RIP Oldsmobile

J

jerrym3

Senior Member
The last Olds was made yesterday. The end of one of the earlier performance cars. Olds was pushing OHV V-8s with 4 sp automatics while Ford/Merc were pushing flatheads with three sp Ford/Merc-O-Matics, DeSoto was into big flathead 6 cylinders, Chevy was selling two sp Powerglides with six cylinders, and Pontiac was pushing straight eights. The Olds 4 speed Hydramatics were no slouches in performance.

Olds made some beautiful cars. Ex:the 54/55 Super 88 and 98; the 57 Super 88 J-2 convertible; the 1962 Starfire; the 66-67 442's (4 barrel, 4 on the floor, dual exhaust); the Hurst Olds series; the "W" cars; even the Olds VistaCruiser stationwagon with the glass panels in the roof. (Of course, every manufacturer maks a "dog" every now and then, ex: the 58 "chrome" Olds.)

I only owned two, a 3 sp on the column 1954 88 (very rare) and a 1957 98 Convertible (non J-2). My dad had a very fast 55 88 2 dr hardtop.

Olds joins the ranks of the DeSoto, Plymouth, Packard, Hudson, Studebaker, and all the other makes that made our automobile industry the envy of the world at one time.

RIP
 
I can't believe it. I love Olds. I just can't believe that they're going out of business. Do you think that if they brought back the Cutlass that Olds might gain more popularity, therefore gain money?
 
Long Live #3 said:
I can't believe it. I love Olds. I just can't believe that they're going out of business. Do you think that if they brought back the Cutlass that Olds might gain more popularity, therefore gain money?
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Actually just a few years back they had some of the best cars GM was making – Aurora, Alero etc. But by then they were already planning for its demise, not that I would have preferred it but I would have thought Buick would have been the one – their average buyer was creeping up in age every year. Oldsmobile was always a head of the game; I’ve heard they were actually viewed as the R&D arm for what would be put on the other GMs. Maybe my 442 will go up in value another $10.00 or so. I rather have them around still, the first massed produced car in the world.
 
As an older Oldsmobile fan, I find this quite sad, but I can't say I'm that upset anymore.

Olds stopped building the very cars that gave them a great reputation. They tried to NOT be your father's Oldsmobile & UN-fortunately they succeeded.

I was 6 yrs old when I had my first taste of an Oldsmobile ... & I've been hooked ever since.

To think just 20-25 yrs ago, the Olds Cutlass was a number one seller, & the company has since been run into the ground.

I can remember wanting to cry in 1986 when I saw the new Toro & Delta 88 ... what a joke. The RWD Cutlass only lasted till 1988 after that. The only other traditional V8 Olds was the Custom Cruiser until 1990. Basically, Olds has done NOTHING for me as a whole, since 1988.

As far as I'm concerned that was the turning point ... where it all went down hill.

Without the popularity of the Sable, & if FoMoCo had stopped making the Grand Marquis back in the mid-upper 80's ... I'd be willing to bet there would be NO Mercury today ... the same thing would have happened to them, that happened to Olds.

GM lost a lot of customers back in the mid to upper 80's doing what they did ... I worked at a Linc Merc dealer whose used car line looked more like that of a GM auction parking lot. It was incredible the amount of people that switched over that didn't care for the Olds/GM re-designs.

Oh well ...

Better go hug my 2 REAL Oldsmobiles ...

Not that joke of a line-up the've been trying to peddle these past few years ... that ultimately cost Olds their life.

:alone:

Ever wonder if some of the Olds people got jobs at Mercury, & are responsible for the lack of advertising & promotion concerning the Marauder ?.

Eric
 
Olds memories

In 1963, in between steady jobs, I had a part time job driving used cars from Union City, NJ to Auburn, NY. (Used car dealer was moving his lot to NY and was too cheap to rent a car carrier.)

So, for $15 per trip, I would take one of their cars home at night, using it, of course, to go cruising that evening, wake up 5 AM and drive to NY and take the bus back into Manhatten to catch another bus into NJ. And, even though it was winter and I would hit some snow every now and then, I couldn't slow down otherwise I'd miss the bus coming back. But, I was about 19 and, at that age, you think that you will live forever.

The nicest car I ever drove up to NY was a maroon/white top 1962 full size Olds 2 dr hardtop Super 88 with a three speed on the column. Quick as a rabbit, but it was practically impossible to speedshift. I can still remember the whooosh of that motor whenever I nailed it.

I had a close friend (whom I haven't seen for a long time) who was an Olds fanatic. Don't know if he still has it, but he had bought a gold/white Hurst Olds, 73, I think, that he intended to garage and keep forever. Last time I saw him in the early 80's, the car had less than 10,000 miles on it.

This fellow also had a number of 66-67 442's and one of those bright yellow Rallye 350 Oldsmobiles. He actually went full time into the business of buying/selling used Olds parts.

Before the Chevys and Pontiacs became performance cars, Olds was the car to beat.
 
I have many fond memories of riding in the rear jump seat of grandpa's Vista Cruiser.:rolleyes:

He probably put 200k on it before he moved on to something smaller.
 
jerrym3 said:
The last Olds was made yesterday. The end of one of the earlier performance cars. Olds was pushing OHV V-8s with 4 sp automatics while Ford/Merc were pushing flatheads with three sp Ford/Merc-O-Matics, DeSoto was into big flathead 6 cylinders, Chevy was selling two sp Powerglides with six cylinders, and Pontiac was pushing straight eights. The Olds 4 speed Hydramatics were no slouches in performance.

Olds made some beautiful cars. Ex:the 54/55 Super 88 and 98; the 57 Super 88 J-2 convertible; the 1962 Starfire; the 66-67 442's (4 barrel, 4 on the floor, dual exhaust); the Hurst Olds series; the "W" cars; even the Olds VistaCruiser stationwagon with the glass panels in the roof. (Of course, every manufacturer maks a "dog" every now and then, ex: the 58 "chrome" Olds.)

I only owned two, a 3 sp on the column 1954 88 (very rare) and a 1957 98 Convertible (non J-2). My dad had a very fast 55 88 2 dr hardtop.

Olds joins the ranks of the DeSoto, Plymouth, Packard, Hudson, Studebaker, and all the other makes that made our automobile industry the envy of the world at one time.

RIP
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Yep, I can dig it. I had a '50 Rocket 88 with a three speed manual then a 53 Super 88 with a three speed manual and then a 55 Super 88 with a hydramatic that I dropped in a '57 J2 with three duces. Life was good. (still is)
 
jerrym3 said:
Olds made some beautiful cars. Ex:the 54/55 Super 88 and 98; the 57 Super 88 J-2 convertible; the 1962 Starfire; the 66-67 442's (4 barrel, 4 on the floor, dual exhaust); the Hurst Olds series; the "W" cars; even the Olds VistaCruiser stationwagon with the glass panels in the roof. (Of course, every manufacturer maks a "dog" every now and then, ex: the 58 "chrome" Olds.)

RIP
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Yes, I miss Olds!
 

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Olds in the 30's and 40's built some real ugly cars. The front end and grilles mostly. But some of them had "Flash Gordon" looking dashes, and and bullet taillights mounted high on the quarter sail panel.

The way things are going at GM, I wouldn't be surprised if Buick is next. Then maybe GMC truck.

They seem to be focused on Cadillac, Chevrolet, and now Pontiac.
Buick they put very little effort into anymore.

Instead of Oldsmobile they should have canned Saturn.
 
Goodbye, Olds

The first new car I owned was a 1980 Cutlass Supreme, dark navy, white landau roof, buckets and a beautiful 350. Thanks, Ransom!
 
Oldsmobile's legacy up till now has been lived in the all aluminum OHV pushrod V8 that's currently used in the Land Rover Discovery, which is a wonderful motor in the 4.6 litre displacement. However, that too will be ending as for the next MY, Ford has decided to start using Ford and Jaguar engines in the next generation Discovery. I just hope Mercury never goes that route that others like Olds have.............
 
junehhan said:
Oldsmobile's legacy up till now has been lived in the all aluminum OHV pushrod V8 that's currently used in the Land Rover Discovery, which is a wonderful motor in the 4.6 litre displacement. However, that too will be ending as for the next MY, Ford has decided to start using Ford and Jaguar engines in the next generation Discovery. I just hope Mercury never goes that route that others like Olds have.............
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I thought that was a buick engine, and LR stopped using it when BMW bought Land Rover?
 
RCSignals said:
I thought that was a buick engine, and LR stopped using it when BMW bought Land Rover?
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Actually, I think you are right as i'm a bit fuzzy tonight. However, Land Rover has been using that engine for ages. The current 04 Discoveries are still using it. This appears to be the last year the engine is being used as the 05 redesigned Disco's will be using the Ford 4.0 litre V6, and Jaguar V8. When the brand new Range Rover came out in 03, they used the BMW 4.4 litre V8
 
jerrym3 said:
The last Olds was made yesterday. The end of one of the earlier performance cars. Olds joins the ranks of the DeSoto, Plymouth, Packard, Hudson, Studebaker, and all the other makes that made our automobile industry the envy of the world at one time.

RIP
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If America doesn't wake up this can happen to more names. :cry: So the next time anybody thinks about looking at that cute little Rice Burner that the media BRAIN WASHES into thinking it's so superior :fire: ; please give a closer look at an AMERICAN made vehicle. It not only supports AMERICAN jobs, it also supports an AMERICAN economy. :help:
 
UAW 588 said:
If America doesn't wake up this can happen to more names. :cry: So the next time anybody thinks about looking at that cute little Rice Burner that the media BRAIN WASHES into thinking it's so superior :fire: ; please give a closer look at an AMERICAN made vehicle. It not only supports AMERICAN jobs, it also supports an AMERICAN economy. :help:
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I second that emotion!!!! :beer: :rasta:
 
UAW 588 said:
If America doesn't wake up this can happen to more names. :cry: So the next time anybody thinks about looking at that cute little Rice Burner that the media BRAIN WASHES into thinking it's so superior :fire: ; please give a closer look at an AMERICAN made vehicle. It not only supports AMERICAN jobs, it also supports an AMERICAN economy. :help:
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I cannot stand Asian vehicles. The only foreign made one I like is Jaguar.

No rice in my garage, not ever, not now, never.

Bob
 
67435animal said:
The only foreign made one I like is Jaguar.

Bob
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That's great. :D Another one of Ford's great nameplates that they own. The Lincoln LS is built off a Jaguar platform. Just like the new Vehicles we will be producing right here in Chicago, it will be built off a Volvo platform. Maybe you have seen or heard about them; they are the Ford 500, Ford Freestyle, and the Mercury Montego. :burnout:
 
UAW 588 said:
That's great. :D Another one of Ford's great nameplates that they own. The Lincoln LS is built off a Jaguar platform. Just like the new Vehicles we will be producing right here in Chicago, it will be built off a Volvo platform. Maybe you have seen or heard about them; they are the Ford 500, Ford Freestyle, and the Mercury Montego. :burnout:
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I saw all three at the Auto Show here last March. Very, very nice.

Bob
 
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