appeared to not have a cloud in the sky. At least for Oldsmobile and General Motors.
From this unflattering angle, again the primer does this car no favors as well, there's still some "Christmas Story Oldsmobile" here that I'm not a fan of; love the movie of course but not the "old man's Oldsmobile". That styling similarity is somewhat understandable given "the old man's Oldsmobile" and this car are but thirteen model-years apart. Makes the rapid evolution from this car to what Oldsmobile pushed out just thirteen model years later all the more remarkable. How did they get from here to there so quickly?
There's no way anyone could have foretold of the hairy, gaudy, hoary rolling jukeboxes Oldsmobile pushed out at the end of the 1950's. GM's design guru Harley Earl seemingly gasping for straws as the dreary bells of retirement neared. That and the cattle prod that were the 1957 Chrysler's; nothing like a little competition to spur inspiration. Or was that desperation? His successor, Bill Mitchell, brilliantly taking his designs down a notch or several before settling down into his own 1960's through 1970's safety bumper groove. A groove that I believe was the greatest run of designs in General Motors history. Mr. Mitchell stepped down upon forced retirement at 65 in 1977. Imagine what he could have done with GM's 1978 intermediates and beyond.
Ah, but our 1950 "88" here with it's still simple lines and just enough chrome to push the envelope on good taste. But what's really special about this car is in addition to it's handsome, arguably timeless styling it's what lies behind this elegant front end and under it's hood.
Holy historical accuracy, Batman. This is an original Oldsmobile 303 cubic-inch, "Rocket" V-8 which has been rebuilt with period correct hot-rod accessories. The Offenhauser valve covers, the Edmund "two-deuce" intake manifold...comparatively speaking this is one hopped up "Rocket".
This car would be a handful to drive despite the "Whirl-A-Way" Hyrda-matic (automatic) transmission behind that Oldsmobile Rocket. Worm and double roller (manual) steering and "self-energizing brakes" make for a lot of work for the driver. Air conditioning was rarely available on any cars of this period.
Front end is rebuilt with "drop spindles" thus the "lowered look" which while not historically correct is period correct; I'm not a fan. Love the canopy over the windshield - a primitive way to block the sun back in the days before tinted glass. Our '50 is a long way from finished and even when done it still has far and away too much "'50's" in her to make it appealing to me. Especially at the asking price. Hope she finds a good home.
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